Congratulations to Fuji Sushi & Teppanyaki on its official grand opening Jan. 3! It’s got big shoes to fill — find it at the former Monterey Bay Canners at Pearlridge Center; you know, that sprawling restaurant overlooking watercress estate Sumida Farm? — but it’s stepping up to the challenge in the most delicious way.
Before we get to the food, I’d be remiss to not mention the renovations Fuji did to the 7,500-square-foot space. I mean, it’s unrecognizable. Gone is the awning covering the ramp to the front door, as are the dark-colored reds and browns on the exterior (it’s been replaced by a clean cream coat of paint). The interior is brighter, more open than the Monterey Bay Canners ambiance that lives on in my head. The modern look is accentuated with alluring furnishings (my daughter especially loved the colorful water/bubble wall at the entrance). And the tables are spaced out nicely, in a way that make you feel less like a canned sardine (which means it’s great for accommodating wheelchairs and strollers).
Aside from the teppanyaki tables, there’s an opulent bar area with cocktail tables, as well as a sushi counter and booth seating in the back. Covering the walls are Japanese-inspired murals, and video projections are cast on the floor of the main walkway. The same decor that brands it as beautiful during the day makes it trendy and chic for nighttime diners.
After taking in the feast for your eyes, you can turn your attention to the menu — of which there’s a lot to choose from. To start, we had to choose: teppanyaki or not teppanyaki. Every ounce of my being wanted to sit at the grill and watch the talented chefs do their thing, but the fire and loud noises would have been a bit too much for our baby, so we asked to sit in the back near the sushi counter.
No matter where you sit, though, you can look forward to soups and salads, as well as apps from the sushi bar and kitchen — and anything else on the menu.
The salmon poppers ($11.50) were surprisingly very good. I say “surprisingly” because it features shiso leaves, which are not my favorite garnish. The chefs do a good job of allowing the shiso flavor to shine through, but not so much that it overpowers everything else, like the favored salmon and cream cheese. This appetizer came with five pieces, which made it hard to divvy up between my husband and I (though I eventually won that coveted fifth piece because I shared it with our daughter). Thankfully, the takoyaki ($9.50) was easier to share as it comes with six pieces — and tons of bonito flakes, which I personally loved.
I briefly glanced at the lists of raw and cooked hand rolls, nigiri, tempura and sashimi, but instead landed on the page featuring Fuji’s two dozen signature rolls. The one that caught my eye was the Godzilla ($16.95) that comes with spicy crunchy salmon, avocado, spicy crab, unagi, spicy mayo and unagi sauce. The hardest part about sharing a sushi roll is finding one that both of us can agree on, and this one is great because my husband loves unagi and I like spicy salmon. If I were to order just for myself, I’d go for the Samurai ($16.95) with spicy salmon, seared pepper tuna, avocado and fresh salmon on top.
Even though we didn’t sit for the entertaining tableside show, we were still able to order off the teppanyaki menu. The most bang for our buck came from the hibachi combo ($30.95) that allowed us to choose two proteins (steak, chicken, shrimp, salmon and calamari) to accompany veggies, noodles and rice. For an extra $4, you can get scallops or filet mignon; or spend an extra $8 for lobster. We aren’t that boujee … but just boujee enough to splurge on the fried rice upgrade for an extra $3.95. It was worth it.
Fuji Sushi & Teppanyaki
Address 98-1005 Moanalua Road FS8, Aiea (the old Monterey Bay Canners)
Phone 808-486-7777
Hours Call for updated hours
Instagram @fujisushiandteppanyaki
Food: 4/5
Price: $$
Ambiance: 5/5 (teppanyaki, sushi counter and booth seating)
Service: 5/5
Parking: plentiful stalls at Pearlridge Center
Nicole Monton is the managing editor of Crave and contributing editor for Kaka‘ako VERT magazine. Follow her on social media (@nicmonton).
