Momoya — Restaurant in Aurora

This is the only sushi restaurant in the western suburbs that checks all the boxes, consistently, and for decades. I have been remiss in letting everyone know about it, so here it goes. Head west of Fox Valley Mall in Aurora on New York. Aim for the strip mall on the south side of the road that contains Harold’s Chicken. This checks the first box, off the beaten path in a quirky location. Enter this quaint, clean and fresh room with appropriate understated Asian design. 20 tables, some on with a window view and a 10-person sushi bar for singles and couples who love to watch. This checks the next box, quant and simple. At the helm is chef owner, “Jun” (pronounced “June”), and his flawless server Ellen. Jun is a quiet, yet friendly personality who works with an impressive intensity. He is there every night, he is your sushi chef, sometimes with an assistant. Ellen, will serve you and everyone. She will remember everything you ordered last time and why. She will give you your plum wine and your husband his Sake, the same type he ordered last time, both without asking right after you sit down. She will give you your house salad with spectacular ginger dressing and, when it looks like your ready she will have already cued Jun to start working on your platter of Sashimi, not one on the menu, but one with the type of fish you told Ellen you liked last time. She will serve it with a side of the extra ginger you like. She will know if you missed a week (we go every Wednesday) and remember everything about every conversation you have ever had with her. She too is quiet and friendly, and between her and Jun provide a warm familiar feeling. That checks the next box, a place with organic hospitality that makes you feel at home with people you know and like. Jun will always decorate with clever, skilled cut vegetables and arrange your malaise ornately and pleasing to the eye. Order from his clever menu items or whatever you can think of, or just let him concoct a platter of Sushi created by his mood that night, based on your favorites. This is a place where creative juices flow. That checks the next box, a place with ingenuity, never stale or ordinary, so even if you go every week, it will never be the same if you let Jun run with it. The cuisine of Sushi is embraced and elevated as high as you wish here. The last box is the vibe. The music is trendy, familiar and low keyed, with a base beat. The huge flat screen TV over the bar will be silently playing an epic like Transformers or a Marvel Comic movie, often from the Scifi channel. Youth love the place for its cool vibe and the great food experience for a reasonable price, and the middle aged and up go to be where the youth is plus all the other good stuff. Go see Jun and Ellen once, and you will immediately get that there is nowhere else to go for Sushi, or for that matter for any Asian cuisine. They have a full menu of all the classics, the pot stickers are so yummy, the tempura is spectacular, as well as the chicken teriyaki, and all the hibachi items, asparagus beef roll, and oh yah, the golden...

This is a family run, little gem restraunt of japanese food. There is only one waitress who is friendly, fast, and courteous, so just be a little patient if the restraunt is busy, and she will efficiently take care of you with a smile. The sushi is amazing. Large cuts of fish, portions of roe, or squid, over rice, and flourished with precision care. I have also tried the fried rice, hibachi meals, a smattering of appetizers, and the katsu Don. I can honestly say I have never had a mediocre meal here. I gladly drive 45 minutes (one way) to eat at this place as a treat. The meal portions are the perfect amount. There is rarely a comically large mound of food to work through, the exception being the katsu Don. But that dish makes a delicious left-over meal the next day, so I'm not upset about that at all! If you like your larger portions, don't worry! The food is surprisingly filling and expertly seasoned. They have a small selection of sake, beer, and wine if you are feeling libatious.

Personally, I believe that the secret to this place is the rice. I don't know if they have a different method to make it, if they use a different kind of rice, or if they just use normal rice and it compliments their dishes so well, I just can't understand how it can be just normal rice.

I give the atmosphere 4 stars due to how loud it can get when everyone has the same great idea I have for food plans.

This is a wonderful secret place, and I honestly did not want to share its greatness by writing a review, but I cannot hoard this. This restraunt deserves all the recognition for their hard work and...

This is really no doubt the comfort food for me for my business trip here in Aurora. My colleague recommended here in Momoya when I asked about Japanese restaurant. Since I am from Taiwan, we have been to Japan so many times and eating Japanese food is very common in Taiwan.

I ordered Edamame, which I would order every time when I see it in US Japanese restaurant. This one really surprised me. It was so plain and delicious for tasting the original flavor of beans with just the perfect salt seasoning level.

Second dish was Agedashi Tofu, kind of like fried tofu with Japanese soy sauce. It is not as crispy as I expected, but the paste was quite special with the texture of corn starch or potato starch.

Third dish was Caterpillar roll: eel with cucumber and avocado. When I doped some wasabi on it, it was so good since the fatty flavor from avocado wrapped the eel with fresh cucumber crunch sound covered with some rice. I couldn’t help to eat it all.

With only me, a woman, eating at 5:30pm to enjoy a bit of me time and ate all three dishes. You know how delicious it is and I highly recommend to try it out. You will love it and plan to go back tomorrow just...