I've lived in Berkeley Heights for a number of years, and this
location has been some sort of Asian restaurant.. YEARS ago, it was
"The Great Wall" Chinese restaurant.. at which I had dim sum for the
first time (I was probably 12 at the time).

Anyway, more recent incarnations were a Japanese/Thai restaurant..
when that folded, it was a Chinese buffet that was quite good at
first, then steadily went downhill (and was probably open for a total
of six months). Then renovations began, and for quite a while, the new
"EAST" sign was hung, but the restaurant remained dark.

So imagine my surprise when I finally saw this place open this past
Thursday.. I intended to see if I could stop by and pick up a menu,
but I didn't bother when I saw the large signs in the window,
proclaiming "Half price sushi" during lunchtime.

Had to return home to sell some furniture, but called the restaurant
to see what time they served lunch until.. 3:30.. plenty of time.

So, I arrived at close to 2 pm. I sat by myself, alone, at the sushi
bar. Before I even ordered, the sushi chef gave me a freebie.. a
Japanese soup spoon loaded with small chunks of tuna and white tuna
sashimi, in a citrusy ponzu sauce. Delectable, and off to a good
start! I tried to engage in conversation.. but we didn't get very
far.. so I just let him do his thing.

I ordered a la carte from the half price menu, since that was the best
deal going. What I ordered with impressions:

Nigiris:

Mackerel - Haven't had great saba since I left Boston. Everything down
here tastes pickled. This wasn't great, either.

Spanish mackerel - on the tough side. Wouldn't order again.

Salmon - very good

White tuna - very good, but hard to go wrong with this. One of my top
5.

Hamachi - not the best I've had. Not the worst, either. Didn't have
much flavor, actually.

Ikura - generous portions of firm, bouncy eggs. Lots of flavor without
going overboard on the salt.

Rolls:

Spider - decent, but the inclusion of lettuce was a little off-
putting.

Crunchy spicy salmon - really, really good. My favorite item, I
believe.

Spicy tuna - one of the better versions I've had.

I drank green tea with my meal. The above was $50 worth of sushi.. but
of course at half price was $25.00. I asked the manager how long this
special would run.. he said he didn't know.. maybe indefinitely.

They had uni.. but of course, it wasn't half price. They also had
natto.. that wasn't half price either.. but at $3.00, I'm going to try
one when I go back next week!

East - Japanese & Asian Fusion
408 Springfield Ave.
Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922
908-898-1988

Half price sushi for lunch Mon - Sat, dinner Mon - Wed

Recent Star Ledger review:

http://www.nj.com/food/ledger/index....300.xml&coll=1

Art wrote on 10 Mar 2007 22:44:07 -0800:


A> I drank green tea with my meal. The above was $50 worth of
A> sushi.. but of course at half price was $25.00. I asked the
A> manager how long this special would run.. he said he didn't
A> know.. maybe indefinitely.

A> They had uni.. but of course, it wasn't half price. They
A> also had natto.. that wasn't half price either.. but at
A> $3.00, I'm going to try one when I go back next week!

Could you still walk after a *lunch* like that? :-) Tho, come
to think of it, the amount I have seen my son put away would
have me sleeping all afternoon!

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not

On 2007-03-10 22:44:07 -0800, "Art" > said:

> Nigiris:
>
> Mackerel - Haven't had great saba since I left Boston. Everything down
> here tastes pickled. This wasn't great, either.

Saba, when done well, is one of my very favorites. I assume you know
that saba is always lightly pickled?

> Spanish mackerel - on the tough side. Wouldn't order again.

Aji is whittled up fresh, and not pickled. So logically if you had a
bad aji, you can be sure you've diminished the back log by one! You
should have as good a shot as any that the next will be okay.

> Salmon - very good
>
> White tuna - very good, but hard to go wrong with this. One of my top
> 5.

I don't like being in the same room with that stuff.

> Hamachi - not the best I've had. Not the worst, either. Didn't have
> much flavor, actually.
>
> Ikura - generous portions of firm, bouncy eggs. Lots of flavor without
> going overboard on the salt.
>
> Rolls:
>
> Spider - decent, but the inclusion of lettuce was a little off-
> putting.
>
> Crunchy spicy salmon - really, really good. My favorite item, I
> believe.
>
> Spicy tuna - one of the better versions I've had.

