New Sensation

A Dickson City newcomer puts a hip twist on Japanese cuisine

Matt Smith

The chains have the Dickson City shopping mountain, and its eating options, all chained up. After you've hit your Target, shot the Gap, and punched your ticket at the Home Depot, there's nothing like relaxing in the Olive Garden, giving thanks for T.G.I. Friday's, or licking your lips on some Smokey Bones.



However, there are a few exceptions to these same-as-it-ever-was dining choices; one notable among that select group is newcomer Blu Wasabi, located in the former Le Thai space on the Scranton-Carbondale Highway just across the line from Scranton.



Owner Vinny Lam, also proprietor of the decade-old Kyoto in Clarks Summit, described his latest venture as "New Japanese Cuisine."



"I wanted to try something a little different from Kyoto, which is more traditional," said Lam of Blu Wasabi, which opened around the holidays. "The vibe of this restaurant is definitely New York-style. ... And we have a variety of everything, from a contemporary sushi bar to a raw bar."



The cuisine, Lam explained, "is more American (than Kyoto), but with Japanese seasoning," as illustrated by a wasabi Chilean sea bass special being served up the night of our conversation.



And now that he has two restaurants, Lam said, "it's easier to get my fish. I send someone to New York City for it three times a week." Plus, he boasted, the oysters for that raw bar - which Lam called "the only one in the area" - are flown in from the West Coast. Even the sushi bar is more elaborate at Blu Wasabi than at Kyoto, he noted, with a larger selection of specialty rolls.



All those choices can be a problem, as making it through the menu requires more than a single trip. On my virgin Monday-night visit, my dining companion and I barely scratched the calming-but-cool surface of Blu Wasabi.



We opened with a light, pleasant ginger tuna appetizer, along with the batter-dipped goodness of coconut shrimp tempura, which served as further evidence than everything tastes better when the word "tempura" is involved.



When it came to entrees, we sampled some of that uber-fresh fish, selecting a solidly delivered miso-marinated salmon, and also going for some standard selections from the sushi bar. (After a bit of debate, we skipped the raw bar. Sigh.) Blu Wasabi won points with my companion by preparing her angel roll (avocado, shrimp tempura, and asparagus) without the "icky" roe (i.e. fish eggs).



Just as we felt that there were countless other dishes we couldn't possibly sample in one evening, the same went for the offerings from the very sleekly appointed bar. We opted for an adequate low-end wine, when there were other, more high-powered bottles a calling. And, Lam pointed out, the bar also features a "very attractive martini menu," providing booze for thought as potential accompaniment for that impending oyster-filled second visit.



And, as with everything else about our Blu Wasabi experience, dessert offered just the right mix of authentic Japanese flavors, good old-fashioned American familiarity, and hip presentation. The green tea ice cream was an excellent palate cleanser, particularly in contrast to the weightier banana bonsai, a cross between bananas Foster and the fried banana dessert served at some Chinese restaurants. Bananarama!



Lam said that Blu Wasabi has indeed been drawing returnees eager to explore all that "New Japanese Cuisine" has to offer. "Business has been wonderful," he said. "Right now, we're getting a lot of those repeat customers through word of mouth."



He hasn't done much advertising, as to give his staff time to "get the hang of how everything works."



When all of his workers are tip-top, Lam said, is "when we'll raise the prices. Then the food and service will really be worth it."