Raku, in Naperville

According to their website, they opened yesterday; located dangerously close to Yamado. The menu on their website looks epic - anyone know anything more about this place? Might swing by for lunch this week.

Raku Sushi Gourmet
850 E Ogden Ave
Naperville, IL 60563
630-357-7633
http://www.rakusushi.com/

It is locationed in the old Baker's Square space on Odgen Avenue....

I've visited Raku twice now, and I'm really starting to like it. As posted earlier, the menu is epic - most Japanese restaurants in the suburbs are either sushi- or sushi&teppanyaki-only, but Raku combines these regulars with some interesting non-sushi choices. Katsu curry? Curry udon? Grilled fish over rice? Sukiyaki? Sushi rice burgers? The closest place I know with this sort of variety is Mitsuwa.

So far I've had a sushi/maki lunch and the tonkatsu lunch. (Because it's so close to Yamado, please forgive me if I repeatedly compare the two.) The maki that came with the lunch box were a California roll and a spicy tuna roll. I typically avoid California rolls (bo-ring), but there was something about this one that was pretty good. The spicy tuna roll, however, was fairly bland, especially compared with the Yamado rolls that are loaded with spice and tuna. The box also came with 5 pieces of assorted sushi, probably tuna, salmon, yellowtail, mackerel, and shrimp. While smaller than their Yamado counterparts (which can range up to the gigantic), I think they were a little better quality and were quite tasty.

The tonkatsu box* was very good. The cutlet was crisp and delicious, and again smaller than the Yamado counterpart. But it also came with some shrimp and veg tempura, which were very light and quite good, and another california roll. So in total, it's probably the same amount of food, but with more variety, and a bit cheaper.

*I was actually aiming for katsu curry, but couldn't find it on the laminated menu. Apparently it's only listed on the paper menu. Next time I guess...

In all, Raku offers variety that's hard to come by in Naperville, and seems to be a great addition to the the area.

I have not tried Raku, my understanding is that the owner is the previous manager (or owner) at Shui Wah in Chinatown(the night shift, so its the part that they serve Chiu Chow food). He (his name escaped me) gave me his new business card of Raku before leaving Shui Wah.

I noticed Shui wah has a "grand reopening" couple weeks ago too... wonder if they still serve Chiu Chow food at night now, guess its time to check it out

Finally made it to Raku for lunch today, thanks for the heads up. Interesting that the owner is purported to be Chinese since the staff looked decidedly Japanese to my gaijin eye, as opposed to the Korean/Mexican crew over at Yamado.

I also was prepared to compare my Sashimi lunch special to Yamado, as I am a regualr there. And I figured it would not compare well, since I have a good relationship with Mr. Lee at Yamado (as one should have with one's Sushi chef and barber), where I put myself completely in his hands, and he prepares a sushi platter for me of the best fish of the day, cut nice and thick, along with whatever maki fantasy he is moved to construct. Not cheap, but very good and at around $25 a bargain for what I get.

At Raku, I was going to start with the standards and see how they do, but I did not expect it to compare well at all with what I get at Yamado. A Sashimi special would, however, let me see how good their fish was, and how well prepared and presented, since there is nothing to get in the way of the fish. What I got was wonderful. Good sized slabs of perfect fish, and scallops (on a $13 sashimi special no less - I expect the cost accountants will make that go away soon, along with the slabs of white tuna), some layered with slivers of lemon wedge, others presented alone. The serving was generous, the fish pristine and sweetly fresh, the scallops sweet and nutty.

I also like the way they redid the old Baker's Square interior with the rectangles of recessed blue lighting in the ceiling (evening sky) and the wood-like tiles. All in all, I enjoyed it so much that the Bride, daughter and I are returning for dinner in a short bit, so I will post later on some of the other dishes. If we were in Japan, this would be the local equivalent to a Chicago family-style restaurant with the encyclopedic menu, fair prices and large room. Only the fish was a lot better than it needed to be - hopefully that was not just a sort of introductory special. And, the aesthetic of a Japanese family style restaurant is, IMHO, a lot more evolved than the norm here what with the attempt at harmony and evocation of nature. A nice addition to N'ville.

