Located in the northwest suburbs, Venus is one of my favorite Asian restaurants in the world! Everything, from the food to the people, is wonderful. We come here quite often, and the owners always remember us from before, even if has been awhile since we were there last. IT is the perfect place for a date, family dinner, and birthdays.
As you walk in, you will notice that the decor the walls is done with a layered gold that gives off a very nouveu, classical look. All the accents are black or white. The booths and chairs are black, napkins are black, appetizer plates are black (adds a lot to the table), and even the wine glass stems are black. The tablecloths are white, and I think this is just because people spill on them so much that they need to bleach them. The light fixtures are cute, and overall, the restaurant gives off an ambiance of chic and freshness you don’t often find.
They have amazing food here, and I would strongly suggest just doing it family-style so you get to taste a little of everything. Start off with the shrimp toast and the crab rangoon, both of which are wonderfully prepared - you can taste the seafood in them. If you are in the mood for a soup, I would suggest the sizzling rice soup. They prepare it right at the table (and, honestly, that’s half the fun). Now it’s time for entrées, my favorite part of the meal. My sister and I absolutely adore the Szechwan chicken or beef. It is sweet, spicy, and mixed in with a good amount of shredded vegetables. I would also suggest the garlic chicken, another favorite of mine. Once again, it is hot, sweet, and chock-full of veggies and flavor. If you are in the mood for more spice, check out the pork and beans. This is not what you find in the canned-food section, but rather small pieces of pork with fresh green beans, all in a sweet sauce that has a little kick in it. If you aren’t in the mood for spicy or just can’t handle it, go for the noodle dishes. They are fresh and have an amazing amount of meat in them. The fried rice is also a must (we order an extra dish just to get this), and the chicken in a black bean sauce has a different kind of flavor and will cool down your taste buds if you had some of the spicier dishes.
If you still have room for dessert, then I would suggest the fried bananas. They prepare it at your table, and it is enjoyable just watching it. First, they light the banana on fire, then they dunk it into the ice bath!
The staff will serve you tea throughout the meal, as well as water (for some of the dishes, you will need it). In addition, they have a full bar and some interesting Asian specialty wines and beers.