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06/19/07
A diamond in the rough
by roseycheeks05 at Citysearch
I am a huge fan of sushi and I have been to nearly all highly rated sushi places in Chicago and then some. I discovered this gem when my best friend took me there for lunch one day.
Highly skeptical, I thought a little place like this, located in a little strip mall on Dempster could never compete with my amazing Bluefin and Coast Sushi in Chicago but I was sooooo wrong.
Although the selection of specialty rolls is not quite elaborate like Bluefin's there are still plenty to choose from with some amazing specialty choices like the Volcano, and the Dragon which are like a feast for your taste buds. Kaya also has one of the best spicy salmon rolls I've ever had where they use a chunk of salmon instead of this mushed up salmon some places use. I've tried pretty much every maki in the place and they are all good.
When you walk into Kaya you will see a light wood interior that is traditional Japanese style. This is not the dark romantic sushi place with the cool interior but a family friendly place where you can stop in feel at home and get amazing sushi. It is a small family owned place with only about two servers and a chef, who is the owner. The service is always warm and professional.
Also, miso soup and hot tea are FREE here so all you pay for is your actual sushi or entre. The prices are also great. All of the rolls have eight easy to fit in yout mouth pieces that are well worth the 4.95 to 13 dollar price range. Most rolls are around 5 to 7 dollars though and are amazingly good.
I am so glad my friend introduced me to this place! I am in love!
- Pros: amazing sushi that can easily rival the big guys'
- Cons: doesn't have that cool, dark ,contemporary atmosphere
