A fire burns on the hibachi grills in Fuji Sushi and Hibachi, as the chef tosses eggs with cooking utensils and confidence. As he grills the vegetables, he tosses a piece into the mouth of a customer.
At another table, customers try Fuji's signature drink, the sake bomb. A shot of warm sake is placed on top of a glass of Sapporo beer, supported by a pair of chopsticks. The customers shout "sake bomb" before banging their fists on the table, making the shot of sake fall into the glass.
Opening a Japanese restaurant is a first for Karen Haskell, the general manager of Fuji Sushi and Hibachi. She opened restaurant chains and privately-owned restaurants in southern California, but she returned to her hometown of Muncie to open Fuji.
"There is a Ball State Muncie and a Muncie Muncie," she said. "I want to bring them together at Fuji."
The newly opened restaurant offers a bar, sushi bar and hibachi grills.
The design and layout of the restaurant fuses Western and Eastern cultures with a flowing fountain near the entrance, paintings of geishas on the walls and a sleek modern bar. Flavorful scents linger throughout the air.
Haskell said this is the only Fuji restaurant in Indiana. She said the owner thought Muncie needed a place like Fuji, and she wholeheartedly agreed.
"There's nothing like this in Muncie as far as the atmosphere," Haskell said. "It's an active, very cool atmosphere. You can really come here and get incredible food and a great show."
Alongside the hibachi meal, a sushi roll is the perfect combination. Haskell said her favorite roll is the "Super Crunchy Roll," which is a deep-fried roll that consists of assorted fish, cream cheese, cucumber, avocado and a special sauce.
Kyla Adamson, a junior microbiology major, is a newly hired server at Fuji. She had been a waitress before, but she said working with hibachi is completely different. However, she said she enjoys the customer interaction.
"Fuji is all about the atmosphere," Adamson said. "You have time to talk to people and see if they're having a good time."
Adamson showed her grandmother and father where she works, and her family had a memorable time.
"All the hibachi chefs did their tricks," she said. "I had sukiyaki steak and so did my grandma, and it was amazing."
Haskell said she is receiving incredible responses from customers. She said a lady from Japan was overjoyed with her donburi, which is a Japanese rice bowl dish.
"People are passionate about what they are eating here, because it's so authentic and so fresh," Haskell said. "I make sure everyone is extremely happy. If something is not right with them, I will do whatever to get those guests back."
Haskell said she enjoys getting feedback and responses, but also confirmation on how successful Fuji has been so far.
"I make sure that everyone is as happy as they can be going to a restaurant," she said. "This is not a job to me, because I enjoy it so much."
Haskell said Ball State and its students are very important for business at Fuji. She said students should come to Fuji, be themselves and enjoy themselves at a price point she thinks they can afford.
"This can be their new home," she said. "There's only so much pizza and hot dogs you can eat."
* * *
Location: 1705 W. McGalliard Road
Open hours:
Monday-Thursday: 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 4:30-9:30 p.m.
Friday-Saturday: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Price range: Lunch is priced around $10, and dinner is priced around $20, excluding drinks.
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