Fuji

[lfabio2007]

I just read the LaBan review for Fuji and I'm perplexed. He mentions explicitly that mr. Ito is not behind the bar and yet raves violently about the quality of the meal. Yet, all of you seem to have formed an opposite consensus. So.. what to do?

[rockhopper]

I just read the LaBan review for Fuji and I'm perplexed. He mentions explicitly that mr. Ito is not behind the bar and yet raves violently about the quality of the meal. Yet, all of you seem to have formed an opposite consensus. So.. what to do?

←

Perplexed? I suppose the reason is that the sushi chef is skilled; that Matt doesn't have to be behind the bar for one to get a superior meal.

I've eaten there several times and have been very happy each time and will return again. I've traveled frequently to Japan and am not a tyro.

A few of the posts on this thread really reached the limit of foodier-than-thou arrogance - not to mention cluelessness wondering why wasabi was in nigiri. I suggest that you give it a try. Compare it to other sushi places you think are terrific and let us know your opinion.

[dagordon]

I still haven't been back since my very disappointing meal in May. We were actually planning on going back around the time that the review ended up being published, but then we read that Matt is no longer in charge of the sushi, and that was upsetting.

It's not unreasonable to wonder whether one will be able to experience greatness at Fuji again, now that Matt isn't behind the bar. First, so much of the Fuji experience used to involve Matt serving you sushi himself and interacting with him in the process.

Second, there is the school of thought (I was recently discussing this with philadining) that it's extremely important to form a relationship with your sushi chef over time and for him to recognize your tastes. Even if the new guy at some point would be capable of Matt-level greatness, we'd be starting at square one with him.

Third, and most importantly, there's empirical evidence that the new guy just doesn't get it. We got omakase at the bar, and it was typical boring Americanized sushi, rainbow rolls and the like. No doubt a lot of people like this stuff, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. But when you get omakase at the bar (esp without specifying a price limit) you're effectively asking the chef to put on his best possible show. I don't know how else to communicate that you want serious sushi. With Matt, he just got it, the very first time we were there.

I'm actually thinking of calling and asking whether Matt is ever behind the bar. There are scattered reports of people having been served by Matt.

It's too bad if any of this thread is coming off as "foodier-than-thou arrogance" but in all honesty the Philly sushi going public needs a kick in the ass.

[ishkabibble]

Bullseye, rockhopper!

Bill

[ishkabibble]

Sorry, hit the wrong button. It seems to me that you need to talk to Matt. I don't think anyone here can help you. I may not be an expert, but I've been eating sushi since the seventies, both here and in Japan. I don't need a kick, I just need to get to Fuji more often. If you can't get Matt to serve you, you'll have to start at square one, no matter where you go.

Bill

[Vadouvan]

Gordon.

I agree that sushi quality varies greatly as regards who is at the sushi bar, only sushi neophytes would disagree with that, even though Yasuda is clearly excellent, there is a remarkable difference in the the experience if one is being served by Yasuda san as opposed to table waiters.

On Fuji, I have always felt it was good but somewhat overrated, can the same people who run around raving about new mediocre Italian BYOB's be trusted to communicate the subtleties of raw fish while drinking all kinds of wine, you know how the Japanese always drink wine with thier sushi.....

You should simply ignore the "foodier than thou thing", so often threads go of track because of childish personal insults. When did e-gullet turn into chowhound ?

Unfortunate.

I wonder how peole who have eaten sushi for 17 years cant figure out the fact that the fish is just too cold and the rice is dry ?

[ishkabibble]

Gordon.

I agree that sushi quality varies greatly as regards who is at the sushi bar, only sushi neophytes would disagree with that, even though Yasuda is clearly excellent, there is a remarkable difference in the the experience if one is being served by Yasuda san as opposed to table waiters.

On Fuji, I have always felt it was good but somewhat overrated, can the same people who run around raving about new mediocre Italian BYOB's be trusted to communicate the subtleties of raw fish while drinking all kinds of wine, you know how the Japanese always drink wine with thier sushi.....

You should simply ignore the "foodier than thou thing", so often threads go of track because of childish personal insults. When did e-gullet turn into chowhound ?

Unfortunate.

I wonder how peole who have eaten sushi for 17 years cant figure out the fact that the fish is just too cold and the rice is dry ?

