Aki Sushi Chicago

From The Sushi Bar 

California Maki Combo (18 pcs)     9                                                                                               3 different California rolls. 1 roll with tobiko, 1 spicy roll, and 1 roll with sesame seed.

Mixed Maki Combo (18 pcs)     9                                                                                               1 California roll with tobiko, 1 sake kawa roll, and 1 cucumber roll.

Vegi Maki Combo (18 pcs)     9                                                                                               1 acocado roll, 1 spinach roll, and 1 shitake roll.

Hand Roll Ensemble     9                                                                                               Combination of three most popular temakis (hand rolls).

Sushi Regular (6 pcs) and 1 Roll     10                                                                                             Tuna, red snapper, salmon, shrimp, omelet, tobiko, and 1 cucumber roll.

Beginner's Sushi     11                                                                                             3 pcs California rolls, 3 pcs cucumber roll. Smoked salmon, shrimp, super white tuna unagi, octopus, and omelet.

~ Served with miso soup ~ Substitutions will be charged at a la carte prices ~

Sushi Deluxe     12                                                                                             3 pcs California rolls, 3 pcs cucumber roll. Tuna, red snapper, salmon, shrimp, super white tuna unagi, octopus, and omelet.

Aki's Sushi     13                                                                                             1/2 tuna roll, 1/2 cucumber roll. Tuna, red snapper, salmon, yellowtail, unagi, shrimp, octopus, and super white tuna.

Fish Bowl     12                                                                                             Mixed raw fish and salad served over rice with a spicy sauce.

Tekka Don     12                                                                                             Fresh tuna served over a bed of sushi rice.

Unagi Don     12                                                                                             Broiled eel on the top of steamed rice with unagi sauce.

~ Served with miso soup ~ Substitutions will be charged at a la carte prices ~

The decor hasn't changed much—-the exposed brick and the fish-stocked fountain are still around—-but when it comes to the food this new sushi spot beats its predecessor, short-lived Touch of Sushi, hands down. Aki serves the basic repertoire, with a larger-than-average selection of nigiri, but there's a clear attention to freshness, and while I'm usually skeptical about whimsical maki creations, I was impressed by the White Sox roll, a mixture of seared spicy tuna, crabmeat, cucumber, and onion wrapped with a tender piece of white tuna and sprinkled with black tobiko. Ponzu sauce and dried herbs overwhelmed the Rainbow Carpaccio--lovely slices of tuna, salmon, and white tuna fanning out from a pile of greens--so that it didn't taste as stunning as it looked. But when it comes to the basics Aki does the trick quite nicely.

      --Peter Margasak