OEC Japanese Express

Chicago's Best New Dishes of 2024 - Chicago - The Infatuation

"Maxwells Trading is one of our favorite new restaurants of 2024, and this Japanese sweet potato masquerading as crème brûlée is a big reason why. It’s steamed long enough for the middle to be creamy, but then roasted to develop a lightly sweet crust that plays well with the spicy, clove-heavy Thai-style curry. It might sound extreme to say that we’d go to Maxwells Trading just to eat this tuber, but facts are facts. While reservations don’t immediately disappear when they're released a month out, it’s best to be watchful. Prime weekend time slots are pretty nonexistent, so plan to book about two or three weeks before your dinner unless you don’t mind eating at 5 or 9pm. It's always easier to get a table for a weekday. Or you can roll the dice and walk in day-of—the bar is first come, first served." - john ringor, veda kilaru, nick allen