←

Most of the comments here have been rather general and seem to indicate that the writer had a personal preference that wasn't met at Fuji. Many of the early comments seemed to say that they like the old Fuji better. I say that anyone who enjoys sushi or other Japanese food will be well served at Fuji. What is the exact correct temperature for sushi? I think that a fish that evokes the deepest sea will be cooler than the tamago. Did you put your hygrometer on the rice? The rice I had held together and complimented the rest of the piece, without the vinegar or sweetness overpowering things. I say that one should eat their sushi and think about what the chef is trying to do. Some of the comments here seem to be simialr to the ones over what the best pizza is. No one has answered that question yet, and never will. If you'd like some excellent Japanese food, go to Fuji. Try other places too. Enjoy it all. Read about sushi. You'll find that it has no absolutes, and has humbler beginnings than the "experts" here will admit to.

Bill

[dagordon]

Most of the comments here have been rather general and seem to indicate that the writer had a personal preference that wasn't met at Fuji. Many of the early comments seemed to say that they like the old Fuji better. I say that anyone who enjoys sushi or other Japanese food will be well served at Fuji. What is the exact correct temperature for sushi? I think that a fish that evokes the deepest sea will be cooler than the tamago. Did you put your hygrometer on the rice? The rice I had held together and complimented the rest of the piece, without the vinegar or sweetness overpowering things. I say that one should eat their sushi and think about what the chef is trying to do. Some of the comments here seem to be simialr to the ones over what the best pizza is. No one has answered that question yet, and never will. If you'd like some excellent Japanese food, go to Fuji. Try other places too. Enjoy it all. Read about sushi. You'll find that it has no absolutes, and has humbler beginnings than the "experts" here will admit to.

Bill

←

Look, I think you're reading a bit too much into some of the comments posted in this thread. No one is professing to be a sushi "expert"; no one is issuing absolute declarations about what sushi should be; no one is making historical claims about the origin of sushi (which would be of questionable relevance anyway for assessing how delicious a particular meal is).

Yes, of course the negative comments are to the effect that the writer had a personal preference that wasn't met; what else could a negative comment about a meal amount to, other than the person's preferences not being satisfied?

What's disturbing is the suggestion that insisting on excellence in sushi -- and calling it like you see it when a place, no matter how revered or how excellent in the past falls short -- is a kind of "foodier-than-thou arrogance". It's precisely this kind of general attitude that is preventing Philly from being a truly great food city. The suggestion that we might not have sushi remotely on the same level as, say, the best in nyc is not received as a call for diners to demand more from their sushi restaurants or as a call for someone to open up a place here that truly raises the bar, but is regarded as an expression of arrogance and is greeted with hostility.

This is like a case study in what is wrong with the Philly food world. To an outsider reading the board it makes Philadelphians seem ridiculous.

[Vadouvan]

Did you put your hygrometer on the rice? The rice I had held together and complimented the rest of the piece, without the vinegar or sweetness overpowering things. I say that one should eat their sushi and think about what the chef is trying to do.

Probably not wise to use supporting technical arguments one isnt familiar with.

Hygrometers measure ambient humidity within a specific or contained environment not the moisture level of rice, different tool for that. Speaking of sweetness, fuji also uses American mirin which is sweeter than the Japanese stuff. I have seen the bottles there. Saying one should just eat the sushi and think about what the chef is trying to do is absurd, we know what the chef is trying to do, the substance of this conversation deals with that issue specifically and it seems that the problem is just the continous stifling of dissent on e-gullet. The board will be better served if members can respect differing opinions without labelling posters with higher or different expectations elitists or "foodier than thou". It would be just as bad labelling posters who rave about mediocrity as "philistines" and frankly such tangents substantively adds nothing to the conversation.

Edited August 20, 2007 by Vadouvan (log)

[Vadouvan]

Correct.

referring to anyone as being "foodier than thou" because they disagree with your asessment is patently hypocritical.

You ae also correct about the automatic provincial defensiveness, I have heard a few absurd claims on the boards like "lebecfin is the best french restaurant in the world" or "Amada is the best tapas bar on the east coast". It isnt to say these places are bad restaurants, they are not bad, they just aren't that good if you manage to get out of philly now and then.

[Holly Moore]

Do you see it as impossible, then, for Philadelphia to have a world class restaurant? How about a top US restaurant?

[dagordon]

Correct.

referring to anyone as being "foodier than thou" because they disagree with your asessment is patently hypocritical.

You ae also correct about the automatic provincial defensiveness, I have heard a few absurd claims on the boards like "lebecfin is the best french restaurant in the world" or "Amada is the best tapas bar on the east coast". It isnt to say these places are bad restaurants, they are not bad, they just aren't that good if you manage to get out of philly now and then.

