Sushi Bento in the Borough
by Cate Murway
Historic Bristol on the Delaware welcomes the exotically familiar and the authentically creative to Mill Street. Sushi Bento Japanese Steakhouse masterfully fuses Japanese traditions with contemporary cuisine. The creative chefs select the freshest local ingredients and prepare elaborately arranged edible artistry for the body and soul.
They are dedicated to the health food purists- those all over the fresh stuff in a heartbeat; adventurous consumers- no meat, no spice, no region and no texture is off limit; and the first-timers as well.
You are cordially invited to embark on a memorable dining experience that will surely establish a new all-time favorite. Great for families, kids and groups. Single-portion takeout or home-packed meals are available.
“Great fresh tasting Sushi! This was my first time seeing a female sushi chef. I had the Sushi Deluxe, at least that's what I think it was called. It came with a small salad with ginger dressing and miso soup. I was very full and satisfied.”
Dave Rutkowski
Japan is known for its unique culture and traditions, breathtaking art and land, and its vibrant and enchanting food. The Japanese believe it is crucial for food to have an incredible taste but that it is equally important to artistically present the food since they believe that people first eat with their eyes.
"Tiger rolls, chicken & veggie...yum! This place is amazing.” Rachel Lynn Sabolcik
Sushi is an authentic Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice [shari], a preparation of white, short-grained, Japanese rice mixed with a dressing consisting of rice vinegar, sugar and salt. This is combined with other ingredients [neta], commonly-used fish are tuna (maguro, shiro-maguro), Japanese amberjack, yellowtail (hamachi), snapper (kurodai), mackerel (saba), and salmon (sake).
Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient that all sushi have in common is the shari. The most common neta is seafood.
The main ingredients of traditional Japanese sushi, raw fish and rice, are naturally low in fat, high in protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.
"It's in Bristol Borough, and the food was awesome!!” Mike Hansberry
Eko Sabariyanto was born and grew up on the 13th largest, fascinating, most populous island in the world, Java “Jawa” Indonesia. It is also one of the most densely populated regions in the world.
Unfortunately, his mom passed away when he was only eight so he lived with his grandparents. They farmed rice fields, coconut and soybeans in the fertile ground.
Java may only be the size of England but it grows enough rice to feed all of Indonesia. Eko never wanted to be a farmer.
After attending ABA YIPK Foreign Languages University, his aspiration was to work in the hotel business in a foreign country, he found employment with Club Med. He chose to follow a life of freedom, excitement, adventure and unexpected happenings. His first jobs were in industries providing worldwide family beach vacation resorts in exotic locations including Australia and Nassua, the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. Eko also worked for another company that provided for people who prefer sea versus land, the Carnival Cruise Lines, Miami, Florida.
His home, Indonesia, sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the most active areas for earthquakes and volcanic activity in the world.
“I wanted to be in America.”
In 2000, he traveled to America with a sponsor to become a citizen. He flexed his organizational and administrative muscles while he managed the Siam Cuisine Thai Restaurant III in Buckingham.
Meanwhile, the sushi cuisine enticed him because of his chef cousin, Tio, who had been involved in that business for 20 years and entrepreneurship was appealing. He was ambitious and goal-oriented and he toured Bristol Borough and saw that the previous diner location on Mill Street was available. He also noticed that there were no Japanese or local Asian restaurants.
Eko likes the town, “kind of old place”. The historical aspects are a plus!
The corner store space was perfect. He planned, initiated, and completed his project, installed new booths by the front window and officially opened October 23, 2011.
Eko and his 3 studious children, two sons and one daughter, reside in Hatboro.
His eldest, Dean, is drawn toward aviation, but he has applied to Penn State and Temple University for business management education. He has created the Bento Japanese Steakhouse web page and the face book presence. Brandon is in middle school and the youngest, Chelsea attends an elementary school.
He has little free time now but his favorite activities are tennis, and the challenge of golfing on the rolling terrain of the Five Ponds Golf Course.
He “sings with his finger” and creates his own music on the acoustic guitar. His first choice is classical music and coincidentally, he and composer Ludwig van Beethoven, widely regarded as the greatest composer who ever lived, share a birthdate.
Eko's expansive harmony continues as the culture and cuisine culminates in a complete sensory experience for his patrons.
Chef Tio integrates ingredients and age-old practices into modern, healthy and superior dining pleasure on every plate
Indulge in salmon or filet mignon and cut fresh vegetables grilled on a cast iron hibachi grill. Select the sasimi, traditionally considered the finest dish in Japanese cuisine, of very fresh raw meat, most commonly fish, sliced into thin pieces and you can savor the Japanese cultural appreciation of subtlety.
Try the typical American cheesecake desserts or perhaps some ice cream. The plan is to make fried ice cream in the future.
"So far I'm impressed. Cool little sushi place.” Greg Pezza
10% discount is offered to the senior citizens and veterans.
Children platters are regular menu meals but smaller portions at a great price.
Satisfy your appetite and your curiosity with economical selections.
Try the baked green mussel [perna viridis], a treasure of nutritional value native to the coastal and tropical marine waters of the Indo-Pacific region, with crabmeat and spices.
According to Eko, “No high price here”.
Mention this “Spotlight” article and receive a free glass of juice or soft drink refreshment with your meal.
Sushi Bento Japanese Steakhouse
407 Mill Street
Bristol, PA
215.785.2011
BYOB
Mon-Thurs lunch- 11:30am-3:30pm dinner 3:30pm-9:30pm
Fri /Sat – lunch 11:30am-3:30pm dinner 3:30pm-10:00pm
Sunday- lunch 11:30am-3:30pm dinner 3:30pm-9:30pm
Recommend a “Spotlight”. E-mail vjmrun@yahoo.com
sushi chef, Agustin
Borough residents, Jack & Barb Pitts
CLOSED 2013
