August, 2010

Rating : 10 out of 10

Tariff : Dinner for 6

• 6 entrees
• 6 fountain drinks
• tip
• $66

Atmosphere

Restaurant Fuji has moved from a small storefront in a mini strip shopping center on Ladies Island (next to Beaufort, SC). They are now in a modern brick building a bit further up the road.  The Japanese decor is still simple, but the dining area is cleaner, newer and more spacious. The new location has a/c--yes!--making it much more comfortable given the formidable South Carolina heat and humidity! Anyone can get a look at the action, but if you choose to sit at the counter you can watch chef Katz in all his glory wearing his tall white chef's hat and tossing shakers, chopping, and grilling Bennihana style. Other times he is further down the counter preparing fresh sushi to order. Because he's front and center in this cozy restaurant, he personally greets guests, making friendly banter with regulars.

Service

Meals are prepared simply and efficiently here--there is never a long wait. The servers refill beverages throughout the meal, so you don't need to even ask. It's very casual, almost like a diner or luncheonette, so when you are finished you can wait at the table or pay your check at the cashier by the door.

Food

Our favorite, and I believe the staple of the menu, are the teppanyaki plates, basically a small salad with ginger dressing (need that recipe!), choice of rice (steamed or fried), choice of meat, companion sauce, and grilled veggies for dinner. For lunch these are served in a bowl. This evening we tried the shrimp plate with steamed rice and veggies, which is a very generous serving of shrimp served with a fantastic, slightly sweet, creamy sauce--I tried, but chef Katz won't give me the recipe ;-( We also had several orders of the sirloin steak, a nice tender piece of steak grilled, sliced, and placed next to steamed or fried rice with a salty brown sauce and the same combo of grilled veggies. One of us had the same platter but with only the veggies (no meat) and the 'shrimp' sauce (made with eggs but no meat). We found we could special order soft cubes of grilled tofu to complete this vegetarian/vegan order. There is also a scallop dish, a marinated steak dish called yakiniku, and then a special--often pork or a local fish. These are delicious, reasonably priced ($4.50- $8.35), and they are always dependable. One of our party decided on sushi and tried the California roll (6 pieces) and the unagi (2 pieces). Both were good, but not exceptional. Really basic avocado and cucumber rolls were great. The sushi assortments I saw at other tables were simply beautiful, so I have to make a point of sampling more next time. Some other foods on the menu are appetizers like gyoza (dumplings), chicken wings, and shrimp tempura; then there are yakisoba--stir fried noodle meals, various side dishes, and a large sushi menu with combos and ala carte items.

We love to eat at Restaurant Fuji and sometimes go there several times a week when we're in town! It is good food for a good value in a friendly, unpretentious setting.

Restaurant Fuji
97 Sea Island Parkway
Hamilton Village Suite 202
Beaufort, SC 29907
(843) 524-2662