Did return for dinner with the Bride and Daughter. This definitely is the Japanese equivalent of a family style place. Turns out nothing else I had was near as good as the Sashimi, but it was all pretty decent.

Tried some pedestrian Maki for dinner, and they were pedestrian but well done and of decent quality. (Spicy Tuna, Unagi, and Cucumber rolls). My Ramen with pork was very much like something you would get at a Ramen stand in Japan, if not of the highest quality. The Bride had a chicken curry that was of the one-note Japanese style, curry gravy heavily glopped over the chicken and rice (as it should be in that style).

Edamame were fine, if the shells seemed unusually hard.

Probably would try some Katsu or Soba next time. Nice Sake selection, too, at a variety of price points.

All in all, this place is a very good addition. Inexpensive, well-done, mainstream (for Japan) Japanese food. All good.

I ate at Raku's on Saturday (June 6) with the wife and kids for lunch. We ordered:
Udon with Shrimp Tempura - for the kids
Another order of Tempura
Hamachi Kama
Salmon Nigiri
Hamachi Nigiri
Kanpachi Nigiri
California Maki
Spicy Tuna Maki

Unfortunately, they were out of Hamachi Kama, so they asked if they could substitute Salmon Kama instead. It was not as well cooked as I would like, but it was OK. The kids gobbled up the Shrimp and Udon, but my wife noticed that the broth had a darker flavor than we would have otherwise gotten at Sushi House, which is probably due to more Soy Sauce.

The sushi was serviceable. I did notice they were speaking Cantonese, which was a surprise to me since Sushi places around here are usually managed by Koreans or Taiwanese. I asked for the check in Cantonese, but they didn't really engage, and went back to talking about adding more things to the menu (they mentioned fried sweet potatoes, I assume Tempura). The bill was $60 before tip, which is a lot less than what I would have spent at Sushi House. I think I'd definitely go back.

On a side note, is Yamado really any good? I went there a few years ago on a $1 sushi day, and it was awful. Even the all-you-can-eat at the new Sakura was better than that.

Aestivalis wrote:The sushi was serviceable. I did notice they were speaking Cantonese, which was a surprise to me since Sushi places around here are usually managed by Koreans or Taiwanese. I asked for the check in Cantonese, but they didn't really engage, and went back to talking about adding more things to the menu (they mentioned fried sweet potatoes, I assume Tempura). The bill was $60 before tip, which is a lot less than what I would have spent at Sushi House. I think I'd definitely go back.

On a side note, is Yamado really any good? I went there a few years ago on a $1 sushi day, and it was awful. Even the all-you-can-eat at the new Sakura was better than that.

Something for everyone at a reasonable price, but Raku is also offering a much broader range than Sushi House, I believe, though I admit I never have looked at the entire menu at SH. Do they offer katsu, curry and ramen as does Riku?

I did find the Lunch Sashimi special at aiku to be an excellent deal, and just plain excellent. Everything else has been decent, and a good value, but nothing special.

As to Yamado - the $1 sushi, the one or two times I tried it, was definitely crap. Rice and a touch of fish flavor to serve as a medium to which one applies wasabi and soy. Slivers of fish, and definitely not top quality fish, at that. About what I would expect for $1, in fact. I know there have been numerous discussions here about whether it is acceptable for a place to knowingly serve crap, but Yamado does that for a buck, no excuses. If I want a cheap sushi platter, I go to the little food court in the Asian market behind Mickey D's at Naper and Ogden. Not sure if Super H Mart has gotten sushi going yet, but that will be another decent option.

