*Best Variety of Upscale Sushi
Overall: A-
Service: 4.5/5 The attentive staff and their prompt service rarely disappoint this hungry customer. However, over the course of several visits, there were a few instances where the appetizers arrived at the end of the meal, and what’s the point in stimulating appetite if you’ve already devoured the main course? More often than not, Fuji’s friendly servers remind you why you dine out in the first place- to make dining an easier, more pleasant experience. Take out orders are especially quick.
Food: 5/5 Head chef Ming Cao puts a twist on authentic Japanese cuisine by offering unusual sushi combinations and gourmet dishes that fuse fresh American ingredients with Asian customs. The lengthly menu that parades items ranging from tempura and teriyaki to tofu and seafood can be daunting, but there are plenty of options for vegans, vegetarians, carnivores, gluten-intolerants, macrobiotic dieters, and raw foodies. Fuji offers unique sushi options, like the Philly Cheese Steak Maki (6 pieces of rolled sushi) made of sliced sirloin beef, American cheese, and peppers all rolled maki style. Another quirky option is the Little Shrimp Gift Maki (inside roll, 6-piece maki special), consisting of spicy salmon, cucumber, romaine, seared amaeni (sweet shrimp), bacon, and black tobiko. Even the trendy desserts, like the red bean fried ice cream and the green bean-coconut smoothie, maintain a Japanese flair while pushing creative boundaries.
Atmosphere: 5/5 Located in the midst of Cambridge’s bustling Kendall Square, this contemporary restaurant’s sleek, almost aerodynamic interior creates an inspiring, yet relaxing atmosphere. The smooth, stone countertop bar that overlooks a ten-foot long sushi station draws diner’s attention to the artful technique of sushi-making. The floor-to-ceiling windows, top shelf bar, and flat screen TV create an upscale feel to this clean, urban establishment. The vibe is classy and casual, which sets the mood for a group date night (call ahead for large parties), a 5:00 cocktail, or an intimate birthday gathering (sushi boats and sake bombs anyone?).
Price: 4/5 Fuji’s prices reflect the quality of the food, not the quantity. The restaurant offers everything from raw seaweed and vine ripened avocado to delicate sashimi and thinly sliced octopus, so you must be prepared for a moderately priced bill. If you’re a sushi snob who values quality and freshness, you probably won’t mind paying $6.50 for a 6-piece Boston Maki, or even $16.00 for the Dynamite Maki. But those who aren’t sushi fanatics and simply want a good deal should try the Salad Trio Sampler with avocado salad, seaweed salad, and garden salad ($10.00), the Curry Chicken or Pork Rice Bowl ($13.00), the Chicken Teriyaki Bento Box with soup, salad, two goyozas, two pieces of shumai (dumplings), two pieces of veggie tempura, and three pieces of California maki ($14.00), or the Flaming Wok Seafood Set with mixed vegetables, white rice, hot and sour soup, and two pieces of harumaki (spring roll) or crab rangoon. ($16.00).
Accessibility: 4/5 If you live within distance to Kendall Square, I recommend walking to Fuji since parking is in high demand around this concentrated area that encompasses the MIT campus, luxury apartment complexes, high-tech firms, and a variety of restaurants. Options for drivers include valet parking and metered parking that runs along Third Street. The Kendall (red line) transit station is located at the intersection of Broadway and Main Street, which is a 0.3 mile walk (about 7 minutes) from the the restaurant. Visit MBTA.com to view transportation schedules.
Recommendations:
-Fried, Steamed, or Pan-Fried Gyoza {six fuji style pork or vegetable dumplings}
-Harumaki {Japanese style shrimp or veggie spring roll with sweet and sour sauce}
-Seaweed Salad {assorted mixed seaweed in a sesame oil dressing}
-Sweet Potato Inside Roll {drizzled with sweet sauce}
-Mango Avocado Inside Roll {with spicy mayo and crunchy sesame}
-Seared Hamachi Toro {seared yellow tail nigiri or sashimi}
-Ming’s Mango Maki {shrimp, asparagus, spicy tuna, mango}
-Blueberry Smoothie {add Boba for $0.50}
-Apple Green Tea {add Boba for $0.50)
300 Third Street
Cambridge, MA 02142
617.252.0088