Wasabi Restaurant and Bar recently opened on Monday, Feb. 6 in downtown Clarendon Hills, at 31 S. Prospect Ave. They are now open Monday through Sunday offering both lunch and dinner. With an already existing restaurant in Downers Grove, the second location has been a great new addition to Clarendon Hills.

Immediately when I walked into the restaurant the ambiance was lively but relaxing which put me in a good mindset for trying all of the dishes. 

They serve a variety of foods including soups and salads, ramen, grill entrees, small plates, and all kinds of sushi rolls. I picked a handful of items from their menu to get a feel for everything they have to offer.

Gyozas

I have been to a number of different sushi restaurants and I always get gyozas to start. I had really high expectations for this starter and they did not disappoint. The Gyoza was perfectly cooked and came out at the right temperature. They were also super crispy on the outside and the chicken filling was perfect. The sauce on the side was also a great touch. With the gyozas starting off my visit to Wasabi, I was immediately impressed. 

Fried Avocado 

Next as a starter, I tried the Fried Avocado. I had never seen something like this on any menu before, so I was very intrigued. The fried avocado came with spicy crab, cream cheese, spicy mayo, and unagi sauce all inside. It was garnished with shredded seaweed. All of these flavors blended together very well. 

“It was perfectly crispy and the sauce was delicious,” said Evie Galassi, junior.

This was a dish I never really would have normally chosen but, I am so glad I did. I love avocado so for anyone else that does, I definitely recommend starting with this. 

Shrimp Tempura Roll 

The Shrimp Tempura Roll is always my go to at any sushi restaurant so I had to give it a try. The roll has shrimp tempura, avocado, cucumber, and unagi sauce. This was one of the better Shrimp Tempura Rolls I have tried. 

“I usually go with the Shrimp Tempura Roll when I go out for sushi and this one lived up to my standards,” said Katherine Malloy, senior. 

It was well portioned and the unagi sauce on top really brought the whole thing together. This is a classic roll that you can’t go wrong with. Next time, I want to try one of their more unique rolls. 

Teriyaki Chicken

I wanted to try one dish from the grill entree’s section of their menu to finish off my meal. The Teriyaki Chicken dish comes with steamed broccoli, carrots, and white rice. I have also had this dish at other restaurants and this was definitely the best I’ve had yet. The chicken was cooked perfectly and the teriyaki sauce was incredible. 

The next time you are looking for a place to go out to eat, head to Wasabi for all of this amazing food.

 “My favorite is the Crunchy Roll or the Mexican Roll is really good,” said Jordan Haddad, the general manager at Wasabi. 

Another suggestion I was told to try was the ramen. They made the pork broth that the ramen sits in all from scratch. Next time I go, I will definitely be trying it. 

For more information you can go to the Clarendon Hills Wasabi website or check out their Instagram page  @wasabi_clarendonhills.