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Not in the immediate ‘downtown’ area, Triestina Ristorante is in a burgeoning area on Centennial Ave that is also home to a new French Restaurant, a Calabrian Pizza joint ,and an English tea-room, to boot. It has a semi-formal atmosphere with starched tablecloths and a professional wait-staff. The fact that it is BYO is a major plus for all of us who enjoy fine wine but do not want to pay the normal restaurant mark-up. The menu items are standard, NJ style Italian, with some interesting cold and hot antipasti. But the waiter-recited specials are lengthy and imaginative, and transcend the ubiquitous Italian fare found in these parts. All the items are well-executed and worth a return visit. We have been there half a dozen times, at least.

East Sushi is your ‘standard’ Chinese restaurant with a Japanese flourish—at least the format has become quite common in New Jersey. However, once you get past the regular menu and ask for the special menu (which is available every day, but for inexplicable reasons not normally presented to patrons unless they ask for it), you will find some of the best maki in New Jersey. Among my favorities is the Y-2K roll which has spicy salmon inside and yellow tail outside (which can be ordered in reverse; spicy yellow tail inside and salmon outside). Similar is the Spicy 2 in One roll with spicy tuna inside and salmon and tuna on the outside. Another winner is the Fire Dragon roll with eel and avocado on the inside and pepper tuna on the outside, all with a very tasty bi-color sauce. All the rolls are carefully made, generously proportioned, and fairly priced. Oh, and did I tell you about the sashimi lunch? Very generous portions of the best fish available. I am going back again for lunch today (and was there yesterday). The Chinese food looks OK, but I have never ordered it; I have been going there for several years and I always get the sushi.

Buona Pizza looks like a typical pizza joint upon entering the restaurant. There is the pizza counter on your left with pizza deliverers standing in the narrow aisle awaiting their pies for delivery. But if you continue walking straight back you will find a small, tastefully decorated dining room with about a dozen tables maybe able to sit 30 people or so. And if you have gotten that far you are in for some very tasty, if totally conventional, Southern Italian food. June, the owner’s wife, is frequently the waitress and she is friendly and talkative. The antipasto is a good starter no matter what you order, but realize it is a large plate with prosciutto, two kinds of salami, ‘regular’ ham, fresh mozzarella, sliced provolone, olives, peppers, lettuce, and a good dressing. It can serve four easily. The combo egg plant and chicken parmagiana is excellent and a great idea. The pizzas are quite good (try the salad pizza; it is an incongruity worth seeing). So are the various sandwiches, calzones, and the like. It is a great place to bring your own inexpensive wines, knowing that your bill will be quite reasonable AND you will take home tomorrow’s supper. What’s not to like?!

Yummy Sushi is a new addition to the Mercer County sushi scene. Tucked away next to Marrazzo’s Thriftway in Ewing, you will find an oak-toned room with a dozen or so tables and a beautiful sushi bar. The sushi chef, and co-owner, previously from nearby East Sushi, now has free reign over menu selections and they are without peer in my mind. In addition to a very full range of sushi and sashimi dishes (and some of the very best rolls extant), there are Noodle, Teriyaki, Katsu, and Tempura dishes among Japanese entrees, and there are a few Vietnamese and Thai additions as well. I was especially pleased with the chef’s signature "Yummy Roll’ with shrimp and asparagus on the inside and spicy yellowtail on the outside. It has both a kick and a crunch and I would expect it to be quite popular. Overall, Yummy Sushi is an attractive space with excellent food and attentive service in an BYO environment. What’s not to like?

I recently revisited the Brick Oven as part of a party of 10 (seated at adjoing tables, one of 6 and the other of 4 as requested). We brought a boat-load of wine and it was handled professionally, including the several bottles of sparkling that we drank. I ordered the old reliable Chicken Parmigianna and it was both delicious and huge; indeed the half I brought home was the next evening’s supper. Others ordered a variety of standard menu items and specials. All was similarly portioned and well received. It is a good place with ‘comfortable’ old-style southern Italian offerings, out of the box specials, and fair prices. The only downside: It is quite noisy and difficult to hold a conversation with others at a table for six.