aja Chicago is now

Mojito Wednesdays on the Patio

Join aja every Wednesday in August as we celebrate Bacardi Mojito Nights on our new patio! From 6pm-8pm, enjoy complimentary Bacardi mojitos made with Dragon Berry, Limon, O, and new Torched Cherry.  

This week, bartender Drew Bassler created four different varieties of refreshing mojitos that include a cucumber mojito, blackberry-orange mojito, hibiscus flower mojito, and a green apple and cinnamon mojito.  Recipes and pictures below.  We'll see you next week!

hibiscus mojito: 

In a pint glass, muddle three lime wedges, three mint sprigs, two sweet hibiscus flowers, 1/2oz hibiscus syrup. Add 2oz Bacardi Torched Cherry and shake. Top with soda and garnish with hibiscus flower.

green apple and cinnamon mojito:

Preparation: Smash whole cinnamon stick in container, add 1oz boiling water, let stand.

In a pint glass, muddle two lime wedges, two small green apple slices, two mint sprigs, 1/2oz simple syrup. Add 1/2oz cinnamon water, 2oz Bacardi Silver, and shake.  Top with soda and garnish with cinnamon stick and mint sprig.

green apple and cinnamon mojito:

Preparation: Smash whole cinnamon stick in container, add 1oz boiling water, let stand.

In a pint glass, muddle two lime wedges, two small green apple slices, two mint sprigs, 1/2oz simple syrup. Add 1/2oz cinnamon water, 2oz Bacardi Silver, and shake.  Top with soda and garnish with cinnamon stick and mint sprig.

Check back on August 11th for more Bacardi mojito recipes. 

aja is located inside the dana hotel and spa at 660 north state street in Chicago. To make reservations or to RSVP for our next mojito Wednesday, call 312-202-6050 or visit our facebook page. You can also follow aja on twitter!

  
 

Exeuctive Chef Joshua Linton featured in Chicago Social's 2010 Restaurant Issue

 

Executive Chef Joshua Linton was featured in Chicago Social's 'The Restaurant Issue 2010.' They called it star search; meeting the next generation of killer kitchen talent.  Read Linton's excerpt below:

THE CHEF: Joshua Linton, 29
THE ROLE: Executive chef, aja
The SHTICK: Shared-plates, regional Asian How's It going today? Crazy. I have 16 new dishes going on the menu tomorrow. Like what? There's a twice-cooked pork with Chinese black beans that I think will go over really well. And stir-fried lily bulbs and celery. Cool--I've never heard of eating lily bulbs. If you were to plant it, then the lilly flower would grow. It's actually very sweet and crunchy, like a fresh water chestnut but even sweeter. We cook them really hot and really fast in the wok so they retain their integrity. Where do you discover ingredients like that? In high school I lived in Finland for a year. In D.C. I worked for Jose Andres, which was the first exposure I had to eastern Mediterranean cooking. He also had a Mexican restaurant, so he was getting ingredients from Mexico that I had never seen. So I'm very influenced by ingredients from all over the world. I understand how flavors come together from multiple cultures. Which leads us to your spice line, which is very eclectic. Joshua Tree Spice Studio. I'll be adding six new spices in August. I'm doing a Korean barbecue rub with chiles and miso and sesame and garlic.

View Chicago Social online here

aja is located inside the dana hotel and spa at 660 North State Street, 312.202.6050

new summer menu

On Wednesday, June 16th, we launched our new summer menu--and we mixed things up!  Small plates, medium plates, large plates, sushi, ceviche, carpaccio...all for sharing so be nice.  Here's a peak at some of our new additions.  Be sure to check out our facebook for weekly specials and updates.  Cheers!

   

24 oz prime ribeye

Chinese press duck

Garlic and sugar snap peas with candied ginger

Korean bbq hanger steak

Panese pork ramen noodles (delish!)

Soft shell crab with sesame noodles

Reservations recommend, but we love walk-ins.  312-202-6050
660 N State Street, Chicago, IL
Inside the dana hotel and spa

vertigo sky lounge industry night

Vertigo Sky Lounge and the Horseshoe Casino present Industry Casino in the Sky this Sunday.  For people in the industry by people in the industry, enjoy mock gaming, prizes, and signature spring cocktails. Starting in June, enjoy Industry Casino in the Sky on the last Monday of every month.

 

Visit the Vertigo Sky Lounge online. 
 

duroc pork chop

Take a look at our newest addition to our dinner menu; duroc pork chop.  Cooked to medium and served with ginger pickled summer fruits and hoisin jus, this dish pairs great with a glass of our Benton Lane Pinot Noir.  Click here to view our lunch and dinner menus. 

 

seasonal menu change

aja has added some exciting new dishes to its menu to reflect seasonality of particular ingredients. See the dishes and descriptions below.

mussels
south indian coconut curry
cilantro leaves
fresh squeezed ime

shrimp
pepper and salt prawns
crispy chiles and onions
5 spice glaze

lo mein
fresh egg noodles
summer market vegetables
ginger and scallion

udon
stir fried soft wheat noodles
peekytoe crab
toasted garlic and scallion
shiro miso sauce

fried rice
stir fried jasmine rice
bbq pork belly and roast pork
spicy black beans

asparagus
garlic, ginger, chile
smoked salt
roasted sesame

"as an american chef with a love for simple regional asian cooking, i've created a cafe menu of my favorite dishes. my passion for the freshest ingredients is combined with a commitment to support quality local growers and sustainable farming. the portions are individual but it's always fun to pass dishes around the table.  thanks for coming and please enjoy." - Executive Chef Joshua Linton

