Restaurant Review: Nobu Japanese Restaurant

Tonight, I enjoyed a nice dinner at the Nobu Japanese Restaurant. The experience was marked by great food presentation, fresh quality and, the friendliness of the staff. It's not that authentic because of the real estate (in Tokyo, restaurants are smaller) and most Japanese restaurants in Chicagoland are actually Korean owned. But it is just as good or better because they have adapted to the American palate.

I had some maguro (tuna) and sake (salmon) sushis, accompagning the teriyaki salmon dinner with tempura shrimp and large cut vegetables with steamed rice. The meal was light with just the right flavors. No single item was overpowering. I wasn't tempted with the rib eye because you don't eat that much beef in Japan - cattle is too valuable for farming - and a typical Japanese beef would be the Kobe beef, for instance, which they don't offer at the Nobu.

It was a great visit that reminded me of the time spent in Japan, years ago. And the same amability, civility and genuine kindness I experienced there was present here. This restaurant is a sweet tribute and testimony to the Japanese culture.

If you are a novice to Japanese dining, you ought to know that while your soup goes to the right, the rice (if served on a separate dish than the dinner) goes to the left and, your chopsticks need to be in the middle away from you. The warm white towel, served as you seat down, is to wash your hands ONLY before eating. And traditionally, you eat everything on your plate for, not eating what your host serves you means that you are not enjoying the meal; a sign of disrespect. In this country of limited natural resources, people don't waste anything.

Specialty: dinner box meals ($13.95 - $36.95). A lacquered boxed tray divided into five compartments; four large and one small almost in the middle. The protein (for the salmon, chicken or rib eye steak), the vegetables (ie. crispy tempura broccoli and zucchini), the appetizer and the starch (for instance: fried rice, udon noodles, steamed rice) make up the largest sections while a small pile of seaweed in a sesame sauce takes the center stage.

Sushi Selection a la carte: 25 sushi priced from $2.00 (tamago / eggs) to $3.95 (ama ebi / sweet raw shrimp), 25 sashimi from $3.75 for plum with mint leaves to $15.95 for an assorted sashimi roll platter.

If you drink liquor, I would recommend you the Sapporo beer and the cold served Kozai sake.

Wine Selection: 7 white and 6 red priced $24 - $34 a bottle. 12 of these wines are also served by the glass.

Disappointment: except for a choice of two ice creams, there wasn't much of a dessert selection. I had hoped for some wagashi (Japanese sweets) or even some kashi pan (sweet bread).

Location: 1318 N. Roselle Rd., Schaumburg 60195. (847) 839-8622. It's on Roselle road between Golf Road and the entrance to the Kennedy Expressway (I 90).