The Other Fish
59 E Broad St., Bethlehem
(484) 821-1370
When The Dancing Fish opened in a narrow space on E. 3rd Street on the South Side of Bethlehem, it was one of only a handful of places to get sushi in the Lehigh Valley. Diners more knowledgeable than I rated it average to good.
Evidently, the operation moved north to E. Broad Street and reincarnated as The Other Fish. Situated in the end-of-row space formerly occupied by Mr. V's Blues Cafe and the venerable Hack's, The Other Fish has limited room inside: only four two-seat tables and one five top in the front. The sushi bar seats about nine. The interior is fairly non-descript, featuring dark green paint throughout and decorative window treatments at the front. The open-air kitchen and sushi prep area are visible from anywhere in the cozy interior. There are several picnic tables outside for al fresco dining when the weather accommodates.
As for the food, I wasn't impressed. I ordered a relatively simple sushi lunch and steamed dumpling appetizer. The dumplings must have been pre-steamed; I watched them get reheated in a microwave. Perhaps it was my perception, but they didn't seem as fresh or flavorful as other dumplings I've had.
The sushi lunch had tuna, salmon, eel, mackerel and one other white fish, accompanied by either a tuna roll or California roll. (I opted for the latter.) Although the sushi tasted fresh, the fish was sliced thinly and unevenly. Similarly, the vinegar rice was shaped irregularly and small. (So much for the Japanese focus on presentation.) The California roll seemed meager and haphazardly constructed. Again, taste was not an issue -- just preparation and presentation. For $18 total, I expected more.
However, I owe The Other Fish another chance. Other dishes (especially the teriyaki steak) looked appetizing. And the sushi menu has combinations I've not seen elsewhere: The Kill Bill (shrimp tempura, eel and crab topped with tobiko), Mr. Haas (shrimp and shiitake and avocado, deep fried) and Wayno (shrimp and avocado with seared tuna, wasabi roe, jalapeno and crunch), among more than two dozen others including some "Dancing Fish Favorite" carryovers. Next time I'll err on the side of adventure and sample some rolls.
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12 comments:
I went to the Dancing Fish on 3 different occasions and the sushi always seemed thrown together. The last time I was there I even commented to my waitress about it. It was literally clumps of rice with fish somewhere inside.
If you haven't tried it yet, you should check out
Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse on Catasauqua Rd. It is in a strip mall but I personally like that place a lot!
Thanks for the comment, mundania. I'm somewhat comforted that I'm not the only one who's experienced this. I'm often reluctant to be critical, as no one is on his/her game 100% of the time. That's why I eventually give places more than one try. Comments like yours help provide additional background in the meantime.
Kurt Blumenau wrote a story on Sunday about The Other Fish if anyone wants more background.
I've not tried Ichiban. I know right where it is. I'll swing by sometime.
I, too, have had some slap-dash sushi at Dancing Fish towards the end of its run on 3rd St. Was hoping they buttoned things up at the new location. Perhaps they will with time. My new sushi favorite in The Valley is Sogo in Easton -- wonderful stuff. Though the dinner chefs are much better than the youngsters they have behind the counter during lunch.
Robata of Tokyo in Allentown is still my favorite for sushi. In fact, I just looked at their Web site & decided to go there on Saturday. robataoftokyo.com
Check out Tokyo Do on Easton Ave. in Bethlehem.
Personally, I love the Other Fish. I've tried a lot of Japanese restaurants and not just in Bethlehem but I would rate the Other Fish as one of the best Japanese restaurants. I agree the spaces are small, food is relatively expensive, and during dinner time, the service is incredibily slow. One time, four of us went and it was nearly an hour before we got our entrees. However, the food is amazing. Everything I've tried was cooked very well. The edamame beans were fresh and it wasn't mushy but not undercooked either. The rolls ( mini gozillas, dragon, spider) were delicious. I didn't really pay that much attention to the presentation (I don't think it was that bad..) but the quality of the food you can't get anywhere in Bethlehem. Ichiban doesn't even come close. If you want a nice ambiance for dinner, the Other Fish isn't the place but if you want really good sushi, the Other Fish is the best. oh, I highly recommend the seafood soup too!
