It feels like we might've gotten over some of the worst heat that this summer had to offer so far, and getting some froyo at one Oswego shop ended up being a great way to cool down.

To celebrate us surviving the first significantly hot leg of summer, I figured I would celebrate with something that’s also cool, but just a little bit different for this week: Sushi.

This week, this Mystery Diner decided to get their Japanese cuisine on at Big Sea Sushi & Noodles, located a little off the beaten path at 2009 W. Galena Blvd. in Aurora.

Not only does the restaurant have a cozy feel as you walk through its interior adorned with lovely Japanese decor and sit down at the restaurant’s one of several booths or tables, my guest and I were off to a great start with our dining experience when we found out that the edamame, or steamed soybeans pods, came with dinner for dine-in customers. The edamame was great on top of not costing us any extra, and it was definitely hot enough and just the right amount of salty.

My guest and I also ordered the crab rangoon appetizer following the edamame. That was also piping hot in all the right ways, but it also was light, crispy and – bottom line – delicious. It was the perfect start to our experience before our main courses came in.

After taking a look at the page of chef’s special rolls, I landed on the chef’s special roll called the Chicago Roll. That particular roll included spicy crab meat, jalapeño, cream cheese, avocado, spicy mayo and eel sauce.

The dish caught my eye for a number of reasons: crab, avocado, spice, and the fact that it was flash fried for that extra crunch. And, heads up for those who are nervous about ordering sushi, the crab in the roll was cooked. For someone who wants to ease into trying sushi, but would want to try something beyond the stock California Roll – which typically includes rice, cucumber, crab meat and avocado – I would recommend this as another good roll that has less of an uncooked fish risk and has a little more going on than the California Roll.

The plate was garnished with the traditional wasabi and thinly sliced pickled ginger; this Mystery Diner enjoyed the Chicago Roll with and without the ginger in particular.

Simply put, I loved this 12-piece roll. It tasted so good and it wasn’t that overwhelmingly spicy. I would be tempted to go back to it as opposed to trying something new.

This time around, I ended up following the Japanese eating rule of thumb and ate until I was 80% full, as opposed to 100%. Ultimately, I regret that I didn’t have enough room in my stomach for all 12 pieces on top of everything else, because it was so good, with the flash frying being my favorite part of the whole ensemble.

My guest ordered the steak grill teriyaki bowl, and they said the beef was lean and didn’t feel like it was bogging them down. They said the rice carried the teriyaki sauce well, which was not too thick, and it also had a slight tang and sweetness to it.

My guest also said the carrots and broccoli were fresh and they went well with the rest of the dish. And they paid the high compliment of all for their food, in that they said they didn’t need to add any more soy sauce to the dish.

The restaurant’s staff was very accommodating and answered any questions we had when we were considering our options. A staff member at the restaurant even made the effort to come out and answer our questions about some allergen concerns. So with that said, fun fact: Japanese restaurants generally use sesame oil in their food.

Overall, this restaurant’s food dances circles around some of my usual sushi places. My guest and I would even say Big Sea sits on par with some of my favorite sushi bars even in Chicago – for much more reasonable prices.

• The Mystery Diner is a newsroom employee at the Record Newspapers. The diner’s identity is not revealed to restaurant staff before or during the meal. The Mystery Diner visits a restaurant and then reports on the experience. The Mystery Diner is not intended to be a restaurant critic but does highlight the parts of a dining experience that he/she can recommend.