Referencing his relentless work ethic, Fuji at Kendall owner Jimmy Liang told the Patriot Ledger that he sleeps only four to five hours a night. The rest of his time is occupied with planning dramatic presentations for fresh fish. From the battered cuttlefish tentacles of a crispy appetizer to the Ming's mango maki roll—shrimp, asparagus, and mango topped with slices of spicy tuna—Liang carefully sources and hand-fashions the seafood on his menu into edible artwork.

Liang and his partner Peter Tse became purveyors of innovative sushi when they were 20 years old. Since then, they've specialized in their own brand of nigiri, sashimi, maki, and Asian fusion. There are also classic plates of chicken teriyaki and udon soup at Fuji, but according to The Improper Bostonian, Liang's talent shines the brightest when he and head chef Ming Cao are asked to improvise custom sushi meals. The resulting dishes are a "testimony to a chef at play," whose "deft touch with fish and seasonings ... brings dishes to the heights of flavorful experimentation." Guests who prefer to know their order in advance can browse a list of specialty rolls such as the Dynamite maki, named for its spicy cargo of jalapeño, tuna, and tobiko that self-destructs if you touch it with your chopsticks.