Holy moly, 6 nigiri's and three rolls? They took you to your car in a
whell-barrow?
--
///---

On Mar 12, 11:02 am, Gerry > wrote:
> On 2007-03-10 22:44:07 -0800, "Art" > said:
>
> > Nigiris:
>
> > Mackerel - Haven't had great saba since I left Boston. Everything down
> > here tastes pickled. This wasn't great, either.
>
> Saba, when done well, is one of my very favorites. I assume you know
> that saba is always lightly pickled?
>
> > Spanish mackerel - on the tough side. Wouldn't order again.
>
> Aji is whittled up fresh, and not pickled. So logically if you had a
> bad aji, you can be sure you've diminished the back log by one! You
> should have as good a shot as any that the next will be okay.
>
> > Salmon - very good
>
> > White tuna - very good, but hard to go wrong with this. One of my top
> > 5.
>
> I don't like being in the same room with that stuff.
>
> > Hamachi - not the best I've had. Not the worst, either. Didn't have
> > much flavor, actually.
>
> > Ikura - generous portions of firm, bouncy eggs. Lots of flavor without
> > going overboard on the salt.
>
> > Rolls:
>
> > Spider - decent, but the inclusion of lettuce was a little off-
> > putting.
>
> > Crunchy spicy salmon - really, really good. My favorite item, I
> > believe.
>
> > Spicy tuna - one of the better versions I've had.
>
> Holy moly, 6 nigiri's and three rolls? They took you to your car in a
> whell-barrow?
> --
> ///---

Actually, the nigiris were in pairs, so it was *12* nigiris and three
rolls. I was full, yes. I didn't have dinner that night, anyway. I
probably over-ordered. I'll be slightly more judicious next time.

On Mar 12, 11:02 am, Gerry > wrote:
> On 2007-03-10 22:44:07 -0800, "Art" > said:
>
> > Nigiris:
>
> > Mackerel - Haven't had great saba since I left Boston. Everything down
> > here tastes pickled. This wasn't great, either.
>
> Saba, when done well, is one of my very favorites. I assume you know
> that saba is always lightly pickled?

I know, but down here in NJ it tastes more like pickled herring.
>
> > Spanish mackerel - on the tough side. Wouldn't order again.
>
> Aji is whittled up fresh, and not pickled. So logically if you had a
> bad aji, you can be sure you've diminished the back log by one! You
> should have as good a shot as any that the next will be okay.

It was from a whole fresh piece of fish. The chef left the tough piece
of skin on.. but aside from that, it just didn't have much flavor.
>
> > Salmon - very good
>
> > White tuna - very good, but hard to go wrong with this. One of my top
> > 5.
>
> I don't like being in the same room with that stuff.

Why not?
>
> > Hamachi - not the best I've had. Not the worst, either. Didn't have
> > much flavor, actually.
>
> > Ikura - generous portions of firm, bouncy eggs. Lots of flavor without
> > going overboard on the salt.
>
> > Rolls:
>
> > Spider - decent, but the inclusion of lettuce was a little off-
> > putting.
>
> > Crunchy spicy salmon - really, really good. My favorite item, I
> > believe.
>
> > Spicy tuna - one of the better versions I've had.
>
> Holy moly, 6 nigiri's and three rolls? They took you to your car in a
> whell-barrow?
> --
> ///---

On 2007-03-12 13:38:55 -0700, "Art" > said:

> On Mar 12, 11:02 am, Gerry > wrote:
>> On 2007-03-10 22:44:07 -0800, "Art" > said:
>>
>>> Nigiris:
>>
>>> Mackerel - Haven't had great saba since I left Boston. Everything down
>>> here tastes pickled. This wasn't great, either.
>>
>> Saba, when done well, is one of my very favorites. I assume you know
>> that saba is always lightly pickled?
>
> I know, but down here in NJ it tastes more like pickled herring.