←

Or take Morimoto; I don't think there's better sushi around here. Yet the nyc location isn't getting very much attention. I don't think anyone considers it to be in the top tier of nyc sushi.

[KatieLoeb]

Correct.

referring to anyone as being "foodier than thou" because they disagree with your asessment is patently hypocritical.

You ae also correct about the automatic provincial defensiveness, I have heard a few absurd claims on the boards like "lebecfin is the best french restaurant in the world" or "Amada is the best tapas bar on the east coast". It isnt to say these places are bad restaurants, they are not bad, they just aren't that good if you manage to get out of philly now and then.

←

Or take Morimoto; I don't think there's better sushi around here. Yet the nyc location isn't getting very much attention. I don't think anyone considers it to be in the top tier of nyc sushi.

←

Yeah, but by definition they're two separate restaurants merely funded by the same source. In theory, one could easily be far superior to the other based on staffing, sourcing of products local to them, etc. To compare the two and assume they have to be the same is to do both of them a disservice. And to presume it's the best thing around here just because there's a "celebrity chef" at the helm is also a disservice to everyone.

I'm not defending Morimoto. I still think it's overpriced as hell for what it is. But to presume that the Philly branch and New York branch should be measured by the same metric is ridiculous. The markets are different. The clientele is different. There's little in common other than the name over the door and the source of funding (SRO). It's the comparison that's specious - not the restaurants or the concept. And certainly not the local competition - which for my money wins hands down. By the time I pay for transportation to Manhattan and all the incidentals (transit tickets or gas, tolls and parking) I'll happily "settle" for Fuji and get home in time for a decent night's sleep. And I won't sweat which guy was slicing my fish if I enjoyed it.

[dagordon]

Yeah, but by definition they're two separate restaurants merely funded by the same source.  In theory, one could easily be far superior to the other based on staffing, sourcing of products local to them, etc.  To compare the two and assume they have to be the same is to do both of them a disservice.  And to presume it's the best thing around here just because there's a "celebrity chef" at the helm is also a disservice to everyone.

Listen, I haven't eaten at Morimoto in nyc; you're right, in theory it could be completely different from the Philly one. But the menus are pretty damn similar. And the same guy is at the helm (sometimes physically there). And they're getting their fish from the same places -- Yama (which supplies a bunch of places) and an agent at the Tsukiji market. This is a sushi place we're talking about (well, both places venture well beyond sushi, but for present purposes this is what I'm concerned with); I'd certainly hope that much of what I'm eating isn't local.

You know me well enough to know that I'm not presuming that Morimoto is the best sushi around here b/c it has a "celebrity chef". I've eaten there, and I don't think there's substantially better sushi available around here. More to the point, the place is generally regarded by Philadelphians as having the best sushi around.

I'm not defending Morimoto.  I still think it's overpriced as hell for what it is. 

Agreed 100%

But to presume that the Philly branch and New York branch should be measured by the same metric is ridiculous.  The markets are different.  The clientele is different.  There's little in common other than the name over the door and the source of funding (SRO).  It's the comparison that's specious - not the restaurants or the concept.

Again, I think it's more than a bit far-fetched to suggest that the only thing in common between the two places is the name and the source of funding. They have basically the same menus and the same sources of fish. And I toured the place during lunch, and my impression is that the clientele isn't nearly as different as you think.

And certainly not the local competition - which for my money wins hands down.  By the time I pay for transportation to Manhattan and all the incidentals (transit tickets or gas, tolls and parking) I'll happily "settle" for Fuji and get home in time for a decent night's sleep.  And I won't sweat which guy was slicing my fish if I enjoyed it.

←

Look of course no one is saying that it makes economic sense to travel to nyc for sushi. The point is that Philly should strive to have better places here. Isn't it significant that the local place you're suggesting isn't even in PA?!

And of course I don't care who's slicing my fish if it's good.

[Vadouvan]

Again, I think it's more than a bit far-fetched to suggest that the only thing in common between the two places is the name and the source of funding. They have basically the same menus and the same sources of fish. And I toured the place during lunch, and my impression is that the clientele isn't nearly as different as you think.

Yeah, but by definition they're two separate restaurants merely funded by the same source. In theory, one could easily be far superior to the other based on staffing, sourcing of products local to them, etc. To compare the two and assume they have to be the same is to do both of them a disservice. And to presume it's the best thing around here just because there's a "celebrity chef" at the helm is also a disservice to everyone.

