There are certain places where we have specific expectations: think of a movie theater and popcorn, Wrigley Field and the Cubs, Mr. Beef and Italian beef sandwiches, or a sushi restaurant and fish. However, this is not the case at PLANTA QUEEN—a sushi restaurant that offers a variety of rolls without any actual fish. To our surprise, we found that we were not disappointed. In fact, we realized that fish is not a necessary component for delightful sushi rolls.
While PLANTA Queen has been a part of the Chicago dining scene for a while, we wanted to revisit this upscale, 100% plant-based restaurant to determine if it lives up to the hype. We can assure you that it does.
Everything on the menu at PLANTA QUEEN is plant-based, and the selection of maki and hand rolls is incredible. The Spicy Tuna roll features ahi watermelon, avocado, and toasted coconut, and it actually tastes like tuna. It’s perfectly assembled. The Volcano roll includes heart of palm crab, avocado, cucumber, sesame, crispy sweet potato, and gochujang mayo. Each bite brings a different flavor to the taste buds.
The restaurant is part of the larger group of PLANTA restaurants, founded by entrepreneur Steven Salm and executive chef David Lee. This is not their first venture into the food industry; they currently operate over 10 restaurants in New York, Toronto, and Bethesda, Maryland, with plans for more locations in the future.
Is there something new on PLANTA QUEEN’s menu?
Yes, they recently expanded their sushi selection with an AYCE (All You Can Eat) deal on Mondays. In addition to the new protein add-ons in their salads and bowls, they still excel at the classics. The Ruffled Mushroom Udon is rich and reminiscent of Alfredo pasta, while the thousand-layer crispy potatoes topped with caviar are something we’re still daydreaming about.