Tales From The Bar Side #3: Fuji Yama Japanese Restaurant

Let's face it: I'm an introvert who just happens to possess excellent communication skills. My lovely wife the Rock Star is the same way: Sometimes we can talk a blue streak, sometimes both of us can remain silent for what seems like hours. When we dine at a restaurant, we usually prefer a table (or booth; I'm a big fan of booths, particularly Edmund but not John Wilkes!), but not at a place where we intend to have sushi. Over the years, we have discovered that the best place to enjoy this fishy food is at the bar; there, you can talk to the chef, find out what's fresh, and have him suggest what's good and even make little creations, just for you. It's like having your own personal chef!! With this intent, and spurred by a colleague's recommendation, we motored South to Fuji Yama Restaurant (and Yakitori Bar), located where Dallas, Addison, and Carrollton meet and say Howdy!!

The interior is standard strip-mall/utilitarian bare-bones, but the large central bar that occupies at least half the space is very pretty and welcoming. Service is welcoming as well, with hostess, waiter, manager, and chef all tending to our needs. FujiYama (spelled as two words on the restaurant's exterior and one on the sushi menu) features both sushi and a Yakitori Bar. (Yakitori literally means "grilled chicken," in this case FujiYama applies it to all their grilled meat offerings.) We decided to skip the yakitori; we were in full-on sushi mode, so our waiter handed us the selection sheet menu and we got busy. From the Nigri Sushi section, we chose tuna and red snapper. In no time at all, the little buggers appeared. (Without question, Fuji Yama boasted the fastest service I have ever experienced at a sushi place. Our sushi came out faster than the edamame starter! That's fast!!) Both tasted delightfully fresh, particularly the snapper. Then, onto the Maki Menu and a spicy salmon roll. Spiced just right, and again wonderfully fresh. I'm not a huge salmon fan usually, so I think sushi might be the way to go whenever I dine on it. Good-sized portions, too. Finally, a Special Roll was in order and we decided on the Sun Rise Roll. Shrimp tempura and cream cheese topped with crab and avocado and the chef's spicy sauce. The creaminess of the cheese nicely offset the tempura crunch and the mustard-based sauce tied the whole thing together very well indeed. Sapporo and Kirin Light beers, both Japanese of course, made great partners to our repast. Chef was quite friendly as well, good-naturedly grousing about how long it took to get his order from a nearby wing place, and waxing enthusiastic about his new baby daughter. Altogether a very enjoyable dinner, and we will return, as the offerings were not too pricey. No website, call 972 662-2885 with any and all questions. Stake out your patch of bar soon, and remember:

LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR MEDIOCRE FOOD!!!