Napierville, IL — Kiku Japanese Steakhouse

Kiku Japanese Steakhouse 2764 Aurora Avenue Napierville, IL

630.305.3210 website map

My wife and I were in the Chicago area around our anniversary and her brother treated us to dinner. Since neither of them are sushi lovers (they both eat some sushi), we decided to go to a Japanese steakhouse that also served sushi. My brother-in-law had been to Kiku before so we were decided.

Kiku is a very modern looking restaurant in a strip mall. We sat down at the grill and ordered cooked entrees and some sushi rolls as appetizers. Of course in places like this, the show is the main draw. Our chef performed the requisite tricks with the grill and the steak I had was quite good.

We ordered a few rolls before dinner. I especially liked the Hawaiian Roll. It includes mango, pineapple and asparagus, along with a ton of other ingredients. All of the rolls were fresh and tasty.

For a Japanese steakhouse, Kiku has good sushi.

Kiku 3 rice bowls

Park Ridge, IL — Maki Sushi & Noodle Shop

Maki Sushi & Noodle Shop 12 S. Northwest Highway Park Ridge, Il

847.318.1924 website map

This week, I was working at an office near O'Hare airport. I used my GPS to locate the nearest Japanese Restaurant and it found Maki. Maki is located in Park Ridge, an upscale Chicago suburb. It is a large restaurant in a neighborhood with several trendy shops and restaurants.

When I entered, I was seated near the windows at a nicely lit table. My opinion of the place began to rise as I started looking at the menu. Maki has a very colorful menu with a wide range of Japanese items. There were also some Chinese and Thai entrees that looked good. But it was the sushi menu that caught my interest. I ordered some sort of sashimi combo and the Mango Madness Roll.

I am not usually a big roll fan but I had to try this one. The Mango Madness roll is described as:

Yellowtail, shitake mushroom, avocado topped with fresh mango and spicy mayo.

Every item in the list is a favorite of mine. I ordered a Mango Madness roll with high expectations. When it arrived the roll was absolutely beautiful, pieces of mango on each slice topped with a small dollop of spice mayonnaise. Not only was it beautiful — it tasted even better than it looked. I am writing this review a few weeks after the fact. I don't remember much else about Maki but I would go back just for the Mango Madness Roll!

Maki surprised me, everything was good but the roll was exceptional.

Maki Sushi 4 rice bowls

Lombard, IL — Momotaro Japanese Restaurant

Momotaro Japanese Restaurant 801 E Butterfield Rd Lombard, IL

630.574.3243 map

I figured that Momotaro had to be good since it has the moxie to be situated right next to a Benihana's on busy Butterfield Road. My dining partner and I ordered mixed seafood sunomono, miso soup and some tuna and halibut nigiri with a sashimi combo to share. Of course I also ordered a Philiadelphia roll.

The sunomono warrants a comment here. The portion was huge and could easily have been a small meal in itself. There was a good variety of seafood in a nice vinegar sauce. The problem I had with the dish was that the

The fish at Momotaro was very good. The tuna was excellent and the halibut was tasty without being 'fishy'.

I enjoyed Momotaro and will be back.

Momotaro: 3 rice bowls

Forest Park, IL — Fuji Grill

Fuji Grill 315 Harlem Avenue Forest Park, IL

.708.366.3773 map

It was a cold Chicago day and I was looking for sushi. The NeverLost GPS unit in my rental car found Fuji Grill. Fuji Grill is a bright clean restaurant with a good selection of sushi and terriyaki. The service was quick and friendly.

I ordered a bowl of Nabe Yaki Udon and a Philadelphia roll. The roll was nearly perfect. It was presented in a rather ordinary manner but the ingredients were well distributed from the first piece to the last. The fish was fresh and firm and the whole thing was excellent.

I have to comment on the Udon. The broth was tasty and needed only a little bit of hot pepper flakes. With 5-6 inches of snow expected tonight this was a nearly perfect meal.

Fuji Grill was a gem of a find, it will be a regular stop when I am in the suburbs.

Fuji Grill: 4 rice bowls

Chicago, IL — Tokyo Lunch Boxes & Catering

Tokyo Lunch Boxes & Catering 179 W. Van Buren St Chicago, IL

(312) 435-4005 map

The Chicago Loop is not a great sushi destination. I spend a couple of weeks here each year working by the Sears Tower and the Chicago Board of Trade. In the middle of a long week when I need a sushi fix, I go to Tokyo — Tokyo Lunch Boxes & Catering that is!

Tokyo Lunch Boxes & Catering is a small chain of sushi-in-a-box restaurants located in the downtown. Tokyo is not the kind of place you go for a fancy dinner. It as a lunch place with premade sushi, salads appetizers and soups served in styrofoam and plastic takeout containers.

Surprisingly the quality at Tokyo is — not bad. My normal order is a seaweed salad and a Philadelphia Roll. Not the best sushi in the world but whenever I walk out with that little white bag, I anticipate a sushi fix. I eat at Tokyo at lease once every week that I work in the loop.

Tokyo Lunch Boxes & Catering: 3 rice bowls