It was bad. So, so bad…read more
I rarely give a bad review to a place I've only been to once, but this merits an exception. I ended up here for lunch today after a friend and I planned to have lunch at Condesa around the corner, only to find it's closed until January 7th.
I'd seen Fujikaiten on previous visits to Condesa, I'd had ok experiences at running sushi restaurants before and we were both really hungry. My friend didn't feel like walking less than 10 more minutes to see if Sushi Shop was open. Plus the restaurant was packed for lunch which usually is a good sign.
I'm guessing the restaurant was full of people who know nothing about remotely authentic Japanese food or are just honey badgers about it and don't give a sh*t.
I tried. I really did. I must have sampled close to a dozen different dishes. Everything from a seaweed roll, to salmon sushi, horrible and pathetic tuna maki, scallop sushi, miso soup, fried won ton, spicy (and oily and goopy) red curry chicken with cucumbers...and oooohhhh, my stomach and very soul hated me for it.
The freakiest part was that nothing tasted bad, just oddly bland and flavorless. My friend thought the same.
Ambiance is non-existent. You're crammed in, sometimes away from the sushi belt so you have to stand hovering over it hunched over swatting away the snot-covered paws of children who just put their plate back after sticking their fingers in it or giggly teenage girls who argue about what won't make them fat. Or the worst, the German executive on his lunch break who hoards the California rolls because to him those bits of fake crab are the ne plus ultra of fine Japanese dining.
They got our drink order wrong, twice.
I thought about giving it two stars. But then on our way out was the moment that made me decide that yes, one star it is...
The same waiter who had cleared several tables with dirty plates, utensils, glasses and napkins went directly to the tiny stand where the "sushi" was being prepared and used his bare hands to place the food on the plates and then put those plates on the conveyor belt.
I know the place was busy during lunch, but there's a minimum standard of cleanliness that needs to be maintained when handling raw fish.
I think I paid about 12 Euro for my share and we tried several dishes. My bill was low and yet I still felt ripped off. Never again. Avoid at all costs, unless you really enjoy bland, terrible food in claustrophobic surroundings with brusque service.