From beer bars to Michelin stars, this Chicago hospitality group can do it all
What do soccer, Japanese food, delivery-only fried chicken, and Michelin fine dining have in common? Each experiential concept falls under the exceptional innovations of the Fujimura Hospitality umbrella.
While many a successful restaurateur has built an empire by zeroing in on one cuisine or theme, Ty Fujimura created his boutique hospitality company on the premise of bringing diversity to the Chicago dining scene through new and niche concepts.
“I didn’t set out thinking, ‘Let’s come up with a myriad of different concepts and open them,’” Fujimura jokes when asked about his six hot spot restaurants. Instead, he says he seeks out ventures with small but loyal audiences—all of which are very personal to him.
West Town Japanese stalwart Arami {1829 West Chicago Avenue, Chicago}, for instance, celebrates Fujimura’s heritage. Craft beer haven SmallBar {2956 North Albany Avenue, Chicago} and soccer fan sanctuary
Heineken Pub97 {3626 North Talman Avenue} both center on passions and hobbies. So while his restaurants and bars initially appeal to the like-minded, Fujimura is eager to welcome and educate newcomers. “I love creating places that bring those people [who are already familiar with the concept] together to celebrate that particular thing,” he says. “But it’s also about exposing other people to something new,” he adds.
Concepts stretch across a broad spectrum, but the group’s focus for its restaurants is clear: creating immersive experiences. While diners have long been interested in ingredients and sourcing, Fujimura has observed guests now wanting to explore the skill and craft of cooking while learning the story behind what’s on their table. Small, laser-focused restaurants allow Fujimura to nail such exploration, not only via a knowledgeable staff, but by offering above and beyond experiences, such as sushi and sake classes at Arami, for example.
“Education is a big piece of what we do, and having a restaurant that’s under 100 seats gives the staff and I the opportunity to really engage people,” he says.
Paying homage to each restaurant’s respective neighborhood is the final piece of the puzzle. With outposts crisscrossing the North Side, from River North to Avondale, Fujimura’s locations cover a lot of ground.
“Sometimes the neighborhood chooses me,” he says. “If I’m looking to open something, instead of zeroing in on areas, I look at spaces and focus on the vibe I get,” he adds. Wherever he lands, he says the end goal is for restaurants to knit themselves into the fabric of the community and become a source of local pride for residents.
From Beer Bar to Michelin Star
Fujimura opened SmallBar with his brother and a very close friend 17 years ago, effectively launching his hospitality career. With a craft beer focus in place since well before the boom, the low-key neighborhood bar and beer garden makes its mark by stocking both regional and hard-to-find brews and serving especially tasty bar food.
At Arami {1829 West Chicago Avenue, Chicago}, chefs showcase Japanese fare in all its glory. Sure, there’s stellar sushi, but it occupies just a fraction of the menu. From ramen to charcoal-grilled meats and vegetables, the cuisine is presented comprehensively.
That’s what keeps people coming back to the skylit, nine-year-old restaurant, says Fujimura. “By design, there’s something for everyone,” he says, noting a special menu for those with various dietary restrictions, and calling out robata offerings for “meat-and-potatoes people.”
And for adventurous diners, Arami offers two very different, chef-guided omakase experiences, complemented by cocktails, wine, and arguably the city’s best sake menu. Arami’s private label sake, Ichi No Torii, brewed exclusively for Fujimura in Japan, is used as an instrument to showcase the versatility of the beverage. In the fall of 2018, Arami opened an outpost in Midway International Airport, as part of the airport’s overall modernization project. This opportunity provides Arami another platform to showcase quality cuisine to those on the fly.
Situated adjacent to CIBC Fire Pitch (a 125,000-square-foot soccer complex), Pub97, Chicago draws rec leaguers (including Fujimura, a lifelong soccer player himself) for a post-game beer, burger, or burrito. It’s also ground zero for MLS fans, who regularly ascend on the North Center spot to catch their team on a dozen 4K flatscreens. Thanks to catering options and Wi-Fi enabled meeting areas, the space has become a go-to for corporate events; while a game room and two full-sized turf fields make it a favorite for private parties.
The group dips over to the ultra-casual end of the spectrum with its most recent addition, a delivery-only concept cheekily named Lucky Klucker {3626 North Talman Avenue, Chicago}. On offer: chicken wings and tenders made fully customizable with a bevy of sauces, rubs, and dips, plus traditional sides such as fries and coleslaw. This satellite restaurant, which operates out of Pub97’s kitchen, is both an operational experiment and a sign of the times, says Fujimura. He cites a trend toward fewer reservations, more walk-ins, and a surging demand for delivery. Couple that with functional issues including underutilized kitchen space and staff, and for Fujimura, the solution was clear.
“If you have bandwidth in the kitchen and you have the ingredients, why wouldn’t you bring in a bit more by operating a restaurant within a restaurant?” he asks.
In doing so, he says, “We’ve found a way to take the lost brick-and-mortar dining experience and replace it with something fun.”
In stark contrast, Entente {700 North Sedgwick Street, Chicago} is Fujimura’s most upscale offering, and what some might consider the crown jewel of the group—a Michelin-starred stunner where the chef holds the spotlight. In this case, it’s Executive Chef/Partner Brian Fisher, whose tasting menu incorporates global flavors and techniques into contemporary American food. “It’s about putting Chef Brian in the room with other amazing people and watching the sparks fly,” Fujimura says of the experience.
The restaurant recently relocated from Lakeview to a larger space in River North, giving Fisher more space to work his magic while maintaining the concept’s sleek décor—an artful blend of mixed materials and repurposed objects. And although it’s a special occasion-worthy fine-dining experience, Fujimura is quick to mention that an à la carte menu offers a more casual option for those who aren’t up for the whole shebang.
“You can come in wearing shorts and a T-shirt and be seated next to a guy in a suit who rolled up in his Ferrari,” Fujimura says. “We strive for fun, forward-thinking cuisine that we can share with as many types of people as possible.”
With the recent addition of Jared Bacheller as pastry chef, Entente has upped the ante when it comes to sweet treats, now offering elective three- and five-course dessert tasting menus with available pairings to boot.
“For the short period of time you’re in one of our restaurants, we have at least one thing in common—this place and this dining experience,” Fujimura says. “When I look into the room and see people from all different walks of life enjoying an experience together, it makes me feel like there’s hope for all of us.
By Carly Boers
The post Diverse Concepts, Common Threads: The Ventures of Fujimura Hospitality appeared first on DiningOut Chicago.