Everything Kobe Beef

Kobe refers to cuts of beef from the black tajima-ushi breed of Wagyu cattle, raised according to strict Japanese tradition.  The meat is considered to be a delicacy, renowned for its flavor, tenderness, and fatty, well-marbled texture.   Although the meat is Wagyu, the term Kobe Beef comes from the region in Japan where the cattle is raised, Kobe Japan

The Wagyu cattle that produces Kobe Beef were introduced into Japan in the second century as work animals, used in rice cultivation.  As beef consumption became more prominent in society, famers began hiring workers to massage the animals’ backsides to improve meat quality.  Because of the mountainous topography of the islands of Japan, small isolated breeding areas developed that maintained qualities of meat that differed significantly from all other breeds of cattle.  Herd isolation and distinctive feeding techniques which resulted from limited land availability led to distinguishing features that make the meat superior in marbling and therefore flavor.

As a server, I enjoy telling my guests about the raising practices used to make Kobe Beef, which usually results in laughter and the typical “I wish I was a Kobe cow” joke.  Wagyu cattle live a luxurious life; they eat organic grains, drink Japanese beer and sake mash, and even listen to tranquil music while getting daily massages.  The life of a Wagyu cow would be amazing, until the end that is. 

Fast Facts:

“Wa-“ means “Japanese,” and gyu” means “cattle.”

When purchasing Kobe Beef, the buyer gets an ink stamp of the cattle’s nose.

Cattle hides are also brushed with Sake, which improves the apperance of their coat and assists in tenderizing the meat.

Wagyu Cattle

You can see the high marbling content of the beef. 

aja features Kobe Strip as a daily special for $18/oz with no minimum or maximum, giving you the option to try a little or indulge yourself.  Also, we offer an 8oz Wagyu burger and Kobe Sliders on our Snak-Bar and lunch menu.

Absolut Bloody Brunch on April 25th

 

On Sunday, April 25th, aja will be hosting a bloody mary promotion with Absolut Vodka from 10:30am-1:30pm.  With brunch, enjoy your first round of bloody marys on us, made with our own housemade tomato juice. Cheers!

Real Simple Restaurant Week

aja is participating in Real Simple's Restaurant Week from April 5th to the 10th and is offering a three course prix fixe menu for Lunch ($20.10) and Dinner ($40.10). To make reservations call 312.202-6050 or through our facebook.

Lunch
Begin Choice of

18 Vegetable Salad/Soy-rice wine vinaigrette

Or
Citrus Salmon Maki / Lemon Confit / Avocado / Masago

Second Choice of

Vietnamese Shrimp & Pork Meatball Sandwich / Seasonal pickles / Spicy Mustard
Or
Asian BBQ Pork Sandwich / Kimchi Coleslaw / Fresh Herbs
Or
Braised Asian Market Vegetables and Tofu / Tempura Onions / Tamarind Broth

Third Choice of

Aja oreos
Double dark chocolate cookies
White chocolate mousse
Or
Bubbles
Vanilla tapioca bubbles
Coconut-taro cream

 

Dinner
Begin Choice of

18 Vegetable Salad / Soy-rice wine vinaigrette
Or
Citrus Salmon Maki / Lemon Confit / Avocado / Masago
Or
Sai Fun Noodle / Rock Shrimp / Fresh Ginger

Second Choice of

Spiced Lamb Burger / Tomato Chutney / Steak Fries
Or
Sesame Carmel Chicken / Wok tossed Asian Greens
Or
Braised Lo Mein / Market Vegetables / Mushroom Broth

Third Choice of

Aja oreos
Double dark chocolate cookies
White chocolate mousse
Or
Bubbles
Shaved ice slushie
Vanilla tapioca bubbles
Coconut-taro cream

 

Cranberry-lime mojito

 

Summer is almost here, and this means you're almost sure to see a mojito on a patio or beach in the near future.  Be prepared with a mojito recipe that will impress your friends and leave you feeling refreshed.  aja features a fun twist on the traditional mint and lime based mojito by adding fresh cranberries to the concoction; you'll find it on our 'snak-bar' menu.  If you'd like to try a different varietal of berry in your mojito, just ask the bartender to make either a blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, and even a tangerine mojito. All of which are as equally refreshing.  Here's the recipe:

In a pint glass, muddle:

three lime wedges
three mint sprigs
small handful of cranberries (or any fruit)
and .50oz simple syrup.  Simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water, boiled, then cooled.

Add 2.0oz Bacardi rum and shake

Pour into a rocks glass and garnish with a mint sprig and lime wedge.  Enjoy!

March 29th-April 4th lunch prix fixe menu

Due to the popularity of our Restaurant Week and Chef's Week lunch menus, aja is now offering a seasonal three-course prix fixe lunch menu for $22 per person which includes an appetizer, entree, and dessert.  Be sure to check back weekly as the menu will change due to the seasonality of our ingredients.  

March 29th - April 4th

Begin
 Choice of

 18 Vegetable Salad, soy-rice wine vinaigrette

Or

Citrus Salmon Maki, lemon confit , avocado, masago

 Second
 Choice of

 Vietnamese Shrimp & Pork Meatball Sandwich, seasonal pickles, spicy mustard

Or

Asian BBQ Pork Sandwich, kimchi coleslaw, fresh herbs

Or

Braised Asian Market Vegetables and Tofu, tempura onions, tamarind broth 

Third
 Choice of 

Aja oreos

Double dark chocolate cookies

White chocolate mousse

Or

Bubbles

Shaved ice slushie

Vanilla tapioca bubbles

Coconut-taro cream