"I'm Just Gonna Run Out And Find A Cash Machine."

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Nov 4, 2005 3:35PM

It's been touted as a centuries-old Japanese tradition but is seen as more of a modern European fad and associated with the Yakuza. Chicagoist remembers seeing Adrianne Curry volunteer to do it and Vince Neil eat it with relish on The Surreal Life. Now the concept of "nyotaimori", known commonly as "body sushi", has landed in Chicago.

The River North-based Kizoku Sushi and Lounge sold its first $500 all-you-can-eat body sushi special last Sunday to two couples and has since logged 19 reservations for the offer, according to an article in today's Sun-Times. Kizoku co-owner Eddy Pinto swears he got the idea while in a karaoke lounge in Japan ten years ago, citing the "tastefully risque" and "we're all a little perverted" defenses (instead of the more obvious "doesn't this just make you so horny")?

The city, apparently made aware of Kizoku's body sushi offer by the Sun-Times' request for comment, said that Kizoku should be expecting some inspections in the near future from a public health perspective and to "make sure no nudity regulations are being violated."

Rrriiiiggghht. Nudity violations.

Judging from the photos in the Sun-Times article the body sushi server, who goes by the ancient Eastern name "Tabitha", appears to be in fine public health and Chicagoist isn't violated in the slightest by her tasteful nudity. So if the folks at Kizoku want to throw Chicagoist a bone (pun totally intended), we can find at least four people on the staff who are willing to try this. We do have one question?

Do we get to keep the plate?

Body Sushi photo courtesy of socal.com.