NJ Dining: Mikado 23

Mikado 23 Hibachi and Sushi Buffet
29 Weston Ct, Wayne, NJ 07470
(973) 339-9832

Web Site: http://mikado23usa.com

Mikado 23’s storefront in Wayne.

In the past, I’ve written about other Asian-style buffet restaurants in New Jersey, such as Minado, in Little Ferry. Recently a new Asian buffet and hibachi restaurant — the similarly named Mikado 23 — has opened in Wayne, near the Willowbrook Mall and the recently closed Wayne Town Center, which may or may not open in the future if the economy pulls out of its current recession.

Click on the “Read the rest of this entry” link below for more.

Fun with COSTCO Frozen Scallops, Hong Kong Style

Welcome to the recession folks. That means all of us should be mindful of how we spend our money, and that means for some of us a lot less dining out.

But eating at home doesn’t have to be boring. You don’t even have to sacrifice on quality, “Luxury” ingredients that would otherwise cost you an arm and a leg at a restaurant to eat. You just need to think about buying in bulk and doing a lot of meal planning.

One of my favorite things to eat is jumbo sea scallops. At a decent restaurant, particularly if they are using high-quality dry pack scallops, you can expect to pay between $18.00 and up for an entree with five or six of these guys in them. At a quality fishmonger fresh dry pack sea scallops command a hefty price.

But COSTCO has them frozen, and if you buy a large bag of them the price becomes much more economical per portion. You can eat them over a couple of weeks or even longer, if you have the ability to re-seal the bag with a home vacuum sealer. I also like COSTCO’s shrimp, they are of exceptionally high quality for frozen product, and when COSTCO has their “Seafood Roadshow” events every month, they are even cheaper than the regular discounted COSTCO price.

Oyster Sauce Glazed Pan-Seared Sea Scallops with Spicy XO Vegetables and Nasi Kuning Brown Rice.

Click on “Read the rest of this entry” link below for more.

NJ Dining: Daruma (UPDATED)

Daruma Japanese Restaurant

45 N Dean St, Englewood, NJ

(201) 567-9600

The restaurant mecca of Englewood is home to a number of sushi dens, including the much-beloved and frequently-packed Wild Ginger. But for my money, if I’m not heading out to the super-authentic Japanese-run Sakura Bana in Ridgewood, or eating at some of my favorite sushi places in NYC, I like to dine at Daruma, which opened in late 2004.

Sushi Bar (2006)

Foyer dining area (2006)

Main Dining Room (2006)

Click on the “Read the rest of this entry” link below for more.

NJ Dining: Bergen County Dim Sum Parlors (UPDATED)

Bergen County has some of the best Chinese eateries anywhere in the state. We’re lucky to have two really phenomenal Dim Sum restaurants, Silver Pond and Dim Sum Dynasty, who make some of the best dumplings in the entire Tri-State region.

NOTE: Please also see my earlier entry for Noodle Chu, in Parsippany. Not Bergen County, but definitely worth the trip if you are in the Morris County area.

Silver Pond Seafood Restaurant
230 Main St, Fort Lee, NJ
(201) 592-8338

Silver Pond is a Fort Lee institution that has been in business for over 20 years. It really looks like something that belongs in Hong Kong, not in Northern New Jersey. Like all Dim Sum parlors you need to get there fairly early on a weekend (11:30-12 Noon is about as late as you really want to get there) and bring either cash or your American Express Card, ’cause they don’t take Visa or MasterCard. In fact, I maintain a personal AMEX Optima just for the sole purpose of eating at this place and going to Costco. That alone should tell you something. The photos here just barely scratch the surface of their dim sum offerings.

Main Dining Room (Chinese New Year, 2010)

Live seafood tanks amuse small children

Mr. Li, the Big Boss Man. (2010)

Scallion Pancake

Fried Shrimp Paste Balls, Gai Lan with Oyster Sauce (2010)

Pan Fried Noodle with Superior Soy Sauce (2010)

Salt and Pepper Fried Shrimp

Cart Service (2010)

Pork Shu Mai, Shrimp Har Gow (2010)

Shrimp and Cilantro Yuba Skin Roll (2010)

Steamed Tripe (2010)

Shrimp and Scallion Pan Fried Dumpling (2010)

Rice Congee (2010)

Eggplant stuffed with Shrimp Paste with Black Bean Sauce (2010)

Pork Wrapped with Yuba Skin. (2006)

Fried Shrimp Paste wrapped with Bacon (2010)

Pan Fried Pork Dumplings (2006)

Sticky Rice wrapped in Lotus Leaf (2006)

Sticky Rice Wrapped in Lotus Leaf (opened)

A type of fried shrimp dumpling with cilantro. (2006)

Fried Shrimp Balls (2006)

Roast Duck (2006)

Mushroom Roll (2006)

Steamed Fluffy BBQ Pork Bun (2006)

Manilla Clams with Black Bean Sauce (2010)

Cantonese Desserts (2010)

Dim Sum Dynasty
75 Franklin Ave, Ridgewood, NJ
(201) 652-0615

If Silver Pond is the classic, dependable, experienced Dim Sum Parlor then Dim Sum Dynasty is the young whippersnapper, with new tricks up its sleeve and wearing a much snazzier outfit. It is by far the more elegant restaurant and has some very interesting offerings that you don’t necessarily get at old warhorses like Silver Pond. This is not to say all the food items are superior, some are better and some are average. I like to alternate between the two restaurants myself.

Main Dining Room of Dim Sum Dynasty (2006)

Dim Sum Dynasty’s Pork Siu Mai (2006)

Fried Squid with Cashew Nuts (2006)

Crab/Shrimp Beggar’s Purses (2006)

Shrimp Har Gow (2006)

Clams in Black Bean Sauce (2006)

Flaky Pork Pastry Triangles (2006)

Mango Pudding (2006)

Steamed Pea Shoot Dumplings (2006)

Dim Sum Dynasty’s Pork Wrapped in Yuba Skin (2006)

Green Pepper stuffed with Shrimp Paste (2006)

Fluffy BBQ Pork Buns (2006)

Another type of clam dish, this one is dry sauteed. (2006)

E-Fu Mein Noodles (2006)

Baked Pork Buns (2006) Dim Sum Dynasty’s are not to be missed, especially if they are just out of the oven.