Mt. Fuji entrees prove so-so, but sushi, sublime

Brightleaf Square in downtown Durham has long provided a culinary world tour, from El Rodeo's Tex-Mex favorites to Chamas's all-you-can-eat Brazilian meat extravaganza to Nikos' traditional Greek offerings. Now, with the recent opening of Mt. Fuji Asian Bistro, Brightleaf Square provides its visitors with a passport to the Orient.

Mt. Fuji's large menu encompasses new takes on the most popular dishes from Japan, Thailand and China. The restaurant's exposed brick walls, stylish sushi bar and flat screen televisions provide a chic setting for the east-meets-west cuisine.

Much of the inspiration and spice that went into Mt. Fuji's design, however, seems to be lost in the actual preparation of the food. A seared garlic calamari appetizer was tepid and much too chewy. Squid should be served either pleasantly crisp when cooked or slightly firm when raw; this was like eating rubber marinated in garlic.

Similar trends continued throughout the meal. A traditional fried tofu appetizer, agedashi, used quality tofu but was poorly prepared. Two Thai dishes, both known for their strong, spicyflavors, were dull and unmemorable.

The raw seafood items from the showpiece sushi bar (see below) were perhaps the restaurant's only saving grace.

Throughout the course of the meal, dishes were brought out at random and illogical times. One entree was delivered as an appetizer, and another dish was forgotten numerous times by the waitstaff and only arrived after most of the other food had been consumed. The item was removed from the final bill, making it the only dish that was worth its price.

Mt. Fuji will undoubtedly attract customers with its convenient location and attractive setting, but it will not flourish unless it improves the quality and impact of its food.

Mt. Fuji Asian Bistro

Picks: Pad See Ew Thai noodles, Mongolian Beef, sushi