Jellyfish to Open September 5

Due to open September 5 4 (updated), 2012, Jellyfish is the latest entrant into the Gold Coast restaurant seen-and-be-seen scene.  The second floor location of the new sushi bar does not mean diners won’t be part of the action, however.

Oh no!  They’ll be above the action, looking down on the plebes below from their pearlescent perch in the lounge-y atrium overlooking Rush Street.  When I went to a media preview, I coul see that Jellyfish is at once in the midst of the action and comfortably separated from it.

Those in the know will enter an innocuous door between boutiques on Rush Street that those not in the know will miss completely.  After a quick ascent, the elevator doors will open to blonde wood, glass, pearl white, and blue – immersion into a warm sea.

Diners will choose between booth or bar – liquor and sushi – seating inside, and cushioned couches or dining chairs in the atrium.  All seating is covered in dreamy pearly white upholstery.  Inside will be better for meals while outside will be suitable for sharing a selection of cool shared plates, warm shared plates, and skewers.

Both the dining room and the atrium will be delightful places to drink Beverage Director Daniel Finnigan’s cocktails, including the pictured Mandarin Mule, a take on the classic Moscow mule, and the Sake Spritzer, with house-crafted ginger lemongrass simple syrup.

The food will be Sushi Chef Andy Galsan’s mix of traditional sushi rolls as well as Jellyfish signature rolls such as the the visually striking Black Diamond, shrimp tempura over alaskan crab mix covered in black caviar.  Even the vegetarians will be satisfied with a selection of rolls sans seafood but avec flavor, such as the Sweet P, tempura, avocado, cream cheese, and sweet potato.

Even those diners who don’t think it’s a meal unless there’s a hunk of meat will also be satisfied at Jellyfish.  Executive Chef Harold Jurado won’t forget the carnivores by offering chicken, duck, and pan-asian versions of the neighborhood’s mainstay, beef.  Wagyu ribeye steak with uni-sriracha hollandaise, fingerling potatoes, and pearl onions is a new take on steak and potatoes, and the 12 oz. prime beef filet with sweet garlic soy, baby bok choy, mushrooms, and steak sauce is sure to provide leftovers.

While enjoying drinks and a snack or a meal diners at Jellyfish will be well away from the traffic noise and fumes along Rush Street, making the experience  of looking down on the little people that much more enjoyable.