Wasai Bistro — Restaurant in Cranford

I can't even begin to decide where to begin with this review. From start to finish this place was a 20/10. My father and I decided to go here since we both love to try new sushi places. From the time we got into the door to the time we left everything was absolutely amazing. The Staff were incredible and very attentive. We had the honor of being served by Chef Nelson! When I tell you I have not met a friendlier person in my life! Chef Nelson was absolutely incredible and made ordering the food easy and even gave us some recommendations all of which were incredible. My father and I brought a bottle of wine which was promptly opened upon us sitting down at our reserved table. We started off the evening with Lobster Bisque which in of itself was some of the most delicious Lobster Bisque I have ever tasted, it's brought out in a bowl and they show you the generous amount of lobster in the bowl and the pour the bisque over it! We also had a few appetizers including the breaded oysters and Seared Salmon with Yuzu Soya. When I tell you the seared salmon literally melted in your mouth and the explosion of flavor when it hit your tongue was second to none! Chef Nelson then brought us out Duck Risotto which I could have sat there and ate all night, again the flavor is so amazing you need to try it for yourself! We then had some of the hot tea recommended by Chef Nelson and we must of had about 5-6 cups of that. For our main course we had the Sushi and Sashimi for 2 which was 10 pieces of sushi and 24 pieces of sashimi with 2 rolls of the chefs choice! My father and I have been to a lot of different sushi restaurants but this one takes the cake. The fish was so incredibly fresh and fit perfectly around the vinegar rice! We had to remember to take some home for the family too! To close the night we had 2 espresso shots, a coffee crème' Brule and a mango desert. We have never had a better meal in our entire life and I cannot wait to come back here to try more of the food options! Chef Nelson was incredible and I will make sure to recommend this to absolutely...

Chef Nelson's Wasai Bistro is New Jersey's hidden gem for high quality sushi and sashimi. It's quite rare that you can actually taste the Chef's passion, dedication and love for the craft on everything that comes from his kitchen. The entire restaurant staff is well mannered, attentive and accommodating. I had a few questions about some menu items and all of my questions were answered in a detailed and informative manner; they even gave their personal suggestions on favorites. Of course I couldn't resist and ordered all their suggestions; I was pleasantly surprised that I loved everything I tried. I can honestly say that the quality of the fish at Wasai is hands down the best in NJ and for the most part better than a majority of sushi/sashimi spots in Manhattan. The handling and preparation of their sushi/sashimi really shines and the difference can be confirmed by the taste buds! Their cozy seating area is comfortable as well as safely spaced apart for social distancing. This is a no frills non-pretentious establish that only cares about the things that matter which is the food and the customer experience. For those looking to venture out of the conventional 'dragon' or 'spider' rolls I would highly recommend trying the Bob roll. That one is my favorite! So far I've been back twice and the Chef always treats me like family. Come to Wasai for a truly unique and curated dining experience. Special thanks to Chef Nelson for his unconditional hospitality while we dined in...

Wasai is a magical little spot. The food is always top quality and they never settle for less. A fair warning. The place is small, I would not recommend for a very large party unless you plan in advance. That being said, there is no better place for a 2 person date. The food is always out of this world. I always recommend going for the salmon belly sushi and the lobster bisque. Their duck confit is absolutely mind blowing as well. I've never had a bad dish here and I have been 10+ times. This is probably the best spot to eat in Cranford maybe even in all of New Jersey. I have never left disappointed! The menu is very diverse and both the Japanese and French side are some of the best meals I've had from both cultures. If you want an amazing spot with great atmosphere look no further. I see a lot of reviews saying people feel rushed when they come here. And sometimes I feel that way on a weekend day when I go, but it's because they only have about 10 tables in the whole place. I don't mind being rushed because I understand that they need to prep for their next customer and every time I call to reserve they let me know in advance if they are going to be busy and we need to be finished in a certain amount of time. The tables are always so clean and well presented so I totally get why they need time between tables. Plating is always so beautiful and the food is always...