Best new Japanese sushi spot in west burbs/near O'Hare

I am a huge restaurant goer, and recently discovered the most amazing new sushi restaurant located near O’Hare airport called OBA CONTEMPORARY JAPANESE.

A fellow foodie and sushi lover highly recommended it to my wife and I, so we checked it out. Let me tell you, it is definitely worth the drive to Des Plaines (1285 Elmhurst Road, just north of I-90 West and south of Dempster)!

We eat a lot of sushi and Japanese food, and in our opinion this is the best new sushi spot to open in the west suburbs. If you are a sushi enthusiast, then get excited! Oba, which translates to "Japanese mint" offers a large menu of super fresh sushi and sashimi, cutting-edge raw and cooked maki rolls, and delectable kitchen delights.

We met the friendly General Manager/Partner Simon Lee, who designed and built Oba. The cozy space houses 40 seats and has an authentic Japanese feel. Chef John Park, a master sushi chef from California, and veteran kitchen chef Jay Kim, joined with Lee to create a warm spot with delicious melt-in-your-mouth taste combinations using only daily fresh ingredients (they have access to everything being so close to O'Hare Airport) with housemade sauces and unique, three dimensional presentation.

The Sushi Chef John Park offers a large selection of both raw and cooked Japanese cuisine, with trend-setting maki rolls that push the envelope--such as the Kiss Of Fire ($13), crab meat, avocado and cucumber topped with Red Snapper, SERVED FLAMING at the table as a whole, uncut maki (that you break off with your chop sticks). Chef Park creates his own sauces, including a housemade teriyaki and tempura sauce, used in several baked maki rolls, kitchen appetizers and entrees.

Oba's maki rolls play on many classic Japanese ingredients, skillfully combined to create new textures and flavors that excite and "wow" the palate. Specialty maki I would recommend include the Hawaiian ($12), spicy crab meat and cucumber topped with fresh tuna; Fire ($11), spicy salmon and spicy tuna topped with green onion set ablaze!; Oba ($15), lightly battered spicy tuna and cream cheese with avocado, asparagus, shrimp, wasabi tobiko and tempura crunch, wrapped with soy paper and drizzled with creamy wasabi and unagi sauce; Pink Cadillac ($15), with shrimp tempura, avocado and spicy mayo, topped with seared salmon and sake with marinated seasonal fruit drizzled with unagi and chili sauce.

Appetizers from the kitchen that were delicious include the Filet Spring Roll ($10), thinly sliced filet mignon, cucumber, tomato, oba and mixed greens wrapped in rice paper, served with sweet pepper sauce; Bacon Wrapped Scallop Cake ($8), minced scallop, blue crab, red peppers, shallot and chives wrapped in braised, marinated bacon, served with plum teriyaki sauce; Baked Salmon ($14), with avocado, cream cheese and gobo topped with salmon, sesame seeds and green onion, drizzled with housemade teriyaki sauce.

Kitchen entrees do not disappoint. We tried the house special Braised Short Rib ($14), a five ounce soy, sake and ginseng braised short rib that is super tender and melts in your mouth! Includes grilled asparagus, served with wakame salad, an entire short rib maki, and oshinko. My wife tried the Hamachi Kama ($15), a grilled yellowtail gill served with Flaming Hamachi ($14), a flaming maki roll made from spicy tuna and cucumber, topped with fresh yellowtail, slices of jalapeno, and chili tobiko, served in ponzu sauce, and a side wakame salad, spring greens and marinated seaweed with citrus soy dressing. Everything was amazing, served promptly and we were blown away!

A friendly and knowledgeable staff was happy to explain the nuances of each fish, dish ingredients, and recommend a great sake selection from their thoughtful wine and premium sake list.

Oba's décor includes rich dark and red woods, grey banquets and black leather chairs, a smaller ten seat sushi bar with a mirrored stainless steel backdrop, and hanging glass halogen lights. Very contemporary feel, but comfortable and intimate.

In my opinion, Oba Contemporary Japanese is the west suburbs most exciting new Japanese restaurant. They are open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; dinner from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday; closed on Sunday. Take-out service and local delivery is available, and a free parking lot (bonus).

Oba Contemporary Japanese phone is 847.228.8810 and they have a website at http://www.obasushi.net.

Oba Contemporary Japanese Restaurant is located at 1285 Elmhurst Road, 1 mile north of I-90 West and just south of Dempster.

Hope this review helps. Enjoy!

Hexter7,
Just as an FYI, I would call this location the NW suburbs. I was wondering if you ever ate at the Sushi place (Makidon) that previously inhabited this location? While it was decent, there were never many people in there. I worry that this place just changed the name and the decor and is destined for failure in a relatively pathetic little strip mall. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see this place turn into the Flamingo's of Sushi, but I'll believe the hype when I see people in there. Finally, just out of curiosity, can you comment on anything that needed improvement?
Thanks