People have been telling me about the extraordinary fresh fish at Boston Fish Market in Des Plaines, Illinois, but I had no idea what I was going to encounter when my friend and I went to lunch there recently.
A Chicago business that moved to the suburbs in search of a bigger facility, Boston Fish Market has been in business for a long time and are experienced fish processors. They claim to process hundreds of thousands of pounds of fish each week from around the globe.
We have been frequent visitors at a little hideaway in Des Plaines for many years. It’s a small restaurant with big Italian flavors, and worth the wait on busy weekend nights.
Entrances are on both busy Lee Street (one-way north) and off the municipal parking lot at the rear of the restaurant. Image Credit
Chef Alessandro Forti (formerly of La Strada and La Donna) and his wife Lisa Leslie offer simple, uncomplicated Italian food in this BYOB gem.
Via Roma is open for lunch Monday through Saturday, with its 10:30 opening time perfect for an early lunch after a morning of coffee — to make room for the good food that awaits you. My friend and I arrived at 10:30 and were the first ones there. We benefited from fresh bread, wonderful aromas, and a welcoming staff. Chef Forti was very present — writing the specials on the board and greeting customers. Continue reading
Nestled on a busy corner in downtown Des Plaines, Illinois, Dotombori Sushi Bar’s meek exterior does not match the very good food being served inside. With an average 4 out of 5 star review and a personal recommendation from my daughter, my friends and I decided to try out lunch at Dotombori.
We chose the lunch special, a good buy at $7.95, and ordered a couple of the rolls as well. The tempura vegetables were crisp and the rolls were well-seasoned and well-made. The only mistake was the deep-fried pork; I didn’t look carefully on the dinner menu to see what the different entrees were before I made my bento box choice. The pork was overdone and I only ate a small portion of it.
Bento Box Lunch Special includes Chicken Teriyaki, vegetable tempura, California roll, shrimp tempura, and fried rice
Bento Box Lunch Special includes Pork Tonkatsu, Vegetable Tempura, California Roll, Shrimp Tempura, and steamed rice.
Shrimp Crunch and California Rolls
Spider Roll — Soft Shell Crab and Avocado
We live in an area with good sushi bars just around lots of corners. Dotombori Sushi was a good choice for lunch, and if we went again, I would choose a different entree. My dining partners were happy with their meals and it was a good experience. I would encourage you to visit Dotombori if you are in Des Plaines. It can also be easily reached from the Des Plaines Metra station.
Got my bags, got my reservations,
Spent each dime I could afford.
Like a child in wild anticipation,
I long to hear that, “All aboard!”
Music and lyrics by Bud Green, Les Brown and Ben Homer (1944)