I was just clarifying. I've bumped into highly pickled saba
occasionally that is horrid, and frequently (probably related) overly
firm. Stiff, actually. It is the only thing I have ever "sent back".
I do that for embarassment purposes.

>>> Spanish mackerel - on the tough side. Wouldn't order again.
>>
>> Aji is whittled up fresh, and not pickled. So logically if you had a
>> bad aji, you can be sure you've diminished the back log by one! You
>> should have as good a shot as any that the next will be okay.
>
> It was from a whole fresh piece of fish. The chef left the tough piece
> of skin on.. but aside from that, it just didn't have much flavor.

Better luck next time.

>> I don't like being in the same room with that stuff.
>
> Why not?

What fish is it, exactly? It's not tuna. This most predominantly
refers to escolar. Why not call it escolar, then you might wonder.
That would be handy, one would think.

Whenever a sushi chef I don't know offers it I snort or laugh or joke
about it ("I like dinner to STAY eaten"), and they are quick to point
out that "some people like it" but that they too won't eat it. That's
not exactly a sales job.

Fat quote from wikipedia who says:

> The gastrointestinal symptoms, called "keriorrhoea", caused by these
> wax esters may include oily orange diarrhea, discharge, or leakage from
> the rectum that may smell of mineral oil. The discharge can stain
> clothing and occur without warning 30 minutes to 36 hours after
> consuming the fish. The oil may pool in the rectum and cause frequent
> urges for bowel movements due to its lubricant qualities and may be
> accidentally discharged by the passing of gas.
>
> Symptoms may occur over a period of one or more days. Other symptoms
> may include stomach cramps, loose bowel movements, diarrhea, headaches,
> nausea, and vomiting. To minimize the risk of symptoms, strict control
> of portion size is recommended. Portions should be no greater than 6
> ounces.
>
>
> For these reasons, escolar has been banned from consumption in Japan
> since 1977, as the Japanese govenrment believes it to be toxic. In the
> United States, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, after receiving
> complaints about diarrhea associated with escolar consumption, issued a
> bulletin recommending against import of the fish in the early 1990s.
> However, the FDA backed away from this recommendation and withdrew the
> bulletin several years later after deciding the fish was nontoxic and
> nonlethal.
>
> Escolar is sometimes consumed raw as sushi or sashimi. It is also sold
> misleadingly as "white tuna", "butterfish", "oilfish" and "Hawaiian
> butter fish"; in Hawaii and Fiji, it is known as walu.

--
///---

Gerry wrote on Mon, 12 Mar 2007 15:02:50 -0700:

??>> On Mar 12, 11:02 am, Gerry > wrote:
??>>> On 2007-03-10 22:44:07 -0800, "Art" >
said:
??>>>
??>>>> Nigiris:
??>>>
??>>>> Mackerel - Haven't had great saba since I left Boston.
??>>>> Everything down here tastes pickled. This wasn't great,
??>>>> either.
??>>>
??>>> Saba, when done well, is one of my very favorites. I
??>>> assume you know that saba is always lightly pickled?
??>>
??>> I know, but down here in NJ it tastes more like pickled
??>> herring.

G> I was just clarifying. I've bumped into highly pickled saba
G> occasionally that is horrid, and frequently (probably
G> related) overly firm. Stiff, actually. It is the only thing
G> I have ever "sent back". I do that for embarassment
G> purposes.

??>>>> Spanish mackerel - on the tough side. Wouldn't order
??>>>> again.
??>>>
??>>> Aji is whittled up fresh, and not pickled. So logically
??>>> if you had a bad aji, you can be sure you've diminished
??>>> the back log by one! You should have as good a shot as
??>>> any that the next will be okay.
??>>
??>> It was from a whole fresh piece of fish. The chef left the
??>> tough piece of skin on.. but aside from that, it just
??>> didn't have much flavor.

G> Better luck next time.

??>>> I don't like being in the same room with that stuff.
??>>
??>> Why not?

G> What fish is it, exactly? It's not tuna. This most
G> predominantly refers to escolar. Why not call it escolar,
G> then you might wonder. That would be handy, one would think.

