From The Kids' Table: Fuji Steakhouse

Fuji Steakhouse

1314 Main Chapel Way

Gambrills, MD 21054

Village at Waugh Chapel

Tel: 410.721.6880

Fax: 410.721.6810

http://jcfuji.com

Monkey #1:   Their food is only for awesome people. I like the sushi bar and the hibachi. I ordered the kids' hibachi steak. I like it because I get to see how it is made. They put it on the grill with the rice and vegetables. They flip the spatulas so fast that I can’t even see them. They flip the food too. They throw vegetables at you and you get to catch it in your mouth! Their steak is juicy and tender. It was so good I did not use the sauce.                                                         

Monkey #2:  I like it because you get vegetables which are healthy for you like broccoli, onions, zucchini. You also get to pick what you want to go with it, like shrimp or steak. My favorite is shrimp.  It might look good to you, but the brown sauce isn’t. I like the white sauce. I like the Japanese sodas. (Ramune http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramune) You take the wrapper off and then you turn the lid and then you crush your marble down and then it fizzes and then you can drink with your straw. It’s awesome. Kids should try it.

Mom:  Fuji is a favorite of the kids' and usually something we do as a treat. I'm more a fan of the sushi than the hibachi so I usually order sushi and sashimi for myself. Toro (fatty tuna) was on the menu tonight, so I ordered Toro and Salmon sashimi. At the waitress' suggestion, I changed my order to the Toro Tartar special, a seared tuna that is ground and served with caviar, tempura flake and a wasabi sauce. The tartar was good, but I prefer the texture of the Toro as sashimi rather than ground so probably wouldn't order again. I also ordered the jungle roll (spicy crunchy scallop and avocado, fresh salmon and bonito flake). It was definitely delicious and Monkey #1 kept stealing pieces of the sushi off my plate :) 

Monkey #1: There service is very nice I like our chef he is very nice.

Monkey #2:   Our chef was very nice and funny cause he squirted the fireman at me and my brother. Our food wasn’t that quick, but I was patient and let them take their time. And waiting is very good.  It was worth it.    

Mom:  It was a busy night, so we had a little bit of a wait, but the staff are wonderfully nice. Our waitress was very sweet and kept making suggestions for things we would enjoy and different options to try. Our hibachi chef was a lot of fun. Looking around, each chef has his own choreography and little tricks, which means every time you go, it's a little different. The kids love the interaction from the chef and get excited for dinner to start.                                                                                                                                                          

Monkey#1: At the sushi bar you can see how your sushi is made. And you can see that it looks good. And you can sit in these high chairs. The boys bathroom is very neat and nice. Mom said the girls bathroom was not so good. The restaurant looks very nice. I know you will love it.

Monkey#2: The restaurant looked crowded and loud. I like sitting with other people because the other people I sat next to was funny.  At other restaurants you can’t sit next to people like this.

Mom:  Fuji always has a festive, but manic vibe. If anyone in your party is having a moody or sensitive day (including Mom!), it may not be the best choice for a night out. But if you want to take everyone out for a fun night, especially to celebrate a good grade or just to spend a little time together, it's definitely a fun experience. There is so much for the kids to watch, and with all the excitement you may be surprised how many foods your kids are willing to try. Plus, with the chefs throwing food around, if you're little guys get food on the ground, who's going to notice?

Monkey #1: The onion volcano!! The chef cuts the onion into rings and stacks them. Then he fills them with these two sauces. I think olive oil and something else. Then you’ll see fire coming out of them! Then he gets out the fireman to spray it.

Monkey #2: They throw food at you and they’re trying to get it in your mouth. It’s like a party. Because they are really funny and you might see someone you know. You might see your teacher. If you try something new, you’ll know if you like it or you won’t. And if you don’t like it, you can try something else.

Mom:  Bottom line, its fun. Kids are more likely to eat vegetables if someone is tossing them through the air to catch in their mouths rather than battling them at the dinner table. Plus, the fun of the community table is usually a hit.

Monkey #1: Because it is not all chicken fingers and burgers with fries.

Monkey #2: Because they have the sushi bar and they get to spend time together. And they might bump into someone that is their friend from work.

Mom: Bottom line, its fun. The price point for a family of four tends to run a little more expensive than some other local restaurants, but its a great opportunity for the family to hang out and just laugh together. Plus, its a great opportunity to encourage the kids to try some new foods. Depending on your kid, new foods may just be vegetables or could be as adventurous as types of sushi.

Mom: One of the best ways to encourage your kids to expand their palates is to take them out with kids that are already more adventurous with foods. The community table aspect of Fuji plays well into letting kids all sit together and see what each other is eating. Encourage them to share with each other (if no one is sick!) and try something they've never tried before. Kids always listen better to other kids, so a recommendation from another munchkin will carry more weight than one from an adult.