Komegashi too, 99 Pavonia Ave., located on the Jersey City Waterfront, offers diners spectacular views of the Newport Marina. This Japanese restaurant has been keeping locals happy for six years by serving their own fusion of fresh seafood, delicious meats, and fabulous sauces.
The atmosphere
Stepping inside this stylish yet simply designed restaurant, one is immediately transported into a tranquil environment with strains of light jazz playing in the background. Diners have a choice between the front room with views of the sushi bar or the more intimate back room. The palate of colors is muted in pale shades of lilac and light shades of wood, which puts the focus where it should be: on the beautifully presented food. From the salads to the rolls – everything is artfully displayed.
Whether you are having lunch or dinner, the service will make you feel relaxed. The staff gives the right amount of attention without ever making a diner feel rushed.
Appetizers
My companion and I started with the Mamma Mia salad and the Wasabi Tuna. The delicious salad blended mixed greens and fresh shrimp in a light lemon vinaigrette, which was paired with spicy prosciutto, sweet cantaloupe, and topped with gorgonzola cheese. The mix of flavors was perfectly balanced.
The tuna, which is fresh from the sushi bar, was lightly breaded and seared. The wasabi puree gave the tender fish a little kick. Each delicious bite with the delicate pine nuts gave it texture. Both were light, healthy dishes that were the perfect size to share, which is the only way to go here. One look at a dish and you’ll want to try everything.
Rolls
Next we tried the Imperial Roll and Mini Godzilla Roll. We were told that the Godzilla roll, which can be served three different ways, is a crowd favorite. We had ours without rice.
It was a succulent combination of deep-fried yellowtail and salmon that came with a blend of three different sauces. It was fantastic. My companion absolutely loved the sauce.
The Imperial roll is a lighter roll, which is good for those that don’t want to get too full. The spicy tuna and shrimp were layered with crisp lettuce and buttery avocado, which was wrapped in the thin rice paper. This is also a good roll for beginner sushi eaters, who might not want to experiment with exotic fish. Other rolls include: king crab, tempura, spicy red dragon, Italian, Californian and more.
There are over 40 different varieties of rolls to choose from, plus the specialty rolls, which are perfectly packaged presents of seafood in a variety of the house’s sauces. I would recommend these to anyone who is new to sushi and not sure what to try.
Entrees
For our main course, we tried the Seafood Papillote. This dish is a simmering stew of king crab, shrimp, bay scallops, and mushrooms that are baked with butter and spices inside a parchment paper wrap.
The enticing smell of fresh baked fish seeps through the paper and keeps this dinner hot until you slice it open. It is a filling and healthy dish over rice. Simply seasoned with butter, it allows you to savor the taste of fresh fish on your palate.
They have an extensive menu. No matter what you are craving, diners will have an ample selection to choose from. They serve everything from salads to soups to meat to seafood to tempura to vegetarian dishes. A typical entrée is priced from $12 to $20.
And…
To cap off our meal, we had the choux crème patissiere, which is a pastry filled with cream. The warm bread easily gave way with a spoon to the rich creamy inside. It was decadent without being overly sweet and came with a glass of hot chocolate.
This is only one of over a dozen desserts offered at Komegashi too.
Other selections include: a crepe flavored with orange liquor, ice cream tempura, banana foster, crème brulee, chocolate cake and more. The deserts are priced from $6.50 to $10.
The restaurant is open for lunch from Monday to Friday from 12 to 2:30 p.m. and they serve dinner from 5 to 10:30 p.m. On Friday and Saturday the kitchen is open until 11 p.m. and they serve brunch on Saturday from 12:30 to 3 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m.
Reservations are not necessary, but they are recommended on weekends and for large parties. All major credit cards are accepted, gift certificates are available and there is validated parking in the garage across the street.
In addition, private parties can be accommodated with special menus.
Komegashi too is located at 99 Pavonia Ave. in Jersey City. For more information, please call (201) 533-8888 or visit: www.komegashi.com.