G> Whenever a sushi chef I don't know offers it I snort or
G> laugh or joke about it ("I like dinner to STAY eaten"), and
G> they are quick to point out that "some people like it" but
G> that they too won't eat it. That's not exactly a sales job.

I have tried escolar ("white tuna" as the chef called it)
exactly once. It was absolutely delicious and I had the runs for
a day! The oil content does not affect everyone and Dan Logcher
is one of those lucky people but I think the customer should be
warned!


James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not

Gerry wrote:

> Holy moly, 6 nigiri's and three rolls? They took you to your car in a
> whell-barrow?

He can handle 30 pieces Or at least it used to..

--
Dan

If this is the same "East" chain with the main store in NYC on Eat 43rd and
that has a Kaiten-zushi store in Teaneck (or Bergenfield) NJ as well as a
new store in the Palisades Center, I'd have to say that it;s one of the few
places where you 'll find
one or two Japanese chefs behind the counter, but the food is absolutely
horrible.
M

Art wrote:
> I've lived in Berkeley Heights for a number of years, and this
> location has been some sort of Asian restaurant.. YEARS ago, it was
> "The Great Wall" Chinese restaurant.. at which I had dim sum for the
> first time (I was probably 12 at the time).
>
> Anyway, more recent incarnations were a Japanese/Thai restaurant..
> when that folded, it was a Chinese buffet that was quite good at
> first, then steadily went downhill (and was probably open for a total
> of six months). Then renovations began, and for quite a while, the new
> "EAST" sign was hung, but the restaurant remained dark.
>
> So imagine my surprise when I finally saw this place open this past
> Thursday.. I intended to see if I could stop by and pick up a menu,
> but I didn't bother when I saw the large signs in the window,
> proclaiming "Half price sushi" during lunchtime.
>
> Had to return home to sell some furniture, but called the restaurant
> to see what time they served lunch until.. 3:30.. plenty of time.
>
> So, I arrived at close to 2 pm. I sat by myself, alone, at the sushi
> bar. Before I even ordered, the sushi chef gave me a freebie.. a
> Japanese soup spoon loaded with small chunks of tuna and white tuna
> sashimi, in a citrusy ponzu sauce. Delectable, and off to a good
> start! I tried to engage in conversation.. but we didn't get very
> far.. so I just let him do his thing.
>
> I ordered a la carte from the half price menu, since that was the best
> deal going. What I ordered with impressions:
>
> Nigiris:
>
> Mackerel - Haven't had great saba since I left Boston. Everything down
> here tastes pickled. This wasn't great, either.
>
> Spanish mackerel - on the tough side. Wouldn't order again.
>
> Salmon - very good
>
> White tuna - very good, but hard to go wrong with this. One of my top
> 5.
>
> Hamachi - not the best I've had. Not the worst, either. Didn't have
> much flavor, actually.
>
> Ikura - generous portions of firm, bouncy eggs. Lots of flavor without
> going overboard on the salt.
>
> Rolls:
>
> Spider - decent, but the inclusion of lettuce was a little off-
> putting.
>
> Crunchy spicy salmon - really, really good. My favorite item, I
> believe.
>
> Spicy tuna - one of the better versions I've had.
>
> I drank green tea with my meal. The above was $50 worth of sushi.. but
> of course at half price was $25.00. I asked the manager how long this
> special would run.. he said he didn't know.. maybe indefinitely.
>
> They had uni.. but of course, it wasn't half price. They also had
> natto.. that wasn't half price either.. but at $3.00, I'm going to try
> one when I go back next week!

Hey Art,
Glad to hear from you. Good to hear you're able to get some sushi.
We were at Sushi Island back on the 16th and had some great sushi,
including sawara, iwashi, and uni to good we had to have seconds.
Our bill for 3 1/2 of us was $145.. And my son is only 5. Ouch.

Lately we've been getting takeout from Kyotoya, which is right off
Montvale Ave in Stoneham. Its close, cheap, and ok sushi. They also
suffer from pre-packaged ovber marinated saba. But the uni is good.

