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 

 

 

 

 

 

Japanese Cuisine Returns to Ja-Roen Thai & Sushi.

Saturday night is “date night” for Roy and myself.  Often times I cook up buffalo wings, mozzarella sticks, hand cut fries, homemade pizza, even do all the work required for authentic English style fish n’ chips.  Then we pick out a movie, usually a mystery, horror, sci-fi, or comedic mystery, dating anywhere from the 1930s to the 1980s.  When movies were made with the reality of what was available on set, or locations, and movie stars did acting, not pushing opinions or fads.

Once in a while though, we splurge and order take-out, or actually get away from the home and mingle at a restaurant.  Now during the summer, Ja-Roen Thai & Sushi, unfortunately, got hit with staffing issues, so American breakfasts, sushi and Japanese specialties were benched.  So, it happened that an announcement was made, on Facebook, that Ja-Roen had a new sushi chef, and sushi was back.  This announcement was the best news ever!

Walking into Ja-Roen, we were met with warm greetings, and it was so wonderful to see Palm again.  Remember, she was the woman who gave me the lesson on making bubble tea.  Oh, and now she has warned me that I will be learning to make temaki (hand rolled sushi), and egg rolls.

Also, planned for February 2025, new additions to all their menus; and we hope to get calls for taste testing before then.

Sushi Chef, Dos

Since I have mentioned temaki, time to relate our date night dining to you.  Not on the menu as yet, we were honored to taste test temaki, expertly done by their new sushi chef, Dos.  Yes, we teased him about being a computer operating system, but, indeed, he is an important operating chef for the restaurant.  One hand roll contained crab stick, Japanese omelet (Tamako), avocado, cucumber, shrimp eggs (Masako).  The second contained salmon, cream cheese and avocado; of course, both had the traditional short grain sticky rice.  Oh, the tastes were heavenly, no one item overwhelming the others, just a pure blending of flavor.

Temaki - Hand Rolled Sushi

 

 

 

 

 

 

While popular specialty rolls, sushi (nigiri) and sashimi have returned, there were new items on the menu as well.  To make it even more exciting, Japanese meals such as katsu and grilled eel rice bowl were back.  We chose, however, two of our favorite specialty rolls, Shrimp Tempura Roll and Orange Dragon Roll.  Now, if you are unsure as to which roll to choose, the menu has specific details listed, so you know exactly what is inside.  After our visit, the menus had some slight changes.  There was the addition of Poke Bowls, Hawaiian salads which contain salmon, shrimp, scallops or tuna.  Also, the names of the sushi rolls we know and love have been changed to reflect San Juan County natural sites.  However, if you ask for your favorite roll, such as Orange Dragon Roll, the staff will happily make it for you.

 

Orange Dragon Roll, Shrimp Tempura Roll

 

Not to ignore their classic Thai menu, we also ordered Cashew Nut with chicken, and Fresh Roll.

 

Cashew Nut has stir-fried mushrooms, red bell peppers, onion plus chunks of pineapple; and a delicious sweet chili sauce.  The cashew nuts were just the right texture, and the addition of slices of chicken made it a perfect dish.

 

 

 

 

Fresh Roll is an appetizer, but can be a stand-alone meal option, or paired with one of their tasty soups.  It is fresh julienned vegetables, wrapped in rice paper, and served as is; no steaming or deep frying involved.  You get the crisp crunch of the vegetables in every bite; the rolls are served with a light sauce filled with crushed peanuts, or you can order the traditional smooth peanut sauce.

 

This was definitely a great start for date night, and back home, we laughed our way through the 1988 film, High Spirits, featuring Steve Guttenberg, Peter O’Toole and Liam Neeson (the ghost with stinky feet).

Mary Cokenour

 

Japanese and Sushi Menus - current as of October 2024.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Future is Bright for Thai and Sushi.

