Kanin is a takeout spot that makes us want to eat in - Review - Chicago - The Infatuation
"For all intents and purposes, Kanin in Ravenswood is a takeout spot. It only has a few two-tops next to its shelves of Asian candy and chips, and it’s about the size of those New York studios that discourage Chicagoans from moving east. But Kanin’s Filipino-Hawaiian dishes are worth slowing down and savoring—we’ve never wanted to loiter in a takeout spot more. photo credit: Kim Kovacik photo credit: Kim Kovacik photo credit: Kim Kovacik photo credit: Kim Kovacik Pause Unmute “Kanin” means rice in Tagalog, and most of the dishes in their display case stickered with “Everybody Eats” involve the fluffy grains seasoned with furikake. The chunky musubi are incredible handheld snacks, full of Spam, tart sinigang-inspired tempura, or longanisa packed into neat, nori-wrapped bricks. Heartier bento boxes come with well-seasoned BBQ chicken or kalua pork, plus sweet yellow radish and slightly spicy ginger. But no meal is truly complete without their ube banana pudding. Good luck not finishing one of their mini tubs before you leave. photo credit: Kim Kovacik photo credit: Kim Kovacik photo credit: Kim Kovacik photo credit: Kim Kovacik Pause Unmute There’s an inviting hominess to the space—it's full of vibrant posters that reflect Kanin’s dual Filipino and Hawaiian cultures (and are sourced from the staff’s actual homes). Whenever one of Kanin’s three tables opens up, we get excited to make their delicious grab-and-go dishes a grab-and-stay situation. Food Rundown Spam Musubi This is probably the simplest of Kanin’s musubi options. But the trio of grilled Spam, crisp nori, and rice is tasty and a great version of the Hawaiian classic. photo credit: Kim Kovacik Longanisa & Egg Musubi Our favorite musubi here. It channels all of the sweet and savory flavors of a Filipino lonsilog plate—garlic rice, longanisa, egg—and packages it in a handheld. photo credit: Kim Kovacik Tamarind Shrimp Musubi A close second to the longanisa. The tartness from the tamarind seasoning nicely complements the fried shrimp and salty rice. photo credit: Kim Kovacik Tomato & Egg Musubi This combination of fluffy tamagoyaki and sweet and tangy tomato jam is a great choice whether you’re vegetarian or want to mix things up with the other meat and seafood options. photo credit: Kim Kovacik BBQ Chicken Bento Box If you have time to get some utensils involved, get this rice plate. The chicken has a tasty BBQ marinade with some pop from the pickled radish and peppery ginger. photo credit: Kim Kovacik Kalua Pork Bento Box If you want to stick with the pork trend of Spam and longanisa, this rice plate is the natural next step. The shredded pork and crispy shallots are pleasantly salty, and the same pickled radish and ginger are present for some crisp and punchy flavors. photo credit: Kim Kovacik Ube Banana Pudding Dessert should be mandatory at Kanin if you see any available tubs of this hanging out in their cooler. It’s light, fluffy, and not too sweet, with a fantastic balance between the banana and ube flavors. photo credit: Kim Kovacik" - John Ringor
