By
New restaurant is fourth for Sushi Chef Jian Guo “Johnny” Cao
CRANFORD n Jian Guo “Johnny” Cao is living the American dream.
In 1992, he arrived from Fujian, China, and found work as a sushi helper in a Japanese restaurant in New York City. Fast forward to late November 2010. He is part owner of three sushi restaurants in New York City and has just opened a fourth in Cranford.
“I have worked very hard in the last 18 years, but I have also been very lucky. Sometimes, it all seems like a dream,” Cao said as he looked around his new Mizu Sushi restaurant, 103 North Union, Ave., Cranford. “This restaurant is very special. We just didn’t come in and fix things. We gutted the place and rebuilt it from nothing.”
When the Cranford restaurant opened in mid-December, there was little fanfare. Cao just opened the doors and let customers find his place.
“We always like to go slow,” he said. “That gives our chefs and servers a chance to get used to the restaurant and customers and not be overwhelmed. We want to make sure we give the best food and best service.”
Manhattan is a tough place for restaurants. The customers are very demanding. And there are usually no second chances. Everything has to be the best. The three Manhattan restaurants of Cao and his partners have flourished in that environment. And it is those high standards that he brings to Cranford.
“Because Manhattan has so many food choices and so many sushi restaurants, the standards are higher than just about anywhere else,” Cao explained. “We use the best quality of fish. Our rice is cooked fresh every day. And we are always coming up with innovative ways to create and serve our food.”
For example the restaurant offers 26 special sushi rolls. There’s the Hot Sexy Roll (yellowtail, jalapeno with seared spicy scallop and special sauce), the Valentine Roll (snow crab, spicy salmon, crunchy tempura flakes, tobiko n flying fish eggs, seaweed salad, mango, wrapped with soy bean seaweed), Out of Control Roll (spicy tuna, crunchy tempura flakes, yellowtail, scallion with tobiko and truffle oil), the Snow Mountain Roll (shrimp tempura, mango, lobster salad, caviar and special sauce), the Best Friend Roll (eel, avocado, crunchy tempura flakes, tuna and salmon) and many more.
The menu also includes other unusual offerings: Live scallop sushi and sashimi, Avocado Chicken (sliced chicken rolled with avocado and grilled in teriyaki sauce), Crispy Duck Roll (fried spring roll stuffed with roast duck and taro) and Beef Tataki (which is seared on the outside with special sauce and very rare on the inside).
“We create New York style sushi, but we like to serve our meals family style, where everyone can taste a little bit of everything,” said Cao, who brings family to the restaurant every day in the person of his wife – I Ai Lin “Irene,” who works as the hostess.
Mizu Sushi has economically friendly lunch specials. For $7.50, you get a choice of entrée (chicken, beef or salmon teriyaki or beef or chicken negimaki or shrimp or vegetable tempura or chicken katsu) plus miso soup, salad and rice. Sushi, special rolls, Pad Thai and Japanese noodle soups are also available at special lunch prices.
Anything on the menu is available for takeout and free delivery is available. Mizu Sushi is also available to cater your next special occasion, party or business lunch.
Cao makes a point of getting to know his customers. In a lot of restaurants, an owner is never there. Or he is always in the kitchen. Cao does a little of everything. But he makes sure he talks to customers about the food and his restaurant.
“The customers are why we are here,” Cao said, looking around at several couples enjoying his food. “What they think of what we do is very important. That’s why I want to talk to everyone. We are always looking to do better.”