 Ja-Roen Thai Sushi

 380 South Main Street

Monticello, UT, 84535

 Phone: (435) 587-4000

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

 

 

 

 

 

Roy, I, and several members of the San Juan County Economic Development and Visitor Services, were invited to Ja-Roen Thai Sushi Restaurant for a special taste testing.  Their newest sushi chef, Tom, who has seventeen years of experience under his knife belt, introduced us to some of his specialties.  

 

New Sushi Chef, Tom.

As we patiently waited, appetizers of crab rangoon and crispy egg rolls wetted our appetites.  These items have always been on the menu, and are popular favorites for all us OGs of the restaurant, and travelers.   

 

Egg Rolls

Crab Rangoon

Second course was a new salad edition, Kani Salad, made up of romaine lettuce with sliced grape tomatoes, radishes, shredded crab and fish roe.  The dressing was savory with a rich peanut flavor, and smooth texture.  While this will appear on the new menu, it can be ordered now by request.

 

Hot Jasmine Tea - a palate cleanser and soothing drink.

As we continue to wait, patiently, for our sushi, let me fill you in on other changes that Ja-Roen will be undergoing.  Two additional chefs will be joining the growing staff, and while the main focus will be Thai and sushi, a few Japanese and Chinese dishes will be added as well. I have begged owner, Waen Roll, for roast pork buns, and she has assured me that my wish will be coming true.  Oh my, here comes another dish to try before the sushi, Katsudon!  Now anyone who has read San Juan Record’s edition of May 3, 2023, and my article on Deep Fried Japanese – Part Two – Katsu, will know exactly what I am excited about.  I was so ecstatic, well, Roy stated that the staff began backing away and hiding all the sharp implements.  Yes, he was exaggerating, but deep-fried pork cutlet over fried rice with a sprinkle of a savory and smoky seasoning mix…order up, and you’re welcome!

 

Examples of California Roll, Tom-Tom Roll, Avocado Train and Salmon Fire Roll

 

 

Sushi time!  The rice used is a mixture of Japanese and jasmine creating a creamier texture than the typical sticky rice, that can sometimes be a bit on the dry side.  All sauces and condiments, including the wasabi, are house made and all have a creamy texture that coats the tongue, and enhances the taste.  Tom’s version of the California Roll contains crab and avocado with a coating of fish roe over the rice, and dollop of creamy house mayonnaise.  The Tom-Tom Roll, which we helped him name, has a center of avocado and cucumber, shredded crab encasing the rice, with the house mayonnaise and a smoky-sweet barbecue sauce drizzled over top.  The Avocado Train speaks for itself, with avocado inside and outside of the roll, cream cheese center stage, crab and tempura flakes.  The Salmon Fire Roll puts on a show as the individual pieces of this sushi roll are fire roasted, with crab and avocado.

 

California Roll creation begins.

California Roll

 

There is your tease of what is to come on the new sushi menu, but wait, there is much more.  With the new additions to staffing, Ja-Roen will be open seven days a week, and will now be serving breakfast!  The menu for this will be American based, and definitely a boon for the restaurant fares available to locals and travelers alike.  Due to the unavailability of liquor licenses within Monticello, a variety of non-alcoholic beers will be offered.  Ah, reservations are being taken, now, for Christmas and New Year’s, so get your table booked before you miss out!

Whether you are a wielder of restaurant quality aspen wood chopsticks, or luxury style, lacquered cherry wood, do your finger exercises to be ready for sushi consuming.  Best of luck wishes to the owners and staff of Ja-Roen Thai Sushi, and thank you for being a part of our community.

Current Main Menu Availability

 

Tempura Vegetables Appetizer

Pad Se Eew with Beef

 

Massaman Curry

Sweet and Sour Chicken

 

Mary Cokenour

 

Sweet Rice is Not All About Pudding.

Let’s play one of those “name this” games.  Name a dessert made with rice.  Bet your answer would immediately be “rice pudding”.  Most folks would also consider this dessert’s origin to be either the United Kingdom, or America itself.  That would make you lose points in my game, as we will be going back to Asian culture instead.  Actually, way back to the Western Zhou Dynasty, of 1047 BCE, China. This country is known to be the first cultivator of rice, and rice pudding is called “eight treasure”, or” eight jeweled”, rice porridge.

