This winter, Momiji's menu blossoms anew
Published Jan. 25, 2008
The Zhen family named their Lincoln City restaurant after the famous Japanese red maple tree: Momiji. It’s turned out to be an appropriate title, because they’ve been turning over new leaves ever since they opened in 2004.
After winning a broad customer base in the Taft neighborhood, the Zhens moved their operation to the Tanger Outlet Center in 2006. Once in the mall, their menu expanded to offer a wider variety of Chinese and Japanese food, including tasty rolls made before the customers’ eyes at a traditional sushi bar. Now, they’ve hired a new head chef, Chen Zhong, who is charged with improving the Momiji cuisine.
“Mr. Chen has a lot of experience at Portland restaurants, and he’s already given us some valuable comments that will revolutionize our recipes. There’s going to be a big change,” said manager Bruce Zhen. “He’s modifying some of our recipes, to make them more traditional and taste even better.”
Chen has already improved the marinades used to prepare chicken and beef, and the customers have noticed the difference, Bruce said. The chef will be adding more Japanese items to the Momiji menu, and the Zhens will be renovating the kitchen and sushi bar to accommodate the changes, Bruce said. The restaurant will stay open throughout the construction, which they hope will end in April.
Sushi lovers don’t have to wait until spring to turn over a new Momiji leaf. They just need to look up to the specials board, which hangs above the sushi bar and offers dishes like the vegetarian Grass Roll. The main ingredient of this appetizer is seasoned, marinated seaweed salad, which is rolled inside sushi rice with green leaf lettuce. Outside, the rice is covered in green wasabi tobiko, flying fish roe in a spicy wasabi base. It’s a green experience like no other, and eight pieces sell for $5.95.
If that sounds a little too adventurous, Bruce might suggest his new Crunchy Salmon entrée roll. Each order, with eight pieces, is $8.95.
“It’s designed for people who have never had sushi, but would like to try it. Inside is tempura salmon with a spicy cream sauce. Outside is half an avocado, sweet chili sauce, sesame seeds, green onions and peanut flakes. It doesn’t taste fishy at all, and the texture is very interesting. We really impress people with that roll,” he said.
Some customers say it’s not the fishy taste, but the salty seaweed wrap that keeps them from enjoying sushi. For them, Bruce suggests the Sea Shell Roll, a sashimi style entrée with fresh salmon, yellowfin tuna and sea scallops wrapped in delicate pink soy bean paper. It’s surrounded by orange masago (smelt eggs) and served with a creamy sauce. The result is a soft, slightly sweet roll that is popular among children and those who have never tried sushi before. Eight pieces go for $8.95.
The mild soy bean paper is also employed with the featured dessert on Momiji’s specials board: the Mango Roll. Fresh mango slices are laid with strips of cucumber and cream cheese and wrapped in the pretty pink wrapper. At $5.50 for eight pieces, it’s a nice way to end a sushi meal. “The regular seaweed wrapper is too strong for the mango, so we’re using soy bean paper instead. This roll has the sweetness of the fruit, but once you take that in, you’ll taste that it’s very different from having just the fruit,” Bruce said.
This month, the Zhens want to give everyone a good reason to try Momiji. With the purchase of $10 or more, they’re offering a free six-piece Salem Roll or eight-piece Spicy Salmon Tempura Roll. To take advantage of this offer, clip the coupon in today’s Oregon Coast Today.
“The whole purpose of these changes is to better educate the locals about sushi and Japanese cuisine, and to introduce them to new trends in dining out,” Bruce said. “But it’s going to take a little time.”
Momiji Express, in the Tanger Outlet Center, Hwy. 101 and East Devils Lake Road SE, is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. For information or takeout orders, call 541-996-8886.
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