Lunch in 30: Dotombori

You'll find Dotombori on Miner Street in downtown Des Plaines, near the Metropolitan Square shopping center and across the street from the Metra Station.

It has a surreal atmoshpere.  The decorations are straight out of a Hollywood set for a classic sushi house. Tall black lacquered wood and paper screens shade the windows. The front door is flanked by displays of artfully recreated sushi alongside example menus.

Inside, dark cherry stained tables with sturdy, comfortable chairs are separated by paper screens decorated with cherry blossoms. A small sushi bar with seating for 10 takes up the center of the restaurant with a dozen tables for four spread out to either side.

Listening to "Blue Velvet" and "Calendar Girl" in that setting made me feel like I was waiting for a soldier fresh back from the war to show off the exotic tastes he picked up in the Orient. Honestly, any company would have been welcome--even a lost time traveler. The restaurant was entirely empty at noon, which I consider lunchtime rush hour.

The friendly sushi chef apologized, assuring me Dotombori is crowded on weekend evenings and sees reasonable lunchtime traffic Wednesday through Sunday. In his defense, after leaving I peeked in Leona's, just up the street, and it seemed just as desolate. I'll give both restaurants the benefit of the doubt and check back later.

Much like the decor, Dotombori's menu is classic sushi. You'll find a good selection of staples such as a California Roll, Dragon Roll or Rainbow Roll, but nothing innovative or daring. This isn't the kind of sushi house where you will find rolls made from tempura fried asparagus with sriracha sauce and roasted red bell peppers. This is where you go to get raw fish and excellent rice prepared simply in a minimalist style.

Dotombori offers a dozen lunch specials ranging from $7.95-$12.95. While I was tempted by a bento box or some teriyaki, this is a sushi house. I chose the Maki Combo, which comes with a bowl of miso soup, an eight-piece spicy tuna roll, and an eight-piece California roll (with imitation crab). 

I heartily welcomed the warm bowl of miso soup to help fight off the chill outside. It came with just the right amount of neatly cubed and firm tofu as well as a few strands of seaweed for texture. The soup had a great balance of warmth, aroma and a hint of salt.

In keeping with the theme of the restaurant, the sushi was almost exactly what one expects from a California or spicy tuna roll. No fuss, no pretension, just good, fresh ingredients. My only complaint was I found the casing too loose. I prefer my rice packed tight so when I pick up a piece it stays together. A couple of my pieces were in danger of disintegrating as soon as I touched them with chopsticks.

Soup and sushi are inherently slow foods to eat. Despite this, I was in and out of the restaurant in 25 minutes due to speedy, courteous service. If you're in a hurry at lunch, you can take your time enjoying a slow meal freshly prepared on the spot.

I wanted to like the restaurant more. I have a weakness for classic preparations of dishes served in a classic style. Perhaps the complete emptiness of the restaurant left me feeling like I was on display in a museum exhibit. Perhaps the loosely wrapped sushi made me feel unusually clumsy with my chopsticks. Perhaps the classic diner music made me feel like Doc and McFly should be joining me as soon as they got the DeLorean up to 88 mph.

Regardless, I came away feeling like something was missing. There wasn't anything particularly wrong--but there wasn't anything particularly outstanding, either.

Sushi is the most fun when shared.  The lunch combos are a good deal, but you can also get an assortment of rolls for $5-7, plus a $1.50 bowl of Miso soup. I suspect you'll have a much better experience than mine if you bring four friends, have everyone pick a different roll and create your own combo platter.

My meal came to $12.54, including a $2 tip for good, speedy service. I've spent the same amount on a You Pick Two combo and drink at Panera Bread, making this a good alternative for an average priced business lunch.

ADDRESS: 1526 Miner St., Des Plaines,  IL
PHONE: 847-699-8477
PRICE: $$ ($9.95 average entrée)
DÉCOR: 90 (classic minimalist Japanese sushi house)
HOURS: 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
FOOD: 85 (classic, unpretentious sushi)