There is nothing distinctive about the location or decor of Momotaro that signals a must-stop for anyone who enjoys Japanese cuisine.
The restaurant, in the shadow of Yorktown shopping center, is in a modest strip mall dominated by a corner supper club that features trendy martinis. At first glance, Momotaro doesnt appear much different from a pleasant diner or unpretentious bistro.
But there are clues that this place is different: Theres a sushi bar with several customers parked in front of a dexterous chef and gleaming fresh fish. A tatami room (remove your shoes, please) accommodates larger parties in the back.
Lunch is the time for bargains at Momotaro. Prices increase $2 to $10 per dish at night. The evening portions get a bit biggerallowing for more sharing of entreesbut the quality is superb throughout the day.
A sushi appetizer is bound to get one already plotting a return visit. The lunchtime Momotaro sushi plate ($12.95) has six large pieces of pristine raw fish (yellowtail and tuna are winners) and cooked seafood (one of our novice sushi-eating companions was partial to the octopus), plus a generous California roll that includes crab, fish eggs, avocado and cucumbers.
Hand rolls are touted as a specialty of the house (the lunch menu lists 18) and after sampling, no one at our table questioned their appeal.
Our appetizer satisfied four of us, as did large bottles of icy Sapporo beer (there is a full bar). More seasoned diners can customize an order on the sushi bar checklist.
We sipped on a hearty miso soup while awaiting the next course. (A cup comes with all meals, with the exception of the Japanese noodle soup selections.)
Tossed salads with that mustardy dressing familiar to fans of Japanese cuisine also come with some entrees and are worth a taste.
Katsu dan ($6.95 with rice, soup and tea) was the most popular main dish at our table. It’s breaded pork with eggs and vegetables over rice. One friend wanted the exact spelling to make sure she could order it again.
What made it stand out is the more than decadent, melt-in-your-mouth pork cutlet. The pork’s breading was not greasy or heavy, the eggs were light and fluffy, and plump green onions added an appropriate sweet tang.
The shrimp and vegetable tempura ($6.95 with soup, salad, rice and tea) was equally impressive for its light batter coating and oversized items. The shrimp was tender and the vegetables retained a satisfying snap. A soy dipping sauce rounded out the flavors. So many tempuras are average at best; Momotaro’s chefs know precisely how long to flash-fry, and the efficient servers make sure you get all dishes piping hot.
Another traditional standby at Japanese restaurants in this country, salmon teriyaki ($7.95 with soup, salad, rice and tea; $7.95 for beef, $6.95 for chicken), was also above average.
The fish was fresh-tasting and flaky. The sauce didn’t overpower the salmon-an all-too-frequent occurrence, especially at non-Japanese restaurants-as much as provide an undercurrent of flavor.
If you can’t decide among menu items, house combinations allow a sampling of sushi, hand rolls, tempura and teriyaki ($7.95 to $9.95 with soup, salad, rice and tea). But you might be making a mistake to pass on the Japanese noodle soups, either udon or soba varieties ( udon is made of wheat; soba is made of buckwheat flour).
The kara age udon ($6.95) provides fistfuls of fresh vegetables and chicken in the hearty house miso broth. The accompanying noodles are thick, soft and just chewy enough.
Udon is a big-bowl comfort lunch that can only get better with the first chill of autumn. It would be our loss if we don’t stop back before then.
———-
Momotaro
(Three forks)
801 Butterfield Rd.
Lombard
630-574-3324
Hours: 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; noon-10:30 p.m. Sat.; noon-9:30 p.m. Sun.
Credit cards: A, D, DC, M, V
Wheelchair accessible
Ratings: 4 forks: Top of the class
3 forks: Better than most
2 forks: Very good fare
1 fork: Middle of the road
Reviews are based on anonymous visits by Tribune staff members. The meals are paid for by the Tribune.
