Sushi +, 4430 Fox Valley Center Dr #106, Aurora, IL 60504 (630 820-1666). appetizers $2-13; mains $4-10; desserts $4.50.

Miso soup. Edamame. Godzilla maki. California Maki. Mango pudding.

These delicious foods are from Aurora’s #1 sushi place, Sushi +.

Around 8:30 p.m. one night in mid-April, I went with a couple of friends to Sushi +. The car ride was calming, even though my friends and I were hungry and excited to try this sushi restaurant. Once we got there, we looked around at the decor, and noticed the bright orange walls, but what really stood out was the food going around on something like a train covered with plastic to keep the food from becoming contaminated. When customers wanted an item, they opened a little window and picked it up, a cool feature because a lot of restaurants do not have this type of service. The plates were color-coded to indicate the price: purple was the most expensive, while yellow was cheapest.

Jason Chooi, originally from Malaysia, first opened Sushi + in August 2013.  The restaurant does not take reservations, but you can order online for any number of their 4 locations: 3 in Chicago and 1 in Aurora.

Their mission statement is: “To make sushi approachable and affordable for all people to enjoy, while making sure there is a quality and consistency to it.”

While no one mentioned a rewards program, there apparently is one, and customers can receive $15 off every eleventh order. 

Once we were seated at our table, the waitress gave us a minute to look at the menu and came back 10 mins later asking for our drinks. My friends and I all ordered lemonade and the waitress, who was perhaps in her thirties, gave us a cup of ice and plastic lemonade bottles. She then said, “Have fun, guys,” and so we did. 

Our waitress came by a few times when she would see that we were finished eating – she checked on us a few times and was friendly, although she seemed shy.

When we were done with our meals, we saw that there was a mistake in our receipt (we ordered two Godzillas, but only one arrived at the table), so we pressed a button that said, “Call for service,” and another waiter, whom I believe was the manager because she seemed to be all over the place, arrived and said, “Okay, I got it.” She disappeared momentarily, then returned, walking fast, with a new check. 

Overall, the service at Sushi + was attentive and appreciated.

To start, we wanted the Godzilla maki, Tokyo sandwich, American Idol maki and Rotary sandwich, all items that can be ordered off the extensive menu.

From the belt, we grabbed whatever looked good.

The food, on its own, was a 5/5. Just 3 plates will have most customers feeling full because there are three sizes of sushi, ranging from small to large (about the size of a Dixie cup). We mostly ordered or pulled large items, and they were not only tasty, but also fresh.

If you go to Sushi +, the must-order is the Godzilla Maki because you can actually taste the flavors: avocado, cucumber, rice and especially the shrimp, which was delicious. Most of their sushi dishes include fruit, such as mango, which is something I have never tried on my seafood. Fruit and fish at the same time is a surprising but winning concept.

The Tokyo sandwiches are also recommended: they are, as the name suggests, like a sandwich, but with far more flavor and a bit of spice. 

We did not order dessert because we had already taken so much off the rotary belt in addition to ordering plates off the menu. While the desserts looked good, the menu for after-dinner options was too small, with just 2 items: chocolate cake or pudding.

Sushi + is a must-go. The large portions will have you feeling full, and the use of the conveyor belt opens possibilities: you see the food coming around and think you want to try it, even if you have not done so before. If you are dining solo, order 2 dishes from the menu, minimum. If you go out with a friend group, start with 3. Either way, this restaurant is worth checking out.