I'm not defending Morimoto. I still think it's overpriced as hell for what it is. But to presume that the Philly branch and New York branch should be measured by the same metric is ridiculous. The markets are different. The clientele is different. There's little in common other than the name over the door and the source of funding (SRO). It's the comparison that's specious - not the restaurants or the concept. And certainly not the local competition - which for my money wins hands down. By the time I pay for transportation to Manhattan and all the incidentals (transit tickets or gas, tolls and parking) I'll happily "settle" for Fuji and get home in time for a decent night's sleep. And I won't sweat which guy was slicing my fish if I enjoyed it.

Been to both.

Both restaurants have almost everything in common, one just charges more and adds more flourishes. There are rarey any "local" ingredients of consequence in the specialty Japanese restaurant business. They all fly in stuff from all over the place.

Both Morimotos just exhibit the difference in sushi perception and quality between Phila and NYC.

On one hand, the top end tops out at Morimoto in Philly, while nobody serious about sushi in NY would say that Morimoto is the best sushi place in NY.

Lets remember Fuji isnt a local sushi place, it's in New jersey, close but not local. It brings into question the blind silliness and overuse of the word "local" like local automatically means good.

Chef's dont want local ingredients, they want good ingredients, a substantial portion of good ingredients just tend to be local. I am not directing this at you Katie, I have much respect for you but the whole "local" thing has gotten out of hand. If people arent going to focus on the inherent quality in additional to the proper storage, it's all meaningless. Moving produce in and out of refrigeration at fair food daily and selling frozen meat is not a compelling case for gastronomy yet people swallow this bullshit idea of fresh=local=better daily.

Zento serves better sushi.

Cheaper too.

[lfabio2007]

So we went to Fuji last night, we were at the sushi bar.

We apparently had the uncommon fortune of being tended to by Mr. Ito himself. And there was much rejoycing.

We elected not to go with the omakase dinner, after the various posts here. Besides, I was curious about the quality of the fish (many will say: 'but good fish is not the only thing in good sushi'. True, but it's what mathematicians like to call a necessary but not sufficient condition - and one that isn't met that often).

Starting off with the special broiled bonito appetizer (broiled with a propane torch at the bar - very scenographic) and the monkfish liver appetizer (not broiled - of course), everything ranged from very good to excellent.

The sashimi assortment after that ranged from the usual tuna and salmon (belly salmon, thanks, fattier and more tender) to sea bream, toro (more on it later) and even needle fish. The fish was of good quality and freshness and expertly cut. Even the visual presentation was tended to carefully, as one would expect in this kind of setting (this contrasts with Zento, where the fish was possibly even better than at Fuju, but the cutting was less accurate and the presentation conspicuous by its absence).

Toghether with that we had various kinds of nigiri, from eel (again, broiled at the bar), to needlefish (for those who didn't have it in the sashimi) to toro again (what can I say? I have my weaknesses).

My only complaint, fishwise, was with the quality of the toro, especially that in the last sushi served. It was .. slightly slimy and acidic, which it very much shouldn't be, I believe.

I even got served 'the rest of the needlefish', i.e. the spine, head and tail which were left after taking off the filets that were used for the sashimi, deep fried until crispy. I didn't eat the head, but the rest, in a ginger and raw scallion broth, was very tasty.

Mr. Ito himself is a significant part of the reason I'd like to go there and I think I can see why he's so successful. He seems to like what he's doing and, more importantly, he seems to like *interacting with customers* about what he's doing. So he'll explain fish choices and selections as well as throwing in the obligatory joke.

Another thing I enjoyed was the wasabi. It tasted like the original thing to me, though I unfortunately lack the expertise to tell whether it was freshly grated. I believe it was, but I cannot be sure.

An enjoyable meal, then, indubitably, with the additional bonus of reasonable prices - which I wasn't expecting in Haddonfield.

[MisterMax]

Last Thursday, my wife and I went for the Kaiseki and were very happy. Lots of photos, which I find difficult to post here and liable to lead to some posting problem, but let's see:

First Course, cold appetizer: tuna tartare topped with a thin layer of creme freche and caviar. Surrounded by fish broth and decorated with a shiso leaf. An excellent start. We would have preferred beluga caviar - this one, which the waitress said was smoked sturgeon caviar, was pretty salty.

Second Course, hot soup: We were served a pair of cute little teapots nicely capped with tea saucers - but our waitress explained that it was a seafood soup, with scallops, shrimp, and mushroom. The soup itself was probably the outstanding flavor of the meal. Gorgeous, intense flavor - maybe the best consomme ever.

