Tokio Pub's Asian-influenced small plates a fusion feast

A breeze-kissed night, good friends and pork belly nachos. And crispy calamari. And pickled cucumber salad. And ...

I forgot how quickly one can fill up on small portions, but that's exactly how I ended up after a recent outing with a couple of friends to Tokio Pub in Schaumburg. It's easy to lose track of how many plates you've actually ordered when you're chatting over crying tiger shrimp and sipping rum-infused cocktails. So when the server asks “can I bring you anything else?” you say “OK, bring one more,” because everything that has come before has been so gosh-darn delicious.

Seriously. Everything we tried (save the cocktails; I'll address that later) boldly popped, subtly delighted or had some twist that made us say “I've never eaten anything like that before.”

Tokio Pub, Lettuce Entertain You's newest concept, opened in May at the Streets of Woodfield in a former Shaw's Crab House banquet room. The renovated space is very anti-Shaw's: industrial, steely tones meld with copper seating, wood tables, burlapped walls and Japanese artwork. Urban music pulses through the lounge. I didn't spot one fishy knickknack in the place.

What Tokio Pub does have in common with Shaw's is high-quality seafood that fits well with chef Naoki Nakashima's tapas-style menu. The Asian-leaning, Latin American-influenced fare comes in appetizer-sized portions to encourage sharing, which encourages talking (“get your paws off the last crab roll!”), which encourages lingering, which encourages more cocktails, which encourages more ordering. See how easy that was?!

We probably ordered a bit backward, starting with the sushi and items from the robata grill (a Japanese style of open-flame cooking) and ending with the salads and vegetables, but that's the way the menu is organized.

At $2, the boom! potato salad is the least expensive thing on the menu but one of the best. Small red and sweet potatoes mingle with radishes in a creamy dressing that gets its firepower (but not too much) from jalapeño peppers. We also liked the firepower in the angry chicken tacos that pair shredded chicken with house-made kimchee, a traditional Korean cabbage condiment akin to pickles but with much more oomph.

The pickled cucumber salad with soy vinaigrette provided a cooling counterpart to the crying tiger shrimp, so named (says me) because the sriracha chili hot sauce brings tears to your eyes.

Your eyes also will tear, but this time with tears of joy, after sampling the crispy calamari; the cilantro-infused lime vinaigrette perks up the squid better than any marinara I've encountered. The barbecue pork belly nachos are not for those with delicate stomachs; this is a decadently rich dish made even more so by the fresh guacamole. You'll want a few bites of ginger-dressed edamame to counteract the luscious fats coursing through your system.

The dessert menu offers just two options and presented us with the easiest decision of the night. Order both!

The still-hot, crispy chocolate-filled beignets (doughnuts) sprinkled generously with powdered sugar are best eaten in one bite so warm filling doesn't drip down your shirt. They wisely come in a paper bag so you can take the rest with you without asking for a take-home container.

The passion-fruit ice cream, however, must be consumed on sight, and we had no problem finishing off the brightly flavored frozen treat.

Our experience with the cocktails was not as stellar. Tokio Pub offers a number of beers (both local and imported) and sakes, as well as a small selection of wine. The emphasis, however, is on Tokio's signature cocktails (those labeled Pub Mixers are available by the glass or pitcher).

The “Cool Cocktails” sounded delicious (what's not to like about mango rum, elderflower liqueur and pineapple, cranberry and orange juices?), but they were way too weak, especially for drinks labeled as martinis.

The pub mixers, on the other hand (we tried the margarita made with yuzu, an Asian citrus, and the ginger mojito) were so sweet that we couldn't finish them.

Our service started off slow. We were seated promptly, but it wasn't until we flagged down a manager that a waitress stopped by. She made up for the slow start by offering a couple of plates on the house. Ahh, maybe that's why I got too full.

<b>Tokio Pub</b>

1900 E. Higgins Road at the Streets of Woodfield, Schaumburg, (847) 278-5181, <a href="http://www.tokiopub.com" target="_blank">tokiopub.com</a>

<b>Cuisine: </b>Tapas-style Asian-fusion

<b>Setting: </b>Edgy lounge in steel tones; covered outdoor seating

<b>Small plates: </b>$3 to $18

<b>Hours: </b>11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday; 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday