Dec. 21--Bibimbap, which translates to "mixed rice" in Korean, is a signature Korean dish that endures because of its variability. For a meal in a bowl, a choose-your-own combination of sauteed vegetables, white or brown rice, sliced meat or tofu and a garnish of fried, raw or sunny-side egg has something for everyone.
At Kameya, a tiny Lincoln Park BYOB restaurant offering imaginative twists on traditional Japanese and Korean fare -- try the spicy tuna tartare tower with house-fried tortilla chips and sweet sauce to start -- the hot stone nibimbap entree ($15.95) pops with color and flavor in any iteration. The bowl arrives on a hot stone to keep the contents warm and steamy, starting with the sumptuous bed of grain rice, white or brown, and rising up to the wheel of assorted veggies, which include bright orange carrot shreds and sliced shiitake mushrooms, and finally to the overlays of a large, sunny-side-up egg and a spray of micro greens. Add beef, chicken or tofu for an additional $1.95 -- the tender and lightly seasoned tofu is particularly amenable -- stir well before eating and enjoy.
806 W. Webster Ave., 773-935-3474.
Leah Pickett is a freelance writer.