I actually have been to The Other Fish on numerous occasions for lunch and have enjoyed it very much so. The atomosphere I feel was great, friendly. They were very open to explaining the menu. I recommend it. They even have veggie and fruit rolls. Love them!
The Other Fish is far better than any japanese restaurant around! Ichiban is just a franchise. There is nothing authentic about it.And Tokyo Do? No way, The Other Fish takes a while sometimes, but it is always worth the wait. Yes, it is a bit pricey but would you rather pay less for fish that is not as fresh or high quality. It is a family run restaurant with one sushi chef that works EVERY SINGLE shift. (he was gone for a while while recovering from cancer)Most places have two or three chefs do the amount of work he does. A bit of advice, go and eat there during the week, not when it's packed on the weekends.
I live by the Other Fish and eat there several times a week. Their food is fantastic! I could live off their spicy tuna rolls!
I think the atmosphere is intimate and full of character (hard to find in many Lehigh Valley restaurants). It's like those hidden jazz bars in a larger cities that are hard to find gems - full of character but not too many seats. Going there is an event.
If I could only eat in one restaurant in Bethlehem it would be the Other Fish!
The one time I ate at Dancing Fish I was treated to the scent of scented candles in the restaurant and it never left my mind, wondering what they must be trying to hide...
I too felt the food was not presented in the most pleasing way, but it sure was tasty. And super expensive. I'm not sure I'll give Other Fish a try from some of the comments being similar to my experience at DF.
I need to share this review with the world:
My fellow Bethlehemites, how could you? I trusted you! Such great reviews promising of a hidden gem, proved to be so heartbreakingly false. What's wrong with you, people? I recoil in horror imagining where you have eaten sushi before.
We even turned a blind eye to the freshly "planted" plastic roses at the front door and greeted a landscaper engrossed in his artful arrangement. If only he showed the same dedication to preparing our food, we wouldn't be writing this now. Yes, you guessed it... the landscaper was also the Chef.
This was the most vile Japanese dining experience I have ever endured. My family arrived at the restaurant with a huge craving for sushi. We sat at a wobbly table and asked for green tea, which wasn't terrible, and we sipped in good faith. It wasn't until the "PING!" of a microwave that the first pangs of panic set in. Thirty seconds later, we were served our edamame. It was soggy and had clearly just emerged out of said microwave.
Before we were finished with our appetizer, we heard another "PING!" ..."What else could they possibly be microwaving?" we wondered. A young woman in torn jeans and squishy flip-flops (a big health code faux pas) handed us COLD PLATES WITH COLD FRIED RICE. I kid you not. The rice came out of the refrigerator, was nuked a little in the microwave, AND THEN SERVED TO US... with tiny, yet crusty, spoons. The plastic flowers outside were more fresh than that rice.
At this point, we were really worried. After all, these people were handling raw fish.
The rolls were delivered with no great enthusiasm. The whole presentation appeared to be a gloomy, discolored representation of sushi. I ordered the beach roll, which was stuffed with some strange, chewy, pink mayo fish paste (it's the only way I can describe it). I half-heartedly tried two or three bites but left the rest. My family ordered a spider roll, shrimp tempura roll, and Alaska roll. I did not feel in the least bit compelled to try any of it. We chewed in silence, wondering how we found ourselves in this twilight zone of a restaurant.
The only thing worse than the food was the bill, which was simply extraordinary for a meal that clearly was not.
I had been arguing with my close friend on this issue for quite a while, base on your ideas prove that I am right, let me show him your webpage then I am sure it must make him buy me a drink, lol, thanks.
- Kris
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