Cooking is a family tradition at Oishi Sushi in Libertyville

Fans of Toshi Sushi in Gurnee now have a second place to get their fix: the brother of Toshi's chef (who once worked at the Gurnee spot) has opened his own restaurant in Libertyville.

Oishi Sushi has been open for three months, touting a full menu of Japanese specialties including sushi, noodles, teriyaki and tempura entrees.

On our visit, the chef and owner himself was there to greet customers, shaking hands with those he remembered as regulars and welcoming newcomers with a broad smile. His warmth, plus the openness of the entire staff, created the feel of family.

The quality of the food matches the positive atmosphere. We started with a selection of appetizers, including the Scallop Hokaiyaki, Hamachi Kama, pepper tuna and shrimp egg rolls.

The Scallop Hokaiyaki comes served in half a scallop shell, with scallops, crabmeat, mushrooms and a spicy sauce. This appetizer was far and away the best of the night - prompting one of my dining companions to proclaim it the best appetizer she's ever had at a sushi restaurant. The scallop was very fresh and cooked perfectly, and the meat was incredibly tender. It was paired with a spicy sauce, but the creamy base tempered the kick. We continued to rave about this appetizer even after the meal was over.

The Hamachi Kama was described as a grilled yellowtail cheek, served with ponzu sauce, but everyone in our party agreed it seemed more fried than grilled, and slightly dry at the edge. But once we got further in, the fish was tender and flavorful with an almost buttery texture. It likely would have been perfect if it had cooked for a bit less time.

The pepper tuna boasted a good sear, but we would have liked a little more pepper. The shrimp in the egg rolls were obviously fresh.

Our entrees were a mix of sushi options and the chicken katsu. Each individual sushi order comes with two pieces, which is nice because you don't feel like you're being overcharged.

I enjoyed the white tuna sushi; the fish was sweet and smooth with a super soft texture. The Sky Beauty roll featured tuna, yellowtail, avocado, cucumber, fish eggs, tempura flakes and spicy mayonnaise. My brother loved it, noting a great textural mix between the fish and avocado, and the cucumber and tempura flakes. The spicy mayo lived up to its name, however, and I could barely taste the roll over the heat.

The Rainbow roll was a hit with a crabstick, avocado and cucumber inside, and tuna, salmon, white snapper, white tuna and avocado on the top. The presentation was nice, everything was very fresh, and the fish (not just in this roll, but in everything) was obviously of good quality.

We loved the chirashi don, 14 assorted pieces of sliced fish served over sushi rice. It's a common dish to find at local sushi spots, and it didn't disappoint. It came with a pickle mix that had a nice sweet and salty contrast, seeping into rice that was already well seasoned with a light sesame crunch. Plus, the presentation was beautiful.

For kids and others not interested in sushi, the chicken katsu is a nice choice - a breaded and fried chicken cutlet that pleased my nephew.

Service was welcoming, and the only issue was the timing. Items in the order came out as they were done, which meant there was no real separation between appetizers and entrees. Some appetizers even came out after the entrees. In the end we got everything we ordered, so it wasn't a huge deal.

For dessert, we ordered the fried bananas and fried cheesecake. The fried bananas were a table favorite - slightly caramelized bananas in a crispy tempura shell, served with ice cream. It was sweet and light, and a dessert we'll definitely order again. The cheesecake was wonderful as well, warmed through with the same crispy shell. Our meal came to a very sweet ending when my 5-year-old nephew got his mochi ice cream and, along with it, a folded origami crane that a member of the staff made for him.

Oishi Sushi

163 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville, (847) 281-7818, oishisushilibertyville.com/

<b>Cuisine:</b> Sushi and Japanese

<b>Setting:</b> Casual

<b>Entrees:</b> $10-$25

<b>Hours:</b> 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday; noon to 10:30 p.m. Saturday; noon to 9:30 p.m. Sunday

<i>Restaurant reviews are based on one anonymous visit. The Daily Herald does not publish reviews of restaurants it cannot recommend.</i>