Editorial
Front Page - Friday, January 15, 2010
Weekly Indulgence
Stephanie Coward
Lunch via a drive thru isn’t anyway to spend the only hour of the workday you have all to yourself. Lunch should be enjoyable and relaxing, but let’s not forget affordable. Fuji Steak and Sushi at 2207 Overnight Drive offers all of that and more.
While the soothing sounds of running water and soft music filled the background, I enjoyed a cooked-to-order lunch at Fuji last week. From the moment I walked into the entryway, I knew this was my type of dining. The entryway walls are waterfalls, as is the door leading into the bar and hostess area.
We were promptly greeted and asked which room we preferred to sit in – the hibachi grill, sushi bar or the traditional dining room. Not knowing what we would order, we opted for the traditional dining room. Within moments of our seating, our energetic and knowledgeable server, Missy, greeted us.
After spending a bit too much time on the massive menu, (everything just sounded so good!) we chose a hibachi shrimp lunch for Joe, the Yakitori sampler, a house salad with ginger dressing and Chattanooga rolls for me.
The hibachi shrimp came with vegetables, choice of fried or white rice, salad and clear soup. The soup was a favorite for both Joe and me. It was, well ,clear, and had a few spiral noodles, scallions and mushroom slices in it. Doesn’t sound like much, I know. But the flavor of the soup was outstanding and I cannot wait to have it again. Joe even said that the soup was now in his top three favorites.
When ordering a salad, you get a choice of ginger or ranch dressing. Joe chose ranch, and I opted for ginger. Boy, I am glad I did. It was not think and heavy like many ginger dressings purchased at the market; instead it was light and bursting with flavor. The dressing was so good that it made me ignore the lack of vegetables in the house salad.
We laughed when Missy delivered Joe’s plate because the amount of food was massive. His shrimp was grilled perfectly and the vegetables were just crisp enough. Joe thought there could have been less sauce, and I agree; we plan to ask for it on the side on our next visit.
Now before I proceed, I just want to say that Joe’s lunch, while tasty, cannot compare to the two items I ravaged. The Chattanooga rolls (love the name!) were stuffed with crab, shrimp and cucumber, then drizzled with spicy mayo. Missy complemented my choice upon delivery, telling us that they were her favorite item on the menu. I could not agree more. The blend within the roll and the spicy mayo is a winning combination. The mayo was just spicy enough – my mouth burned just a bit, but the spice didn’t mask the flavors.
I am a big fan of ordering appetizers for my meal. This is probably because I have a very difficult time narrowing down choices and with appetizers, I can get two or three and try much more! Ordering the Yakitori sampler was a no brainer: skewers of chicken, scallops, shrimp and steak? How often do you find an appetizer with all four of those on it? There were three of each item, except the shrimp (there were two) and they skewers were lightly drizzled with a brown sauce. On the skewer, a scallion separated each piece. The piece of steak and chicken were hearty and the scallops were cooked just right – not to chewy but not raw either.
Missy was fabulous! She was extremely knowledgeable about the menu, and never let our drinks fall below half full.
I could tell by the number of cars parked in the spacious lot that there were a lot of people dining but it didn’t feel crowded when inside. The restaurants large bar area separates the traditional dining room from the hibachi grill and Sushi bar. This spacing makes you feel as if you’re one of very few eating there at that moment, which adds to a pleasurable, relaxing experience, in my opinion.
Fuji Steak and Sushi, though near the hustle and bustle of Gunbarrel Road, is still out of the way just enough so traffic didn’t pose a problem. We took Wilcox Avenue from downtown and were also able to avoid all the highways, which is something I try to do whenever
possible.
There is also outside seating, which I am a huge fan of. I cannot wait to go back when the weather turns warmer, (it is going to get warm again, right?) and enjoy another delicious lunch in the fresh air.
Not only is the food cooked fresh and the service exceptional but it is possible to have a sit down meal and be back to work within an hour during the work week. We sat down at 11:55 a.m. and were walking out the door at 12:30 p.m. We’re looking forward to heading back out there very soon to enjoy – what is sure to be – a delicious dinner.
Fuji is open seven days a week from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. for dinner.
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