--
Dan

On 2007-03-12 21:00:23 -0700, Dan Logcher > said:

> Glad to hear from you. Good to hear you're able to get some sushi.
> We were at Sushi Island back on the 16th and had some great sushi,
> including sawara, iwashi, and uni to good we had to have seconds.
> Our bill for 3 1/2 of us was $145.. And my son is only 5. Ouch.

Sawara; I've forgotten, what is that?
--
///---

Gerry wrote:

> On 2007-03-12 21:00:23 -0700, Dan Logcher >
> said:
>
>> Glad to hear from you. Good to hear you're able to get some sushi.
>> We were at Sushi Island back on the 16th and had some great sushi,
>> including sawara, iwashi, and uni to good we had to have seconds.
>> Our bill for 3 1/2 of us was $145.. And my son is only 5. Ouch.
>
>
> Sawara; I've forgotten, what is that?

Its Spanish Mackerel, a nice, meaty, savory fish. Its lighter in flavor
and color than aji, and has a texture closer to hirame.

--
Dan

On Tue, 13 Mar 2007 22:13:55 -0500, Dan Logcher
> wrote:

>> Sawara; I've forgotten, what is that?
>
>Its Spanish Mackerel, a nice, meaty, savory fish. Its lighter in flavor
>and color than aji, and has a texture closer to hirame.

I didn't know that Spanish Mackerel could be eaten as sushi. Spanish
Macks are very common here where I fish. I avoid them because of all
the bones. How would I clean one of those for sushi? They are only
here during one part of the year. November if I remember correctly.
I'm told that most people here just kill the fish and throw it back in
so that it won't take bait again.

I'd love to hear more about this fish as sushi. Especially how to
properly clean it for sushi.

Thanks in advance

Terrorist Killer wrote:
> On Tue, 13 Mar 2007 22:13:55 -0500, Dan Logcher
> > wrote:
>
>
>>>Sawara; I've forgotten, what is that?
>>
>>Its Spanish Mackerel, a nice, meaty, savory fish. Its lighter in flavor
>>and color than aji, and has a texture closer to hirame.
>
>
> I didn't know that Spanish Mackerel could be eaten as sushi. Spanish
> Macks are very common here where I fish. I avoid them because of all
> the bones. How would I clean one of those for sushi? They are only
> here during one part of the year. November if I remember correctly.
> I'm told that most people here just kill the fish and throw it back in
> so that it won't take bait again.
>
> I'd love to hear more about this fish as sushi. Especially how to
> properly clean it for sushi.

What a shame! I understand they are good to eat cooked as well.
I'm sorry, I don't know how to clean them, but I'm sure the usual
small boney fish system works.

I can get them from a Japanese market from time to time.. but I have
never tried preparing it myself.

--
Dan

"Terrorist Killer" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 13 Mar 2007 22:13:55 -0500, Dan Logcher
> > wrote:
>
> >> Sawara; I've forgotten, what is that?
> >
> >Its Spanish Mackerel, a nice, meaty, savory fish. Its lighter in flavor
> >and color than aji, and has a texture closer to hirame.
>
> I didn't know that Spanish Mackerel could be eaten as sushi. Spanish
> Macks are very common here where I fish. I avoid them because of all
> the bones. How would I clean one of those for sushi? They are only
> here during one part of the year. November if I remember correctly.
> I'm told that most people here just kill the fish and throw it back in
> so that it won't take bait again.
>
> I'd love to hear more about this fish as sushi. Especially how to
> properly clean it for sushi.
>
> Thanks in advance

Spanish Mackeral (as with all mackerel) should be put on ice right after
catching it if you intend to eat it raw.
Cleaning is the same as any fish, reduce it to two filets. Remove small
bones by feeling with your fingertips of your left
hand while pulling ay bones with tweezers in your right hand. Get a grip on
a bone then wiggle. The flesh is fairly
soft and it will come right out. Remove skin. Slice to proper size.
In truth Spanish Mackerel is ot one of my top sushi fish but i find it OK.
More often than not I use it for cooked Japanese dishes ike Miso yaki
(grilled with a miso/mirin
mixture) or even Nanban zuke (deep fried then drenched in vinegar with
onions).
It's a tasty enough fish that I'm rather surprised people in your area throw
them away.
M