Third course, cold seafood: Kumamoto oysters with ponzu sauce. Excellent fresh briny flavor. Loved the ponzu sauce as a chaser.

Fourth course, sashimi - in three pictures: red tuna, seabream, salmon, white tuna, halibut, yellowtail, with two fancy maki. All of them were very good to excellent, but we found the yellowtail lacking. (see next three photos)

Closeup of the maki that were part of the fourth, sashimi course.

Fifth, warm seafood course: Softshell crab deep fried in red panko crust. Lovely juicy crab contrasted with the panko and stalks of pickled ginger.

(But not what I would call ginger. What are they?)

Sixth, the first meat course: eggplant stuffed with duck slices, with foie gras on top, and again the red ginger stalks. Silky, not mushy, with excellent taste and texture. The foie wasn't oozy melting, but the sauce was fine. I was surprised to be served the red ginger stalks again, but I liked them so much and they were so unusual I wasn't at all unhappy.

Seventh course, second meat course: lamb chops with black rice and a sprig of broccoli. The least interesting dish of the meal, based as it was on something we can make at home. The rice looked like black beans, but tasted wonderful, glutinous like quay tow noodles, my wife's favorite.

Sorry about the out of focus photo. I took another, but it was worse.

Eighth course, dessert: Panko crusted pastry shells with vanilla ice cream, and fresh berries with whipped cream. A glorious ending, though we would have preferred a more Japanese ending - perhaps matcha ice cream or matcha sauce.

The other plate with both our desserts: Fresh, good fruit with whipped cream.

It worked! Both the posting and the dinner were fine. We enjoyed it and we'll be back.

[brucedelta]

Another thing I enjoyed was the wasabi. It tasted like the original thing to me, though I unfortunately lack the expertise to tell whether it was freshly grated. I believe it was, but I cannot be sure.

←

Happened to be in Haddonfield wrapping up a meeting with a friend/customer at about 7:00 last Wed and we decided to grab some sushi at Fuji. Went in and found the Sushi bar empty, untill we took two seats.

Based on the fact that I saw wasabi squezed out of a plastic vacupac type container I would have to doubt it is fresh grated. The package had the familiar green and orange colors that I see on several brands in the asian market.

I will have to agree with Fabio as we also had the needle fish which was excellent, but started with the tuna tartare appatizer shown in mistermax's post above. While it does not show up on the menu the tuna tartare can be ordered at $18, and as usualy was a tasty treat.

The remaining fish was very good to my taste, but I doubt my palete is refined enough to engage in a best sushi debate.

Of note was that Matt did come behind the bar to to make up what looked like 5 plates for a special meal. Each plate had sashimi and sushi on it in addition to kitchen items, but they looked much more full than what I have seen in tasting menu photos. The restaurant was fairly empty and I forgot to look for the table those 5 plates went to as we left so I can offer no further comment. I have twice been to the old location where I saw special corprate type prearranged menu dinners served along the back wall where they could make a big table, and that is what I immediatly thought of when I saw him making these plates.

It appears Matt's son works behind the sushi bar and wears a jacket that says Ito. He seemed to be an apperntice and I doubt he could be easily confused with a full fledged sushi master, but it is worth noting.

-- Bruce

[Fishstix789]

Another thing I enjoyed was the wasabi. It tasted like the original thing to me, though I unfortunately lack the expertise to tell whether it was freshly grated. I believe it was, but I cannot be sure.

←

Happened to be in Haddonfield wrapping up a meeting with a friend/customer at about 7:00 last Wed and we decided to grab some sushi at Fuji. Went in and found the Sushi bar empty, untill we took two seats.

Based on the fact that I saw wasabi squezed out of a plastic vacupac type container I would have to doubt it is fresh grated. The package had the familiar green and orange colors that I see on several brands in the asian market.

It appears Matt's son works behind the sushi bar and wears a jacket that says Ito. He seemed to be an apperntice and I doubt he could be easily confused with a full fledged sushi master, but it is worth noting.

-- Bruce

←

The restaurant rarely uses freshly grated wasabi. If they do then the sushi bar chefs will display the horseradish root somewhere visible. Most of the time the wasabi is either "fresh" or powder. What is referred to as "fresh" wasabi is the form contained in the store-bought packaging. It is much milder than the powder form.

Matt's son does not work in the sushi bar. He used to for at the old Fuji. Rather, he works in the kitchen and makes the desserts.

[Fishstix789]

Oh, and on another note...

