Oysy's offers creative alternative to traditional sushi

Oysy seemed promising. Located in a space that housed Oak Brook's Baisi Thai - which moved opposite the escalators - this sushi spot bills itself as an izakaya. The problem is, by definition, an authentic izakaya serves food (first and foremost) as an accompaniment to drinks. By contrast, this place is a self-professed Japanese-style bistro that's clearly restaurant-centric.

Linguistics aside, we'll give credit where credit is due. Oysy does take a different tact than, say, nearby Sushi House; overall, it's far less traditional in the specialty maki department. Unless you're a sushi purist, that may be a welcome change.

Although the dining room dons the same layout as its predecessor, decoratively it has undergone a stylish transformation. The small lounge remains to the left of the entrance, but now a long, showy sushi bar runs the length of the main dining room. Warm wood floors and matte white tables - paired by sleek, grass-hued chairs or benches - exude modern Zen flair.

Accordingly, the menu is lengthy and sushi strong. You'll find most of the classics - futo maki, crispy salmon skin, tuna - as well as an extensive array of spicy basics like ebi, super white tuna or scallop. Nigiri and sashimi are well represented, too.

But the biggest draw remains the two-dozen specialty rolls. Whatever you do, get one of the "dragons." We loved the red dragon, a huge, if pricey, beast constructed from super white tuna, crunchy shrimp tempura, cucumber and red-hot chili tobiko. It was a sight to behold with its bulging eyes and serpent-like tongue.

Because the fish was as fresh as could be, we followed up with the "summer," a crunchy roll stuffed with tuna, yellowtail, avocado and green pepper accented with cilantro, lime juice and masago in spicy sauce. Sure, there was a lot going on, but it all worked.

Following suit, the spicy tuna roll fared better than average thanks to the addition of cucumber for crunch. But after sampling the ubiquitous California roll, we'll admit we remain as ambivalent toward it as ever.

Whether you get the "fashion" maki (a spicy mélange of tuna, masago, shrimp, cucumber, lettuce and radish sprouts) or the Miami (lightly fried shrimp, kani kama, cream cheese, avocado, cucumber and mayo) expect it to suffice.

Beyond the rolls, however, there's enough to satisfy sushi-shy diners. In our experience, the miso soup is comforting enough, but it won't knock your socks off. Ditto the bowl of fried, sauced rock shrimp - it sports more sweet than heat.

Other warm options include pan-fried or steamed seafood dumplings, scallops sauteed in ginger-garlic sauce and lobster tail with cilantro-ginger sauce.

Tempura selections include atypical chicken-stuffed lotus root as well as respectably light and crunchy shrimp and vegetable varieties. There are grilled items as well; we recommend the full-flavor steak with miso-garlic marinade.

Of course, cold dishes are an option, too. Choose from tuna tartare with caviar, tofu salad, edamame and seaweed salad with vinegary dressing.

Desserts are limited to mochi, though there are several flavors of the rice cakes (including chewy red bean) to choose from. Sweetening the pot, they're served with a banana wonton.

As for drinks, they're not an afterthought - they just don't take center stage. You'll find a white-heavy wine list, handful of sakes and plenty of specialty cocktails and martinis like the Oysy saketini with Ketel One, sake and cucumber.

All in all, dining here is a pleasant enough experience. We experienced a few flubs when it came to ordering, a peculiar fact since we hand-wrote our sushi selections by number. Nonetheless, we got what we paid for: affordable, inventive food that's a diversion from its mall-centered neighbors.

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

Oysy

Info: 399 Oak Brook Center, Oak Brook, (630) 571-6688, www.oysysushi.com

Cuisine: Sushi and Japanese small plates

Setting: Modern, minimalist and Zen

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Price Range: Nigiri and sashimi $4 to $12, maki $4 to $12, small plates $4 to $12, platters $18 to $32, desserts $5

Accepts: Major credit cards