There’s a new face to the Ames restaurant scene – and it’s not American food.

“The chefs will prepare the food before your eyes, as well as entertain you at the same time,” said Dave Chen, part-owner and manager of Fuji Japanese Steak House, 1614 S. Kellogg Ave.

Chen and Ricky Gou, owner of Fuji, opened the restaurant during spring break.

The chefs, who cook on the hibachi grill – also known as a teppanyaki grill – prepare the meal in front of you with fast moving hands and flames.

“People expect good food and to be entertained,” said Patrick Louhenapessy, one of the chefs who cooks – and entertains – on the grill.

“It’s pretty exciting and the audience has really enjoyed it, especially kids.”

Louhenapessy traveled to Ames with Chen to cook at the new location. He said he has worked for the same type of restaurants as Fuji for about 10 years now.

“I think it has gone quite well so far. I have noticed we are already getting regulars coming in,” he said.

Chen said Fuji is similar to Taki Japanese Steak House and Ohana Steak House in Des Moines.

One of the recommended items Chen pointed to was the sushi.

Chen said, when it comes to sushi, there was some false information in people’s minds.

“A lot of people will think, ‘sushi – that’s raw fish.’ But that’s not the case,” Chen said. “We can cook the fish and usually do – it’s not always raw.”

The new Fuji in Ames is the third in the growing chain, staffing approximately 25 employees.

Fuji restaurants are also located in Conway and Jonesboro, Ark. – both college towns.

“We target college towns,” Chen said. “We opened our first one about six years ago and a second three years after that.”

Chen was looking for a place to expand, and when he searched the Midwest, he said he found that Ames was an ideal spot.

“Ricky and I traveled everywhere. We visited Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas looking for an ideal location,” Chen said.

“I first visited Ames in January of 2007 after being recommended by an agent in Des Moines. I thought it was a wonderful place and there was no Japanese restaurant.”

Since Chen first visited, Shogun, 3704 Lincoln Way, has opened, but Chen said his restaurant has a different style with the teppanyaki grill.

Louhenapessy worked at the Jonesboro location for six years, and like all the chefs at the Fuji in Ames, has worked for Chen for a number of years.

“All of our chefs here made the move from Arkansas. We want to make sure all our chefs are well-experienced,” Chen said.

Chen said more expansion is planned for the future.

“[Ricky and I] are still searching for another city, but we aren’t going to start again until this one settles,” he said.