Fuji has shuffled through a lot of staff since the reopening. Half of the opening staff has been let go since the April. The quality of the food and overall dining experience has no doubt reflected these staff changes between kitchen cooks, sushi chefs, and servers. The reviews have constantly badgered Fuji for its inconsistent or poor service. The servers who caused those problems have been let go. Also, the kitchen cooks who may have delayed service because of mistakes or lack of skill have been let go too. If you revisit you should see and taste a difference.

The sushi staff currently consists of the former sushi chef from the old Fuji--who was not part of the opening staff--and a new veteran recruit direct from New York City and originally from Japan.

[percyn]

Recently had an opportunity to visit Fuji for a Chaine des Rotisseurs event.

The event started with some sparkling wine spiked with plum wine, accompanied with Roasted eggplant, Salmon mouse topped with salmon caviar, monkfish liver and eel with foie gras.

Close-up of the Monkfish liver

The meal started out with

Kumamoto oysters with ponzu sauce - similar to what MisterMax had. The oysters were excellent and you could literally taste the ocean.

Carpaccio of Walu Walu - The acidity from the citrus was a had bit high and overpowering for the walu walu.

Sashimi Platter - Salmon, Tuna, Yellow Tail, Sardine and Flounder. All extremely fresh and firm. One of the best sashimi I have had. Even the wasabi was paler in color than most, but I am afraid it may not be freshly grated.

Shrimp and Scallop stuffed turnips - Fork tender turnip, accented by the sweetness of the scallops and shrimp

Eggplant stuffed with duck and topped with Foie Gras - Like MisterMax, I too enjoyed the flavor and texture of the eggplant, but found the Foie to be too thin and a bit overcooked. The flavor of the sauce, which I believe contained black bean, was terrific.

Lambchops - Good, but not my favorite

Banana spring rolls with green tea ice cream

[lfabio2007]

We went back to Fuji not once but twice in the past fortnight. Both times we were at the bar and mr. Ito was there tending to the fish. The second time, his son (?) was also there busily preparing spider rolls.

On to the food: as usual I limited myself to the sashimi, which was very good both times, I have to say. Some of my DPs mentioned that the fish is occasionally not the best it could be and I have encountered that once, as I mentioned before but the general quality is high. One thing I will mention was a special squid appetiser with butter sauce and teriyaki (??? the teriyaki sauce arrived later.. mercifully, apparently) which, had it been my own, would've been sent back due to expiration date solidly in the rear view mirror. I guess Venice is still too close - we just got back here last week.

The steamed egg custard appetiser was a universal hit (in a cocotte, with shrimp and chicken, of all things), so was the Niyu-Men, with particular praise for the shrimp.

As to the wasabi, there seem to be two kinds, one is the usual 'paste' and one is something different that comes out of what looks like a large toothpaste tube. It tastes definitely better: can someone shed some light?

[dagordon]

It is with tremendous excitement and joy that I report that the old Fuji is back.

It is now just Matt and his son, Jesse, behind the sushi bar. Matt said that he dismissed the other sushi chefs three weeks ago, and at first I thought he was kidding, but he was not. It seems that with these other guys behind the bar the restaurant was not conforming with his vision of it.

We were of course thrilled to hear this news. And our meal tonight was as good as any that we had at the old Fuji. Which is to say, spectacular.

Highlights were the chawan mushi, kumamoto oysters, hamachi belly sushi, toro sushi, amberjack sushi, scallop sushi w/ truffle salt and caviar, an unusual sea bream maki with salmon and salmon roe on top and a drop of a citrusy, berry sauce, and the always fantastic salmon that Matt cures overnight and marinates for several days.

Fuji is just totally and completely back. There's now no excuse for eating sushi anywhere else within a 30 mile radius of Philadelphia. This is just phenomenal food.

Oh and, Matt's son is obviously quite talented. He made a red bean and strawberry spring roll dessert with vanilla ice cream and a white bean cream that was terrific. No formal pasty training.

lfabio, one of the wasabis is the typical colored horseradish stuff, and the other, less dense , tastier one is real wasabi (though not freshly grated).

[lfabio2007]

Thanks dagordon. This merits further inquiry, we'll do omakase sometime this week.

[mrbigjas]

Fuji is just totally and completely back. There's now no excuse for eating sushi anywhere else within a 30 mile radius of Philadelphia. This is just phenomenal food.

so you've soured on zento then?

i mean the dinner i had there didn't compare to the omakase at fuji, but i enjoyed it, and there are times when you just can't head out of town for dinner...