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

 

 

Lemon Grass

Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus), a native of India, is used in Asian (Thai and Vietnamese) and Caribbean cooking. Lemon grass is a perennial, which means once you plant it; the grass comes back year after year. Depending on the area you live in, the plant will go dormant in the winter, or will need to be potted and wintered indoors.

Culinary Uses

This is a very pungent herb, so a small amount packs a lot of flavor. The entire stalk of the grass can be used; the grass blade can be sliced very fine, while the bulb can be bruised and minced.

The light lemon flavor of this grass blends well with garlic, chilies, and cilantro; yet can be used to make a refreshing tea.

Lemongrass Tea

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Chopped fresh lemongrass tops or 2 tablespoons dried lemongrass

4 cups boiling water

Sugar to taste

Preparation:

Preheat teapot with boiling water; discard water. Add lemongrass and boiling water, steep 8 to 10 minutes; strain. Serve hot or allow to cool, sweeten to taste, and serve in tall glasses with ice.

Medicinal and Other Uses

This grass is rich in a substance called citral, the active ingredient in lemon peel. This substance is said to aid in digestion as well as relieve spasms, muscle cramps, rheumatism and headaches.

Lemon grass is also used commercially as the lemon scent in many products including soaps, perfumes and candles. A related plant, (Cymbopogon nardus) is the ingredient in citronella candles sold to ward off mosquitoes and other insects.

Buying and Storing

Lemon grass can be found in most Asian markets. Select fresh looking stalks that do not look dry or brittle. Store fresh lemon grass in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed plastic bag for up to 3 weeks, or freeze it for about 6 months without any flavor loss.

In addition to fresh, lemon grass may be purchased dried or powdered. The dried product has to be soaked in hot water and reconstituted before use. The powdered variety is useful in teas and curries, but is not a good substitute for the fresh product.

 

Thai Hot and Sour Soup

Ingredients:

1/4 cup ginger, peeled and julienned

1 large onion, slivered

4 Thai bird chiles

3 stalks lemon grass, white part only, sliced

1/4 cup fish sauce

6 cups chicken stock

6 kaffir lime leaves

3/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/2 cup Thai basil leaves

1 teaspoon ground white pepper

2 cups sautéed sliced shiitake mushrooms

1 cup enoki mushrooms

1/4 cup sliced scallions

1/2 cup chopped scallions, green part only

Preparation:

Sauté ginger, onion, chiles and lemon grass until soft. Deglaze pan with fish sauce. Add chicken stock and lime leaves. Simmer and reduce the liquid by 20 per cent. Add vinegar, basil and pepper. Check for seasoning. Strain the soup. Add sautéed shiitakes, fresh enoki mushrooms and sliced scallions. Ladle soup in soup plates. Garnish with green scallions.

Makes 4 servings.

Note: sautéed shrimp or chicken can be added to the soup; approximate 1/4 cup per serving.

This is a flavorful soup that is great for a cold winter's night.  If there is still snow, on the ground, and a chill, in the air, come spring, well you still have an excuse to make it then too.

Mary Cokenour

Ja-Roen Thai Sushi Stays Strong and Delicious

Ja-Roen Thai Sushi

380 South Main Street

Monticello, UT, 84535

Phone: (435) 587-4000

Hours of Operation:  11am – 9pm; Monday thru Sunday

In September 2019, Sampas Janhom opened Ja-Roen Thai Sushi, in Monticello, UT, and the online reviews further his story.  Whether local or passing through, diners are still enjoying his Thai and Japanese specialties.  Take, for example, this review on Google, “One of the great surprises on our road trip. A very unsuspecting restaurant from the outside. When you walk in you wonder how you found the place. It’s a very eclectic place that’s hard to describe. But the food was absolutely spot on delicious. (In addition everything was Covid clean with disposable service where they did not take away from the delicious food).Not fancy but a great surprise almost in the middle of nowhere. Obviously great pride of ownership. Well worth a stop!”

Or, “Amazing, not enough stars. The food was so delicious I ate there once and I went back the next day. I work in the trucking industry and have traveled the US eating at every Thai Restaurant spot I can and this place is on my top 10. A hidden gem from all the other basic restaurant food they have in this small town. They cooked up some of the best Sweet and Sour and Cashew Nut I have ever had. Crisp vegetables, and multitude of flavor, just like good authentic Thai food should be. Worth the 1 mile walk I took from the other side of town at the motel I stayed at.”

Valentine’s Day of 2020, before Covid-19 made its dramatic debut, we enjoyed a special meal, and Sam made sure to spoil us rotten!  So, is it any wonder that for 2021, we found ourselves at Ja-Roen once again?  Since my husband had to work that evening, we were at the restaurant by 4:30pm, and were greeted with rousing shouts of “Welcome Roy and Mary, Happy Valentine’s Day”.  Sam loves to retell the story of how I was the first person he met, when scoping out Monticello for a restaurant, and I convinced him to do it.

By now, we thought we had the menu pretty well memorized, but noticed a couple of additions to the sushi roll choices; Alaskan King Crab Roll and Lobster Roll.  However, we had already determined we wanted our very favorite menu items for today.  Our appetizer, believe it or not, was not from the appetizer section; instead All American Dream Roll.  Tempura style soft shell crab, with tender baby asparagus and avocado, wrapped in rice and topped with shredded crab stick, tempura flakes and a light sauce.  

Our main meal choices, which we shared of course, were Pad Se Ewe; wide egg noodles (much different from the typical supermarket style) with egg, broccoli, meat (we chose beef), stir fried in a sweet soy sauce (and we asked for extra sauce, no problem!)  We absolutely love this dish as it reminds us of our adventures in Philadelphia’s Chinatown district, and scarfing down Chow Ho Fun.

Sweet and Sour was the second dish; tender meat (we chose chicken) pieces battered and deep fried to a crispy perfection, with chopped onion, bell pepper, tomato, cucumber, scallion and pineapple.  The sweet and sour sauce covers all, but is light in flavor, so does not overwhelm the meat or vegetables.  There is a choice of white or fried rice with this dish, and highly recommend the fried rice which has peas, carrots and lightly fried with soy sauce.

We only ate half of each dish, that way hubby could take the remaining halves for lunch during work.  Oh yes, I had a craving later on, but had to sustain myself with mere cheese and crackers; ho hum.

Hot Jasmine Tea

Now this left plenty of room for dessert!  We shared Fried Ice Cream; a ball of vanilla ice cream, battered and deep fried; topped with whipped cream, chocolate sauce and a cherry (I snagged that baby fast!).

Even though the weather had been unfriendly and dreary, we had a blast this Valentine’s Day. We were eating food we enjoyed, in a friendly atmosphere, and with an owner who appreciates, not just our business, but we as people.  We were all laughing so loudly, people kept turning to stare at us!  By the time we left at 6pm, the restaurant was half full, and take-out orders were steadily being called in and picked up.

Ja-Roen Thai Sushi is a restaurant that stood strong during the pandemic, and refused to go under, as many other restaurants sadly have done.  Sampas Janhom, and his son who works diligently with him, made sure that folks could still continue to get freshly made Thai and Japanese foods.  Thank you guys, you are awesome people!

Sampas Janhom, Owner

Still have not tried this restaurant out?  Well if it is a special invitation you are waiting for, here it is; “Go try it out now, and make your taste buds and stomach feel happy!”

Mary Cokenour