Oba boasts extensive menu and plenty of charm

Wedged into a small strip mall along busy Elmhurst Road, Oba is a snug "ma and pa" Japanese restaurant with a creative mix of affordable, raw and cooked options.

Opened in October, the 40-seat space is warmly finished in deep reds and dark wood trim. Booths are upholstered with homey, red and black plaid cushions and are nearly private, separated by wooden blinds.

Contemporary halogen pendulum lights glow above the 10-seat sushi bar and reflect off the mirrored, stainless steel bar back. Fresh flowers on our table were a welcome sight on a recent snowy, cold evening when the clientele was almost exclusively Asian and the seats were nearly full.

The draw here is an extensive menu of traditional and contemporary dishes, attractively presented, some with pyrotechnic flare. Miso soup and a small house salad seem to be included with everything - they arrived after we had ordered only appetizers - and portions are ample.

Not all is right yet, but there's plenty to like and potential for improvement.

Our server was friendly and trying her best, but apparently spoke no English, a nice dash of authenticity but it caused some confusion when ordering.

From more than 20 appetizers we hit the jackpot with the Oba tartar. I love the interplay of blue fin tuna and salmon with sweet mango bits, and the spark of heat from wasabi and yuzu soy emulsion drizzled on top. It's served on thin, crisp rice crackers that don't crumble apart after the first bite.

From the kitchen side, half a dozen Hotategai crab cakes make a filling starter. These are crisp, hush puppy-like packages filled with minced scallop and blue crab, peppers and shallots, served piping hot with a gently sweet mango sauce and wasabi yogurt.

Among other starters are "jalapeño bombs," sliced peppers deep fried and stuffed with spicy tuna and cream cheese, and filet tataki, slices of grilled beef with cucumbers and citrus ginger sauce.

Signature rolls incorporate the usual array of seafood fillings, from crab, tuna and salmon to eel and shrimp in a wide range of blends.

We were seduced by the "Kiss of Fire," a flaming, salmon-topped maki that was more flash than substance. We weren't sure if we were supposed to let the flames burn out or somehow extinguish them - there's that communication problem - and the roll was subpar. The crab, avocado and cucumber filling was mushy, the flavors bland and the ingredients not evenly distributed. Some of the high-proof alcohol used to ignite the dish must have escaped into the sauce, creating an off flavor.

There are many more to choose from, however. The mango tuna sounds good, as does the dragon, with crab, eel, cucumber and avocado.

We were surprised when the chef sent out an amuse bouche, an unusual gesture for a casual neighborhood restaurant, but much appreciated: two shrimp on individual mounds of rice, each package banded together with seaweed. For drama, the plate was garnished with the deep-fried shrimp heads.

Sushi bar entrees include chirasi, various types of fish scattered over sushi rice, plus sashimi platters and combinations of sushi, maki and sashimi.

From the kitchen you can have grilled salmon, filet mignon, sauteed sea bass or noodle entrees with seafood.

We had mixed results from the braised short rib bento box, but the star of the show is the beef, 5 ounces of deeply rich, remarkably tender meat, slow-simmered in soy, sake and ginseng. Earthy mixed mushrooms soak up the flavors and add a depth of their own.

The mound of sticky rice helps cut the richness; so does the crunchy, zesty seaweed salad and the Japanese pickled vegetables.

But instead of the short rib maki promised on the menu we got the shrimp and vegetable tempura from the filet mignon bento, an unfortunate substitution; the tempura was tepid and limp.

Faced with the language barrier we didn't try to straighten out the mix up.

Desserts are from an independent supplier, and I can't recommend the chocolate tartufo, a too-hard, frozen confection.

The mochi, a Japanese ice cream, or perhaps the fruit sorbet with chocolate sauce would be better endings.

The beverage list includes a limited selection of sake, beer, wine and soju, an Asian vodka.

Despite some early issues Oba is worth a visit if you're in the neighborhood. It's cozy, with plenty of Asian charm, the menu is extensive and, odds are, you'll find plenty of winners.

<p class="factboxheadblack">Oba Contemporary Japanese Restaurant</p>

<p class="News">1285 Elmhurst Road, Des Plaines, (847) 228-8810, www.obasushi.net</p>

<p class="News"><b>Setting:</b> Snug, casual, neighborhood </p>

<p class="News"><b>Food:</b> Sushi and cooked entrees</p>

<p class="News"><b>Entrees:</b> $8 to $14 maki; $12 to $27 entrees </p>

<p class="News"><b>Hours: </b>11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday; closed Sunday </p>