On the other hand, when I go into Yamado and agree to spend $20-$25 on a plate of sushi and maki, Mr. Lee comes up with some interesting and downright excellent stuff, including delectable fish, cut thick so one can really taste it (hold the wasabi and soy, please). The Udon is decent, the extravagant and creative maki usually more than decent, and the Korean offerings are not bad.

For the future, and subject to revision as I spend more time at Riku, here is my Japanese dining plan:

Cheap Sushi - Asian Market
Inexpensive and fresher sushi and maki - Raku
Cheap Udon and rice bowls - Asian Market
Korean - Yamado, by default, though Super H and Asian Market also have Korean offerings
Other Japanese fare - Raku
Good sushi - Yamado: let Mr. Lee choose for you. Tell him how much you want and what you are willing to spend and he will deliver.

I know that Sushi House can do as well as Yamado, though at a higher price point. I also suspect that Raku could do the same thing, and I will see about establishing such a relationship as time goes on if the Sashimi special declines or my interest in it wanes.

Hope that helps.

My wife and I ducked into Raku for a quick dinner last night, not having tried it before. (We typically go to Sushi House in downtown Naperville). We wanted some pedestrian stuff, so we ordered California rolls and Boston rolls. I thought both were well executed, with the Boston rolls having a nice barely-spicy horseradish mayo on them.

A welcome plus was the pricing, which was better than Sushi House. I think I got out of there for about $10 less than it would have been at SH. We'll definitely go back.

Remembering this thread, reading it again, plus the huge menu on their website, I am really looking forward to my daughters 3rd birthday lunch @ Raku on Friday. Particularly interested in trying one of the hot pot stlye dishes, some sushi, and some noodle dishes.

A 10% off coupon on their website is also nice.

Great visit for lunch today, I am a fan, much closer than Renga Tei, and cheaper(keep in mind I am not a sushi connoiseur, just like basic rolls, and good food).

Enjoyed (2) large sapporos.

Ate:

2 orders shrimp shui mai - the best I have had anywhere(tender pasta, just great imho)
Kani a crab sushi roll
tamago
a orange roll
asparagus roll
chicken terryaki benton box(chix, rice, tempura shrimp and veg, california roll, salad.

a decent ammount of food for 2 adults and our daughter.

tab w/ tax tip, and less 10% coupon $50.

pictures to follow as soon as I have time.

had some free time tonight, still thinking about lunch, here are the pics:

kani:



kani & tomago:



shrimp shui mai:



orange roll:



chix terryaki benton:



sapporo silver 22 oz.:



we will be going abck for sure.

Hit Raku for lunch today, and this is quickly becoming my favorite restaurant in naperville(even beat out Fabulous Noodles in Lisle today).

miso soup, my daughter thought it was good:



combo "a" (4 pieces each of rainbow roll, california roll, crunchy shrimp roll, and eel roll:



soba noodles with scallops, shrimp & squid:




terryaki shrimp bento:



terryaki chicken(skin on dark meat):




shrimp shui mai:



$8.95 for the assorted roll combo "a", I liked the crunchy shrimp roll, and the eel roll the best. The soba noodles were my favorite, supple chewy, but tender noodles, green onion, and the seafood, brilliant... the chix terraki bento is a deal @ $8.95, served with 4 pieces california roll, rice, salad, and tempura shrimp and veggies. Nice dark meat, it is what it is. The Shrimp shui mai is my favorite version of this dish anywhere, tender skin, plump shrimp, great filling.

I had a nice dinner at Raku on Saturday! We had sake, hamachi, unagi, kani, sea bass, super white and maguro for nigir. The nigiri was excellent. Fresh fish, well-executed rice. The fish portions could have been just a smidge larger, but the ratio of fish to rice was still acceptable. The hamachi was a particular standout - probably the best hamachi I've ever had. The only disappointment was the white dragon roll. Although not mentioned in the description, there was a drizzle of mayo over the top that was completely unnecessary. Also, the shrimp tempura in the middle was not crispy. We'll be back to try some other rolls.