Andersonville’s Dazzling Korean-Italian Combo, Passerotto, Opens on Thursday

Passerotto, the genre-shattering restaurant that combines Korean and Italian cuisine, will debut to the public this week in Andersonville. Chef/owner Jennifer Kim (Snaggletooth, Nico Osteria) will open one of the most unique restaurants in town on Thursday. The same DIY spirit Kim displayed at Snaggletooth, the cured fish haven that closed last year in Lakeview, has made it north inside the former Brixton space at 5420 N. Clark Street.

Kim and her crew are challenging what Chicagoans know about Korean food. She wants to go beyond Korean barbecue and show diners that a nice European wine can pair well with Korean food. It’s not just about beer. She’s harnessed her heritage while adopting skills learned in culinary school in America. An example of this may be an Italian lamb ragu with Asian rice cakes.

LM Restaurant Group has helped Kim in the same manner as they aided chef Diana Dávila at Mi Tocaya Antojeria in Logan Square. Kim has decorated the space with trinkets from musicians including David Bowie and Queen’s Freddie Mercury. The bar is big enough to have a meal, including the thick-cut short rib that’s served with an armada of banchan, the traditional side dishes (many of them pickled) that crowd tables at Korean restaurants. There’s seating at both sides of the bar, a fun little wrinkle.

It’s safe to say that there’s no place in Chicago like Passerrotto. Take a trip through the space before Thursday’s opening.