Such a sweet sushi dish!

Driving into the Diplomatic Area after 6pm is a delight with all the offices closed and the streets offering a serene calmness which blends perfectly with the pleasant weather the island is now  experiencing.

The coolest Sushi restaurant in town is situated on the first floor of the Sheza Tower, next to the Standard Chartered Bank, and I found a parking space right in front of the premises, normally an impossible task during working hours.

The Fuji Sushi Bar, located in a cosy west-side corner, offers customers a warm Japanese welcome. Oriental lanterns, ceramic plates, chopsticks, soya sauce and staff dressed in traditional kimonos catch the eye and the long windows provide a picturesque view.

Shaikh Abdul Jabbar, the restaurant manager, was keen on GulfWeekly testing the bar’s new menu featuring a series of ‘modern’ maki rolls – a type of sushi made with rice, toasted nori (edible seaweed) and filling.
 
The list featured nine new additions and photographer Ryan Bayona and I were tempted by all the dishes.
 
However, we settled for Ginza which comprised of unagi (freshwater eel), avocado, cucumber and crabstick and Vampire maki rolls, which featured crunchy tuna and avocado.

Once the orders were taken, our waitress kindly conjured up a bowl of edamme – boiled soya beans for us to savour until the main course was served. As I sat chewing and instructing Ryan to focus on the job at hand rather than his mouthful of food, a family of three walked by and sat at a table opposite.

It was clear they were regulars, as the chef rushed out from behind his sushi counter to welcome them again. The conversation was short but very warm and ended with the father stating: “We’ll have one plate of California rolls and one of your own choice.”

Chef Richard Aguilar grinned and scurried back to his station ready to create a culinary masterpiece.
 
Ahmed Mohammed Al-Mannai and his wife Noora revealed how much they adored the chef and his creations. “He has also named one of the new maki rolls after our daughter Lamya!” the proud father explained. 

Ahmed, a government employee, who lives in Muharraq, added: “We had not tried Japanese food until two years ago. We decided to try out Fuji Sushi, just loved it and kept coming back for more!”

Sushi supremo, Chef Richard, who boasts more than 10 years of rolling out delectable dishes, says he was so charmed by sweet Lamya that he created the special dish in her honour which features the yellowtail fish, native to the Pacific and greatly appreciated in Japan.

When my dumpling arrived, it was soft and delicate and almost melted in my mouth. This seafood gyoza has made it on to my list of all-time favourites.

Next came the maki rolls and an added surprise from the chef – a plate of California rolls. The Vampire rolls stood proud and red with spicy sauce – consisting of raw fish on the top with avocado. Not one for the faint-hearted. The Ginza roll was scrumptious and the plentiful supply of crabsticks added to the enjoyment.
 
The menu also features raw sushi or sashimi, maki sushi with either cooked or raw ingredients, nigiri sushi, seafood on rice, and some traditional temaki rolls on seaweed stuffed with rice and seafood. There is also a special section of modern sushi named after various areas of Tokyo.

Mr Jabbar explained that the restaurant is looking forward to introducing a new Teppanyaki section later this year. He said: “We will have a much wider area with live teppanyaki stations. We are also planning to open two new restaurants in the next couple of years offering the island’s diners more authentic tastes of Japan.”

Mr Jabbar, a leading member of the Bahrain-Japan Cultural Exchange Society, also explained that the restaurant will play an active role during the Japanese Festival next May.

He said: “There will be live bands, karaoke competitions, musical performances as well as a Ms Japan competition where the best-dressed girl in a kimono will win a prize.”

The outlet is open daily from noon to midnight.