Carpentersville's Masa earns high marks for superb sushi, creative menu
We had a feeling of déjà vu walking into Masa Steakhouse & Sushi Bar in Carpentersville because we supped at its predecessor, Kiku Sushi & Hibachi, once.
It was just “meh,” and with strip-mall sushi joints popping up like dandelions in spring, we had no impetus to return. It looks as if Kiku 2.0 (ownership and operations transferred between family members) has upgraded its menu, quality and creativity enough to warrant return visits to the new Masa Steakhouse & Sushi Bar. Suburban sushi lovers as well as those who haven't given into the raw side should find plenty of deftly prepared sushi, hibachi grilled items, traditional dishes and a few surprises to satisfy a yen for Japanese fare.
Dalton Braddy and Cory Li are the new familial brains at Masa, bringing a new energy and quality to the restaurant. Masa translates as “honest” or “straightforward,” and that's the aim of the hibachi house's owners: to maintain consistency so everyone leaves satisfied and wants to return.
There are three distinct areas of the restaurant: a brightly lit bar, which, on the night we visited, alternately hosted singles and couples there just for the sips; four lively hibachi grills, a favorite of families with kids for the spectacle; and a sushi bar with 12 seats and four adjacent booths each seating up to six. Get a group together and reserve the tatami room, a traditional Japanese tea room with cushions and recessed seating.
If you're in for a night of sushi, appetizers often present a conundrum since sushi is expensive. And, if your dining companion is a college guy with an infinite appetite, should you toss your hard-earned Benjamins toward apps or keep it in the pool of raw fish? We decided on two apps to start.
Gyoza offered some </ft in an evening of otherwise light bites. The pan-fried dumplings are something everyone can appreciate - warm and well-filled with pork and vegetables. And at $5 for 6, not a bad deal. We also opted for salmon tartar (also available in tuna), which I forced my son to eat with chopsticks so it would last longer. About a tablespoon-full of finely diced shards of salmon cast with bright accents like scallions, a citrusy Ponzu sauce and capped with colorful red and black masago (fish roe) sat atop a lettuce leaf. Coming in at $8, it was painterly, but puny for a sturdy appetite.
Other roads to take on the hot starter route include fried spring roll, shrimp and vegetable tempura, deep-fried chicken wings with sweet chili sauce, fried shrimp ball and nonmeat options like edamame and fried tofu. The sushi appetizer list includes items for the adventurous such as marinated octopus; chef's choice of five pieces of sushi for $9 (or 9 pieces of sashimi for $11); a tuna or white tuna martini; and peppered tuna - thin-sliced seared tuna with ponzu sauce.
Sushi entrees, accompanied by soup and salad, are unusual enough combinations for a range of palates. There's a California roll dinner that a kid might want to dip into: three of the typical rolls served with ginger dressing, ranch and honey mustard; and a vegetable maki dinner appealing to vegetarians. I should have ordered the more filling chirashi, which is the chef's choice of assorted raw fish over a bowl of seasoned rice. Next time.
Many diners like to make a meal out of traditional and specialty/signature maki, and Masa's list is substantial without making your head spin. Note that “kani” is the buzzword here for surimi - a gelatinous fish paste combined with various additives, formed into sticks and often called “krab.” I try to avoid any rolls, including California, that include it since the highly processed food product is only taking up valuable space that should be filled with exquisite mouthfuls of raw fish. And the raw fish at Masa is not only meltingly fresh but expertly prepared by a highly trained sushi chef learned in preparation techniques and knowledgeable on which parts of the fish are better for rolls, sashimi and other dishes.
Our sushi selections included the Chef's Special Roll (with shrimp tempura inside and eel, avocado and eel sauce on top); the Masa Roll (spicy tuna, yellowtail and crunch inside, with fresh tuna on top); the millennium roll (with salmon, avocado and spicy mayo inside and yellowtail, tuna, scallions and masago on top); and our favorite for a fiesta of raw fish - the rainbow roll featuring an assortment of fish draped over the “krab” substance. The collegian ordered a crazy tuna roll to go because he knew he'd be hungry again in the time it took to get home. He was and wished he had ordered another for next-day snacking.
Something to note: Dine on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday and enjoy 25 percent off signature rolls.
Not a fan of the raw? The kitchen menu offers a greatest-hits medley of hot Japanese numbers from tempura entrees to udon and soba noodles, fried rice and bento boxes. There's your choice of protein with Thai-tinged red or green curry; Japanese curry; Korean kimchee; and even some Chinese versions like General Tso's chicken and Mongolia offering a choice of chicken, shrimp, steak or tofu stir-fried with scallions, onions and hoisin sauce.
The headliner at the hibachi tables always insures a culinary good time. And the families this night were loving the chef's antics and food. Masa offers the requisite hibachi meals: your choice of protein from shrimp to steak, chicken to salmon and scallops to lobster, or combos of those, cooked in front of you and accompanied by soup, salad, vegetables, fried rice and a couple of shrimp. You won't leave hungry. Stop by Monday or Wednesday for a deal: 50 percent off the chicken, steak and shrimp combo, which is normally $28.95.
Signature drinks are on the sweeter side. The bartender shakes a lot of Mai Tais and something called a Bamboo Forest (coconut rum, silver rum, Midori, pineapple and orange juice). Martinis and signature drinks are $8, but there's also Japanese beer, plum wine, a variety of other grapes, three cold sakes and hot sake on draft. Be sure to treat a kid to a Ramune, a fun Japanese soda with a glass ball in the bottle.
Desserts include various ice cream flavors, like mochi ice cream in mango, strawberry, red bean and green tea; tempura fried ice cream; tempura fried cheesecake; and a volcano banana - a tempura-battered banana with ice cream, chocolate syrup and whipped cream.
Service is extraordinarily warm, and the food is definitely a slice above your average strip-mall sushi spots.
<i>Restaurant reviews are based on one anonymous visit. The Daily Herald does not publish reviews of restaurants it cannot recommend.</i>
Masa Steakhouse & Sushi Bar
7020 Huntley Road, Carpentersville, (847) 426-8883,
Cuisine: Japanese steakhouse and sushi
Setting: Lively hibachi and sushi bar
Entrees: Sushi a la carte: $3-$7; sushi entrees: $13.95-$69.95; tempura and noodles: $11-$15; hibachi: $11.95-$34.95
Hours: Lunch: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday and Wednesday through Friday; noon to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Dinner: 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; 3 to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 3 to 9 p.m. Sunday. Closed Tuesdays.