Sushi Chef Maung welcomes diners to Fumio on Feb. 7 at a private gathering one week before the official launch of Livingston’s newest kosher restaurant.
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On the menuFebruary 14, 2008
The menus are printed, the glasses have all been dipped in the mikva, and the sushi is gorgeous.
As owner Ben Paniri pours a drink for a mazal tov after hanging a mezuza on the doorpost of his new kosher restaurant in Livingston, his nervous energy begins to dissolve.
Paniri’s new venture, Fumio on East Northfield Avenue, is a white tablecloth, upscale kosher restaurant focusing on sushi, steak, and Japanese fusion cuisine. It is under the supervision of the Vaad Harabonim of MetroWest, NJ.
With a grand opening scheduled at press time for Feb. 13, the restaurant opened privately on Feb. 7 with a mezuza-hanging celebration for invited guests.
The decor is sleek and modern with black tables and chairs, and a sushi bar at the front; a large poster of a samurai and geisha in the back of the room sets the mood. There are two menus: one for sushi, and one for everything else. Both include appetizers, salads, and main courses. (See sidebar.)
The name may ring a bell for area residents. Fumio, a non-kosher restaurant at the same location, has been shuttered for over three years. When Paniri decided to open at that location, he said he thought the name was perfect. The original owner is also participating in the new venture.
Paniri’s background is in fabric manufacturing rather than food. He established Ben-Tex Inc. in New York City in 1992, and served as its president for 17 years. But with competition from China on the rise, he said, he dissolved the business, closed the factory, and took a leap into the kosher restaurant business.
Ben Paniri celebrates the opening of his new glatt kosher restaurant, Fumio, in Livingston with his wife, Janet. Photos by Johanna Ginsberg
At 42, he said, “I’ve been around the block. Now I want to have some fun. I decided this is something I’d like to do.” But as the opening approached, he acknowledged, “I’m trying to maintain my calm.”
Paniri grew up in Ashdod, Israel. He lives in Short Hills with his wife Janet and their three children, 12-year-old Abraham; Gabriella, who turns 11 on Feb. 14; and six-year-old Nathanel. They belong to Ahavath Torah in Short Hills.
Among the invited guests on Feb. 7 was Chana Solomon of Morristown, wife of Ahavath Torah religious leader Rabbi Mendel Solomon.
“This is exactly what this area needs,” she said as she walked in.
Fumio is open 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and Saturday evenings, until daylight savings begins in April, from one hour after Shabbat until 11:30 p.m. After Passover, lunch will be served on Fridays, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Reservations are recommendation. BYOB (mevushal only). Delivery is not available but takeout orders are welcome. For reservations, call 973-740-8595.
On the menu
Fumio, on Northfield Avenue, is Livingston’s newest glatt kosher, white tablecloth restaurant serving sushi, steak, and Japanese fusion cuisine.
Fumio’s menu includes sushi, steak, and Japanese fusion cuisine.
Consider an appetizer of beef tataki, tea-smoked salmon, or perhaps the herbed potato napoleon, which includes house-made lamb sausage, mint relish, and pomegranate drizzle.
For salads, there are various greens, a selection of sushi salads, and there’s also the grilled bread salad, which includes baby spinach and braised radishes with a lemon vinaigrette.
Entrees include three kinds of steak, from Delmonico to rib to filet, all served with whipped sweet potatoes, caramelized onions, and a reduction of veal and porcini mushrooms.
There’s a variety of sushi, from yellowtail with spicy jalapeno sauce to the “bonsai tree”: mock crabstick, avocado, masago, and kaiware wrapped in soy paper; or the Maung, named for the sushi chef: spicy tuna with tempura flakes drizzled with Chef Maung’s special sweet sauce.
If you’re interested in fusion cuisine, you may want to try the short ribs, which comes with creamed polenta with roasted garlic, sweet and sour rutabaga, jus, and pistachio gremolata; or sauteed chicken breast with braised butternut squash with fennel and garlic, smashed purple potatoes, and a smooth mustard sauce. There’s also crispy skin arctic char with risotto cake, brussel sprouts, black bean coulis, and wasabi sauce.
Appetizers range from $14 to $18; main courses from the sushi menu are the same price. Entrees from the fusion/steak menu range from $25 to $48.
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