Midori - Mount Prospect

This was actually the first time that I decided unagi sauce wasn't my favorite anymore. I guess it was because I ordered too many rolls that had unagi in it, but it was just too sweet for me.

But on to my review of Midori, I'd have to say this is a very local, "if you're in the neighborhood" bar. I wouldn't travel 45 minutes just to get there, but it is a very nice place to grab your favorite rolls or try some new ones.

They have a large variety of other entrees. My family ordered tempura and other dishes that I can't recall (it's been almost a year since I went there) but I DO remember that everything tasted great and was cooked very well.

I ordered a Dancing Eel Roll and a simple unagi roll (I like the special rolls, but wanted to also check out how fresh their meats were). My only problem with the rolls was that they were both drenched in the unagi sauce.

(Dancing Eel Roll + unagi roll)

I sadly did not take any pictures of the interior of the sushi bar. They have 2-3 tatami rooms, as well as room for maybe, 45-50 guests (including about 6 seats at the bar). It is decorated nicely - not too flashy and cheap looking, but nothing plain either.
On a scale of 1-10, I'd give Midori an overall 8. It's a great place to check out, espeically on a date. As far as quality of rolls, it's going to have to be a 7 from me. The sauce killed it. :(

BUT... one thing I noticed on the menu still boggles my mind. I never got the chance to ask about it, but here's a picture to just make you curious:

Sushi Thaime

Craving sushi on a random Wednesday afternoon, my boyfriend, his brother, and I decided to check out Sushi Thaime. Located near the intersection of 95th and Cicero, it's definitely a hidden gem.

The atmosphere of the restaurant is very cozy. As it was a cold and bitter Chicago afternoon, the streets and sidewalks outside were quite nasty. Stepping inside to the cool interior, we were pretty impressed and didn't expect it to be so nice. Although it only seats about 30 guests (excluding the bar), Sushi Thaime has a cozy, comfortable feel.



Their lunch special was SUCH a deal - $1 nigiri and $4 maki. We paid $4 for a dragon roll! I was completely in shock when I saw the price, but figured we'd be getting a tiny version or 1/2 the pieces of a real dragon roll. When our server came out with a full dragon roll, therefore, I pretty much died and went to heaven.

My two fellow diners are not as keen on sushi as I am, and were a bit weary on experimenting with the different tastes. I ordered safely: spicy salmon, ebi tempura, and a dragon roll to begin, as well as octopus + clam nigiri. (see below)


After taking their first bites, they were hooked. As I took in their reactions, I judged the quality of the fish on my own. The rolls were definitely substantial, nothing miniscule (which I sort of expected based on the price), and the fish inside was very fresh.

The only downside to the restaurant is the service. We awkwardly stood for almost 5 minutes, waiting to be seated, but no server or hostess greeted us. We finally sat ourselves (with permission from the sushi chef) at the nearest table. We also had to wait about 15 minutes for the server to pick up our bill, and we were the only customers left in the restaurant by that time. When I looked over, she was sitting in the corner with a co-worker, eating lunch.

But despite that, I DO believe the quality of the food, as well as the bargain we paid for lunch, is well worth the trip to experience a new sushi bar.

To check it out for yourself, visit their website,
or
give them a call 708-425-8228.

Nan's Sushi

This past weekend I had the opportunity of getting lost in Lincoln Park. I was on my way to Sushi Para II on Clark Street, but needed to find parking first. After FINALLY finding a spot, I realized I had no idea where I was. Despite walking around with my friend for about 30 minutes, we had to give up on finding our destination.

Somehow on the way back to the car, however, we discovered Nan's Sushi. I now believe it was fate that steered us away from Sushi Para and into the doors of Nan's (although, I DO plan on taking a visit to Sushi Para II in the near future).

Nan's has been around for about 3 years, according to the sushi chef I had the pleasure of sitting in front of. The decor is simple, and the atmosphere is cozy. Right next door, they have Nan's EXPRESS! A quick to-go pick up joint where you can order in advance and enjoy your sushi elsewhere. But to be honest, I couldn't see why you wouldn't want to be in there!

My friend and I sat at the bar and immediately were greeted by the sushi chefs. The chef who made our first order highly recommended other rolls that he personally enjoyed. We were later told it was his first week.. as if it were an apology. But despite the lack of experience he may have had, our chef presented a true definition of food art:




The white dragon above was the weekly special and amazingly less than $10! After that, we just HAD to order more special rolls to see just how beautiful the rest of their rolls were. Because we weren't very hungry, we only ordered an additional two special maki: the black dragon and the crunch salmon roll (both pictured below). After feeling fully satisfied, we thanked the sushi chefs for such a great meal. Then we talked up a storm with them about the neighborhood eats. It's nice to be able to carry a conversation with the chefs because they get to know their customers.



This is one of the first experiences I had that did not have any major problems. I guess the only setback was that the crunch salmon roll was so big that i couldn't eat it in a quick bite.. but too amazing to take in more than one!

Completely satisfied, I do intend to return with more people. There was a table just behind us celebrating a birthday, and I believe they chose a perfect location. Intimate, personal, simply put, a true "wow".

To check them out, visit their website or call them at 312|944.5944.

Nan's Sushi is located at 2360 N. Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Park.

Sushi Bar in Bloomingdale

Located a minute away from Stratford Square Mall, Sushi Bar is one of the most convenient locations for me. Whenever I am running errands and start to crave sushi, this is where I usually stop in. Nothing overly fancy, nothing to catch your eye.. BUT the food is always fresh and the service is always great.


My friend and I come in here at least 3x a month. Sometimes more of than that. No matter what time of day you come in, you can get 3 rolls (CA, spicy salmon, spicy tuna) for $10. For lunch they offer a lot of great bento box specials.