Sweet rice, aka sticky rice, is more glutinous than your average, every day white rice.  It can be compacted more tightly around a sweet or savory filling, and served as appetizers, side dishes or desserts.  A one cup serving contains 37 grams of carbs which is about 2 and ½ servings; very little protein and fiber.  So why is it eaten, on a daily basis, in many countries, not just Asian cultures?  Sticky rice has antioxidant properties that help lower oxidative stress, and is rich in minerals like zinc, magnesium, copper, phosphorus and selenium.  Health benefits include increased bone density, decreased inflammation, and improved heart health.  The con side of all this is, what the rice is eaten with of course.  If you make a large batch of deep-fried rice balls that contain a mixture of chocolate and caramel, then eat the entire batch.  Oh boy, are you going to get yourself seriously sick, and just might end up in the hospital.  In other words, no matter how healthy something is, still have to keep in mind that annoying little word, moderation.

Is all sweet rice the same, no matter what country it is grown in?  Surprisingly not.  Here in Monticello, we have Ja-roen Thai Restaurant (thankfully still open, and everyone wishes the sushi would be brought back…but I digress).  In Moab, there are several Thai restaurants that are of high quality as well.  One dessert that is typically on menus is Mango with Coconut Sticky Rice (Khao Niao Mamuang).  The rice used is whiter, less opaque and longer than that used in Japanese restaurants.  After the rice is prepared, it is combined with full-fat, sweetened coconut milk, and left to rest to soak up the milk.

 

 

So, it is no surprise that Roy and I are super fans of Asian cuisines, and he benefits from all my attempts at creating many of our favorite dishes.  Lately, I have been on a mochi kick.  Say what?  Mochi which is made from a Japanese grown short grain, opaque form of sweet rice.  The traditional method of making the mochi paste is to steam the rice, then pound it out inside a wooden bowl with a wooden mallet.  The paste is then formed into balls that can be eaten as is, or the paste is formed around sweet or savory fillings.  Nowadays, the flour can be purchased, water and sweetener added, and the paste simply stirred up in a bowl.  For those truly interested, you can learn, in six easy steps, to make your own homemade mochi, with your purchased flour, at: https://www.instructables.com/How-to-Make-Homemade-Mochi/

 

Purchasing premade mochi, online, is available, shipped in from Japan, and most vendors have reasonable prices.  The products may have a filling, or you can purchase just the simple mochi balls that resemble mini-marshmallows covered in powdered sugar.  But wait, if you happen to be in Monticelli, stop in at Blue Mountain Foods, go to the ice cream section and you can purchase “My Mochi”; mochi wrapped around frozen balls of rich and delicious ice cream (my favorite flavors are green tea and double chocolate).  Remember though, these little goodies are high in carbs, so one is a perfect serving.  Roy and I, though, had a fun time taste testing all the products we could find; in moderation of course (wink, wink).

What does mochi taste like?  Similar to a marshmallow, but not as sweet, and the texture is similar, but gooier.  Oh dear, now another warning that sort of ruins some of the fun of eating mochi.  Do not put an entire mochi in the mouth and attempt to eat it whole.  Mochi must be eaten in small bites and thoroughly chewed before swallowing.  Due to its glutinous makeup and dense, thick, sticky texture, it can cause a choking hazard.  If not chewed, but simply swallowed, the sticky mochi gets stuck in the throat, and can lead to suffocation. 

Please do not be turned off by this warning, since common sense dictates that anything eaten must be in manageable bites anyway, but can still cause a choking hazard. 

Roy and I dream about traveling to the various Asian countries someday, but until then, we can enjoy the cuisines, either in a restaurant, or making it at home.  Try it, you just might surprise yourself, and truly like it!

Mary Cokenour