Best Japanese Food in Central NJ
Ajihei is hands down the freshest Japanese in central Jersey (and the only restaurant actually run by Japanese... all the others are run by Chinese/Koreans) As a result, all the Japanese immigrants in Central Jersey eat there... I would take it from the experts.    [26 Oct 2002 12:38:27]

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Recommended Dishes: Negitoro don

     ­Linlinchan   linlinchan at yahoo dot com

A cute little place
I've walked by Ajihei hundreds of times, but I'd either already eaten somewhere else, or it was closed. Last night one of my best friends and I were spending time together after a long time, and we decided to go get Japanese food. Seeing that Ichi-ban was crowded with college students as it normally was on Saturday nights, we decided to try "that cute little sushi place under that Indian restaurant."
Ajihei, is a tiny little place, underground, that's maybe 800-1100 square feet. My friend and I sat down there, and we ordered miso soup, and split the sushi platter. I expected the type of Japanese food that you get at Chinese buffets, with the same kind of mediocre service.

I was astounded by the quiet politeness of our waitress, and the simple elegance of our dishes. The restaurant had to have about 5 or 6 other couples in it. Everything was discreetly served, refills given without asking, and the waitress always asking if we needed anything else without being obnoxious.

Ajihei is this quaint little place under a bigger, bustling restaurant. Not too many people go there at once (so it seems), but that adds to its charm. I recommend Ajihei to any couple or individual that wants a nice quiet place to eat    [27 Oct 2002 14:59:08]

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Recommended Dishes: Sushi Platter and Miso Soup

     ­Rinku, Princeton   unknownuser at aol dot com

Superior Sushi
The venerable chef brings to Princeton all the skills and standards of a highly successful stint at Nobu in NYC. On any given night, the Salmon, Toro, Uni, and Yellowtail will be the best you'll ever have. His selections are always uncannily fresh and fine. A true hidden gem.    [01 Jul 2003 15:06:58]

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Recommended Dishes: Ask the chef what's good

     ­Margaux O'Nolan, Princeton   

Overpriced, poor quality, crowded little place. Huge disappointment!    [30 Dec 2003 17:56:38]

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     ­Anonymous   

The Sweetest Salmon?
I recently dined at what the 2003 edition of a famous restaurant guide described as the finest Japanese restaurant in NYC. The salmon there didn't stand up to Ajihei's. The quality of Ajihei's other fish was less stellar by comparison, though still outstanding.

A word of caution: the rice supply occasionally runs low.    [04 Feb 2004 14:49:31]

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Recommended Dishes: The obvious, uni, yellowail, garden salad

     ­Enzo   

I might be a little biased - I love Ajihei and I have eaten there at least once per week over the past couple years. All this time the quality has been consitently high. In fact, I ate at a reputable sushi place in San Fran., expecting to be blown away, but I felt that Ajihei was just as good if not better, despite being a tiny place in a small town.

The owner is a nice guy and great chef, and he is friends with this artist who goes by the name "Big Joe" in Japan. Big Joe has painted the murals in both Ajihei restaurants, lending them a fun atmosphere.

Ajihei is the real thing, there is no place in Central Jersey that can compare to its authenticity. I am amazed that it is not more popular, but I suppose it will remain a hidden gem. Anyday is good, some days are a little better depending on the fish delivery. Try any of the dishes, you can't go wrong!

I will never eat again at Ichiban or any of the other "fake japanese"/"actually taiwanese" places. They are a ripoff.    [14 Mar 2004 13:04:44]

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     ­Anonymous   

Best Sushi I Ever Ate
I lived in Manhattan for twelve years. My favorite sushi restaurant there was Tomoe Sushi on Thompson St. This restaurant has better sushi. Order the Unagi... you will not be disappointed. The service is a little slow but worth it for the artistry.    [17 Feb 2006 22:07:17]

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Recommended Dishes: Unagi

     ­Ltnfluffy   

Continuing Education
I stayed an extra day after a seminar and wandered that lovely but lifeless citadel of grinditude called Princeton. I saw this place, read its 'very good' NY Times review and returned for lunch. The waitress was eye-sushi, the sashimi was the best I've ever had, the service and decor were great, not too uppity - not too downitty. Although uncrowded, my tea mug remained lonely for its refill until I asked - only demur. I read Rumi - a most memorable lunch.    [25 Mar 2006 06:50:35]

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Recommended Dishes: Sashimi lunch special with sea urchin topping

     ­Anonymous   

Oh, please...
Warning: Those who love Ajihei may feel offended by reading my review. But I, as a Japanese person, will try to be as honest as possible.

I can't recommend this place. I do not think Ajihei offers the same quality of food that you can have at Japanese restaurants in Japan.

The only reason Ajihei is rated so highly is that other "Japanese" restaurants are even worse. I think the situation is pretty serious. The Japanese government thinks so too, that they are trying to start the new system called "Certification of Japanese Restaurants Outside Japan":
http://www.maff.go.jp/gaisyoku/kaigai/english.html

My girlfriend ordered Chirashi, and I had Unagi Don. (btw, no Japanese calls it this way. It's "Una-don.") We waited for thirty minutes before we finally got our food. I see no reason why we had to wait so long, since they are obviously easy to prepare.

Rice was cooked badly, and grean tea was awful. As you know, it's really easy for someone who consumes it every day to recognize something as good or bad. It seemed like they use an electric rice cooker (a bad one), or just didn't know the proper way to cook rice using a pot, or didn't use the best rice like Koshihikari. Tea was as if "degarashi," that is, brewed more than once.

Unagi lacked flavor, and made us suspect if it was frozen and microwaved. Shrimp in the Chirashi had a smell of detergent! (It was hard to believe, but I thought it could well happen when I remembered the story I had read before -- Italians don't use detergent to wash a espresso maker since it ruins the flavor of coffee.)

In any case, a good Japanese restaurant won't serve Miso soup in a plastic bowl, apart from the obvious reason that it destroys the feeling, sometimes the flavor of plastic transfers to the soup. (My Belgium friend never buy milk in a plastic container for the same reason.)

Somebody wrote Ajihei is "the freshest Japanese in central Jersey," and even "the only restaurant actually run by Japanese." That's not true. Try, for example, Josho in Somerset. They have by far better, and much wider selection of Japanese dishes, yet the prices are comparable to those of Ajihei.    [14 Jan 2007 03:30:26]

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     ­J