As much as I love dining out in Chicago, I can’t neglect the great dining just blocks from campus. Evanston even holds the coveted “dining capital of the North Shore” title. If you have a favorite restaurant or one you want to try, sign up for its mailing list and ask if it has any special events coming up. Themed dinners can be a great way to experience a new style or regional cuisine and perhaps even learn more about food and drink pairings.

Chinese and Japanese restaurant, Koi (624 Davis St.), offers a monthly chef’s sushi table event featuring eight courses with sake pairings for just $45. They’ve been doing this for months, but I’ve only just discovered it and I think I’ve stumbled upon a hidden gem. There are only 12 seats each month and they fill up fast. Guests sit at the sushi bar and watch executive sushi chef Guosheng Yu demonstrate off-menu specialties while teaching you a few sushi rolling tips. Each month, Chef Yu has fun coming up with a completely new menu that ranges from more traditional mussel soup with ginger root to an inventive sushi pizza with tuna, seaweed and spicy mayo on a scallion pancake.

Rarely have I seen Asian restaurants offer special events like this. Plus, most wine dinners skew closer to $100, so it’s shocking to see tickets sold at such a value. Chef Yu is fun and totally approachable. He’s enthusiastic about each dish, quickly clearing up my misconception about the “tempura guano” describing the volcano roll. Guano is actually a Japanese dialect for unagi, or eel, not bat feces as I feared. I’m an adventurous eater (suckling pig’s brain and duck testicles don’t phase me), but bat droppings would be a bit much.

Koi’s sushi table event would make for a great date night – impress your man or lady with an upscale multi-course meal while simultaneously imbibing on more than your fair share of sake and plum wine. When I attended, Chef Yu even led guests in a couple rounds of celebratory sake shots at the conclusion of the meal. Seriously, it’s like a frat party with quality Asian food.

If you’ll still be around next month, Koi’s December chef’s table is Dec. 6, with an eight-course tasting menu paired with Japanese beers. You can purchase tickets online on Koi’s website.

– Amber Gibson