June 30, 1999
By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
MIDORI
700 W. Rand Rd., Mount Prospect (847) 259-6010
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Closed Mondays.
Prices: appetizers, $2.95-$7.95; entrees, $8.95-$13.95.
Credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express.
To-go charge: none.
Let's face it. Looks can
be deceiving. So when you see that a sushi restaurant is located inside
a northwest suburban country club, you kind of wonder what the food there
might taste like.
At least that was my thought
when I placed my first order at Midori, located at the Old Orchard Country
Club in Mount Prospect. Who knew that not only would the food there be
fresh and tasty, but
also surprisingly filling?
One of the common complaints
about Japanese food is that it tends to be more expensive than other Asian
cuisine. But when you order a meal to go at Midori, you don't suffer from
hunger pangs. The portions are generous and the prices are reasonable.
Owned by restaurateur Bonnie
Ma, who also operates a Midori restaurant in Chicago, Midori has a Korean
flair. Meals are served with traditional Korean ban chan - or various side
dishes such as kimchee (pickled cabbage), string beans marinated with hot
sauce and pickled cucumbers.
A favorite to-go meal for
me is the futo maki ($7.95), which is a sushi roll of rice, black mushrooms,
eggs, cucumbers, squash gourd and fish powder wrapped in seaweed.
I'm a hearty eater, but after about two-thirds of the futo maki, along
with the complimentary miso soup, salad and ban chan that come along with
the dinners, I'm
usually too stuffed to even think about snarfing down the Dove bars
sitting in my freezer.
And sushi chef Jesse Tenorio's
chirashi ($12.95) is the best I've ever had. Best described as a sushi
salad, an assortment of sashimi (raw fish) is served over a bed of greens
and seasoned rice.
For those of you who prefer
their meals spicy, ask for the chirashi to be made Korean style. Your meal
will come with a small container of seasoned hot sauce that can be mixed
with your chirashi to taste.
Another must is the spider
roll ($6.95). The sushi roll is made from rice, whole soft shell crabs
lightly battered and fried, and a light sauce, wrapped in seaweed.
If your dining partner would
prefer a non-sushi meal, give the o bento a shot ($13.95). It comes with
sashimi, shrimp and vegetable tempura, rice and a choice of chicken or
mackerel.
For an appetizer, I recommend
the a-ge tofu ($3.95), which is lightly fried in butter and served with
a sweet soy sauce broth. The goma aye ($2.95) - or steamed spinach served
in a sesame sauce - also is delicious.
Read more about Midori
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