Fuji Sushi Buffet in Vacaville

Fuji started in Davis, CA, where Robin went to University, but this location is in Vacaville, right on I-80. We had dinner there on the night we returned from the Pacific Northwest in October. It was even better, and cheaper, today. Without a doubt this is the best sushi deal I know of in the Bay Area. I would not say this is the best quality sashimi I've had, but probably the next tier down. And far, far better than any buffet sushi I've had before. In fact, because their chefs make sushi and sashimi per order, it is very fresh indeed. They have off menu items too--today they had raw oysters.

Hadn't been to Fuji in a while, no wait if you get there right after they open at 5.

Salmon skin hand roll.

Both times we've been there was a bit of a wait--about ten minutes--this place is bustling!

The first time we got way too many sushi rolls and appetizers with carbs. This time we pretty much stuck to raw fish and vegetables, like the seaweed salad top right. To its left is seared tuna with jalapenos & a spicy sauce, in the middle a large sashimi plate with Albacore, Salmon & Tuna atop shredded daikon. Lower left: soft shell crab, the best version I've ever had.

Sashimi plate. The salmon was particularly fabulous.

Soft shell crab. Perfectly fried. The batter was some of the only carbs I had. I still feel bright and ebullient 5 hours after eating this great food. We could have paid the same amount of money for almost any other lunch in the Bay Area. Can't believe this was less than $20 per person.

Every time we got raw oysters we ate them so fast I forgot to take a snapshot. Pretty good, though not quite as amazing as the Willapas and other varieties we ate in Seattle.

Unagi.

Broiled eel on sushi rice, wrapped with nori seaweed, for the uninitiated. Sublime.

This salmon tasted like butter.

Albacore.

Hamachi, also known as Yellow Tail.

Hamachi close-up. The best yellow tail I've ever had was at Uchi in Austin, Texas. I've never been to Japan, though, nor anywhere else in Asia.

Tuna close-up.

For more information:

http://www.fujisushibuffet.com/