Most of my friends will tell you that when they come to visit Chicago, I pack our days with self-guided food tours around my self-proclaimed sitcom city. There is nothing quite like having my omnivorous friends get seated at a poshy plant-based restaurant and watching their eyes light up as they discover the wonderful world of vegan food. “I can’t believe this is all vegan,” is the matter-of-fact statement most of them mumble between bites. Ah, yes, being served vegan donuts out an alley window is my love language.
Recently a restaurant called Planta Queen has made its way to River North in Chicago, and it’s safe to say I have been more times than I care to admit as I am trying to eat my way through the entirety of the menu. Planta Queen is an asian inspired dining experience with trendy mid-century modern/70s decor which is right up my alley (you know how I love an alley).
Planta Queens Japanese Sweet Potato
After trying Planta Queens Japanese Sweet Potatoes I knew I would be recreating these for the blog. Imagine a boujee Japanese version of Taco Bells cheesy fiesta potatoes… yes, I used boujee and Taco Bell in the same sentence. A pile of air-fried sweet potatoes torched in a miso glaze and topped with some fresh kimchi, thai basil stems, cilantro, and furikake. I have no idea what sauce they used, but I knew I was looking for something creamy and miso infused.
Creamy Miso Tahini
For my version of this recipe, I made a simple 4-5 ingredient creamy miso tahini sauce to pour over said potato tower.
- Tahini- If you are not familiar with tahini, it is ground sesame seeds made into a paste and very common in asian cuisine. This is also one of the key ingredients in a hummus.
- Miso- Miso is fermented soybean paste and the definition of umami (aka savory flavor). You may have to visit your local asian supermarket for this ingredient.
- Rice Vinegar- Because every dish needs their acid!
- Oat Milk (sub any plant milk)– This is purely to thin out the creamy sauce to the right consistency.
- Sriracha- This in an optional ingredient. If you are topping your sweet potatoes with kimichi, then they will already have a kick. However, I love a big kick so in the sriracha goes for me.