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 

 

 

 

 

 

Yummy Mediterranean at Yummy Town.

Yummy Town Food Truck

83 S. Main Street

Moab, UT 84532

Phone: (970) 799-3720

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/yummytownfoodtruck/

Website: https://www.yummytownfoodtruck.com/

There’s nothing like a meat/veggie packed pita dripping with tzatziki sauce, but where to purchase one?  Answer is solved, and so is the craving for Mediterranean food at Yummy Town Food Truck.  Primarily located in Moab (parking lot next to Eddie McStiff Plaza), it is the pride and joy of owners Joelle Riddle and Max Schon.  They opened up July 2017, have developed a loyal following, often traveling to events within San Juan County and the entire 4 Corners region as well.

Yummy Town caters to, and yes, they do catering, carnivores as well as vegetarians with recipes spanning Greece to Spain.  The food products used are locally sourced from farms; meats are hormone and antibiotic free.  Joelle and Max love what they do; making fresh foods daily for breakfast and lunch; yes, it’s all homemade! 

Tzatziki sauce and hummus smooth and creamy, full of rich flavor that every drop is licked up.  Pork shoulder is the primary meat used for gyro making; roasted for tender meat and crispy edges.  Falafel are pureed and seasoned garbanzo beans, fried (olive oil only) to crispy perfection and so tantalizingly good dipped in hummus.  Are you drooling yet!?!

Still skeptical that Mediterranean food is to your taste?  Besides being amazingly delicious, it’s healthy and heart friendly.  Don’t just take my word on this, the Mayo Clinic endorses it, “The Mediterranean diet emphasizes: Eating primarily plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts. Replacing butter with healthy fats such as olive oil and canola oil. Using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods.”  With any food culture/diet, it’s all a matter of balance and moderation for the most part.  Therefore…

Thinking the sweet tooth will get jilted, not so!  Breakfast offers a coffee cake made with Greek yogurt, cardamom spice, walnuts and pistachios; lightly sweet and moist.  Baklava for a lunch time dessert is buttered filo (also spelled phyllo) dough, walnuts, pistachios, orange lavender syrup.

Yummy Town also offers a unique drink called a “Shrub”, and here is the description from their website (https://www.yummytownfoodtruck.com/): “Shrubs are an ancient method of preserving abundant harvests of fruit and vegetables by macerating them with sugar, adding vinegar, and letting the mixture develop with time. Yummy Town uses organic cane sugar, high quality vinegar, and local produce, mixed with carbonated water and lots of ice, to create refreshing combinations like raspberry and golden beet, kumquat and mint, or peach and basil; and our shrubs pair wonderfully with the bold flavors of the Mediterranean.”

We wondered what a fruit drink made with vinegar would be like and were surprised that it was actually quite refreshing.

Whether you’re in, or visiting Moab, make sure to take a Yummy Town food break; look for them around the 4 Corners area and especially at the Founders Day and Fry Bread Festival in Bluff, Utah this April.

Mary Cokenour

Quesadillas on Wheels?

Quesadilla Mobilla

83 S Main Street
Moab, Utah, 84532

Phone: (435) 260-0289

Website: http://www.quesadillamobilla.com/




So, there I was at the Pioneer Day Festivities in Monticello, Utah looking for something for lunch.  All the food vendors serving Navajo food items had long lines; I continued walking around to see what else might be available.  Tucked in the back of Veterans Memorial Park was this bright yellow food truck with bright red lettering on the side...Quesadilla Mobilla.  Now I'd seen this same truck in Moab, but either just had a meal, or not hungry at the time; there were only two other people on line, so here was my chance to try them out.

The first quesadilla that captured my attention was "The Southern Belle"; it was the beef mixed with sweet potatoes that made my taste senses take extreme notice.

Southern Belle

Shredded beef slow cooked in a special blend of spices and red chile! Topped with cheddar/jack cheese, sauteed corn, sauteed onions and roasted spicy sweet potatoes! Try this one with chipotle/lime sour cream.

Regular (10 inch) $8.50, Large $10.50

Oh my, oh my; this was a most awesomely delicious quesadilla.  The regular is a 10 inch tortilla and stuffed! I enjoyed half of it for lunch, and the rest was dinner later on; just as good too.

The Southern Belle

The shredded beef was tender and so flavorful; the sweet potatoes were cooked perfectly; the entire quesadilla was perfect!  Even though I did get sour cream on the side, I didn't need it; I don't believe it would have enhanced the flavors, rather it would have hidden them.  I did try the homemade green salsa that was offered; it did add to the overall flavor, but I still liked "The Southern Belle" as it was.

Quesadilla Mobilla has its home base in Moab, Utah; when not at its location on Main Street, you can find them at the weekly Farmers Market, flea markets or events going on in Grand, San Juan or other local counties.

Now here's the sad news, I was told by a Moab local that in the winter months, Quesadilla Mobilla is not allowed to be open for business.  Big disappointment!  Perhaps they should contact the City of Monticello and see if they can be open up there; I bet the locals would eat them up!

Anyway, if you're looking for a unique experience with quesadillas; are in the Moab area, or see this food truck at an event; try them out!!!  I was so glad I did.

Mary Cokenour

Update:  I have been informed by the owners that the closure in the winter months is by choice, not dictated by the City of Moab.  They work truly hard to please the public with their awesome quesadilla selections, so use the winter months to have a well deserved rest.