Ja-Roen Thai & Sushi is Ever Expanding.

Ja-Roen Thai & Sushi

380 South Main

Monticello, UT, 84535

Telephone: 435-587-4000

Website:  https://www.facebook.com/jaroenthairest

"I'm done hidin', now I'm shinin'.

Like I'm born to be.

We dreaming hard, we came so far,

Now I believe.

We're going up, up, up, it's our moment.

You know together we're glowing.

Gonna be, gonna be golden."

“Golden”, sung by Huntrix in K-Pop Demon Hunters.

…and golden they are, that is owners, Waen and Robert Roll, their niece Sarita Palm, and all the hardworking staff of Ja-Roen Thai & Sushi.  Another business that refuses to sit comfortably on its laurels, but ever expanding with higher goals.

 

Ja-Roen Staff: Kung, Shogun, Nui and Sarita Palm

2026 saw the opening of two new restaurants, one in Midvale, Utah, and the other at the Berlin Farmers’ Market in Berlin, New Jersey. Oh, and not to forget, recently Sarita Palm married a good, hard-working man, Luke Lessner, owner of Mountain Feller Tree Service & Sawmill.  His talents, in wielding a mighty sledgehammer, have helped with the construction, and we can personally attest to his excellent work in the landscaping field.  But back to Ja-Roen…

 

Sushi Bar with Fresh Seafood on Display

Shogun shows off the Black Dragon Roll.

Back on October 29, 2025, I wrote about sushi chef, Dos, and my first lesson in sushi making.  I was going to have another lesson, this one on creating the popular Black Dragon Roll, but it was not to be.  Unfortunately, Dos and his wife felt compelled to travel to another location, so sushi was, temporarily, unavailable, as was my favorite Japanese dishes.  Ah, but that has recently changed with the hiring of sushi chef, Shogun, a master of the art for twenty-one years.  She has worked, in Germany and Thailand, for 5-star restaurants, and her credentials include mastering Thai and Sicilian, yes, that island at the tip of the Italian boot.  She allowed me to photograph and interview her while she created a Black Dragon Roll and a Natural Bridges Roll for hubby and myself.  She has an infectious smile, and is an absolute darling!

 

Natural Bridges Roll

Black Dragon Roll

 

Sushi Menu

 

Japanese Menu

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another newcomer to the staff is Nui, who has twenty years of experience in Thai cuisine, and am looking forward to what creations he comes up with.

 

 

Alright all you K-Pop Demon Hunters fans, and yes, we LOVE this movie, Ja-Roen now has the perfect foods for you to enjoy as you watch the movie.  Ja-Roen Thai & Korean BBQ Food Truck made its debut on Friday, June 26^th, and it was a hit! Sarita Palm, along with staff member, Kung, were taking orders, and getting them out as fast as two demon hunters could sling their tools.  This is NOT fast food, but great food done right!  I arrived around 6pm to stand in line, and the line only got longer behind me.  

Service with a Smile

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kung and Palm Demonizing Those Fries.

We tried the K-Pop Fries which are shoe-string fries covered in cheese, spicy mayo, sriracha, green onions and your choice of spicy beef, spicy pork or bulgogi chicken (refer back to my article of January 22, 2025 to learn more about Korean cuisine).  I have to admit they were a bit on the too spicy side for me, but Roy was a different story the way he wolfed them down. 

The K-Philly is not your usual Philly cheesesteak which comes, again, with choice of beef, pork or chicken covered in a variety of stir-fried vegetables, spicy mayo, sriracha and green onions on a toasted roll.  This sandwich is intense!

Nambi pambi, little old me stuck with the Kor-Crispy Puffs, all white meat chicken nuggets with a deep fried, crispy coating, and I enjoyed them with the House Korean dipping sauce.

Oh, but that’s just a sampling of their menu, there is the “Build Your Own Thai Curry Bowl”, appetizers, desserts, drinks (love the Thai Iced Coffee, so refreshing), and several more Korean BBQ selections.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Food Truck is located on Hwy. 491, in the parking lot across from The Over Bite.  It will be there every Friday and Saturday, from 4pm-8pm, unless they are attending an event.  So far, they are scheduled to be with other vendors at Monticello’s Pioneer Day Weekend, and San Juan County Fair’s “Down n’ Dirty Mud Bog”.  So, who knows, they may be traveling to an event near your area soon.

Mary Cokenour