As regulars to the restaurant, we know that often times the sushi chefs will send out a complimentary order of a kamekazi. I'm still not sure exactly what's in it but it's great :)



The servers are always very attentive and kind. My friend and I went last week, and the server was even surprised we were ordering so much. He said "Are you sure? You will be full!" and when he returned at the end to see empty plates, he smiled and said "Oh! You finish! Good job!" He probably thought we were fatties, but he was so sincere in his kindness! :)

To check out Sushi Bar for yourself,
simply give them a call (630) 894-9088
or visit them at 369 W Army Trail Road (in the strip mall with Kinko's and Lou Malnati's)

Maki Sushi - Park Ridge

my boyfriend and i came here, excited at having found a new sushi bar.. only to be very disappointed.

food = overpriced for the simplicity and lack of creativity. the reason sushi can be so pricey is because it is a form of edible art. not only were the maki rolls too simple and americanized, they were only accompanied by one plastic piece of garnish: the green thing that you can find separating rolls from ginger + wasabi in the packs you buy at the grocery store.

i believe the owners were attempting to provide an intimate atmosphere by having only a few dim lights.. but this is ruined by 1) a TOO dark atmosphere and 2) a lack of privacy as the tables are too close and the music does not promote a sophisticated meal. The place wasn't THAT crowded when we were there, but somehow i felt as if i could listen in on everyone's conversations if i wanted to..

as far as service.. well, we decided to only order 2 rolls first: a volcano and a maam's special.. both of which came about 20 minutes later.. volcano is one of my favorite rolls, but i was quite disappointed with the volcano roll here. as i picked it up, not only was it fairly slippery, oil was dripping off of it (they deep-fry theirs)! slightly unsatisfied w' the quality of our choices, we ended up ordering 2 more rolls. this time we ordered a salmon skin roll and a regular salmon roll. now tell me why it took them longer to make 2 simple, uncooked rolls than the 2 first rolls, one of which was deep fried???

bottom line, i left a $0.30 tip for a $44.70 meal. i believe i left too much.

Sushi in St. Charles

In St. Charles, there are two sushi places that I've visited (frequently). Both are located within a mile of each other on North Ave (IL-64) and offer two different takes on sushi experiences.

First up, Sushi Yama. I've only been here for lunch, but I frequent this place with my friend a lot. We usually get there at 11:30-12pm, right when they open, so we are usually the only ones there. Their lunch specials are amazing. For $10, you can choose 3 maki rolls (see below) and get miso soup and a house salad. If 3 rolls is too much, you can order 2 rolls for $7. The salad at Sushi Yama, although looks plain and simple, is amazing. They use a light vinegarette that compliments the meal perfectly. They also have plenty of sushi a la carte if you're craving other rolls (see below).

If you'd rather not have sushi and would like to stick with other Japanese dishes, they also have good deals on bento boxes. For less than $9, you can get Chicken, Steak, or Salmon Teriyaki, or Pork Cutlet, with 3 pieces California Roll, miso soup, and rice.

The food is always served quickly, but not hurriedly. The art of sushi is still present when your food arrives. The staff is very polite and attentive. Definitely a great place to grab a bite of your favorite roll(s) at a great price.

And as a "dessert" I would DEFINITELY recommend getting a Tropical Roll:
It's basically a california roll but with a mango overlay, drizzled with a strawberry sauce.

Also, if you spend over $50, don't forget to mention their website for $10 off.

For more information, check out their website or call them at (630) 443-8890

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Secondly, House of Tokyo. What makes this place unique in the area is that it features two types of dining: teppanyaki (the chefs cook in front of you) and a floating sushi bar.

I've been here several times, and I'd have to say this is one of my more favorite lunch places to go visit. For $1.50 per plate, you can get a "taste" of PLENTY of different sushi rolls, as well as other japanese dishes. They also have a menu so if you want something that you don't see rotating around the bar, you can always ask.

The only downside I would have to say, is going for dinner. The price increases to $2.50 per plate at night, which can make your total bill really go up. But Monday thru Thursday, you can do a buffet of sushi for $22 / person.. In my opinion, however, this is still a bit overpriced.


The best deal really is at lunch time. It's a great way to try new things too. Each plate comes with just one or two pieces of sushi [* both nigiri and maki *] or egg rolls, gyoza, or other appetizer type of plates. It's also very fun and exciting to watch what new pieces will go around the water, and can be kind of a competition when it comes to getting that piece you've been eyeing before the person before you does.

The staff is always very attentive and accomodating, no matter how busy they get.. I haven't eaten at the teppanyaki section yet, but I hope to soon..

For more information, just stop in or call them at (630) 587-8711.

House of Sushi + Noodles

Located on the corner of Belmont and Damen in Chicago, House of Sushi and Noodle is a great little secret. From the looks of the outside, you may not expect much, and the inside is pretty ordinary as well. Don't let this fool you however, because this is a favorite amongst many locals and outsiders from all around Chicago.

The greatest part of this restaurant is their buffet. For just $13.95 (per person), you can order as many rolls as you can eat. Your server will come to the table with a list of their selections, then you pick two rolls at a time. Careful though - if you don't finish your food, you'll be charged a fine of $5.

If you're not expecting to eat much, don't go for the buffet. Their rolls are amazingly huge. If you're going to go for lunch (Mon - Sat 12pm - 2:30), check out their specials. You won't be paying more than $10 for a satisfying meal.

The service was great, the food was filling, and the experience was amazing. My friend and I drove a little less than one hour, but it was completely worth it. I only wish it were closer so I could visit more frequently!

For more information, check out their website for more information.

Or call them at 773)935.9110