The year 2007 was a turning point in the world: public smoking indoors was banned in the UK. Kurt Vonnegut died. Facebook and Twitter took off. The Apple iPhone was introduced in 2007, and it would forever change the way we think of telephones. On Amelia Island, Fancy Sushi & Grill opened, and it would likewise forever change the way Amelia Islanders think of Japanese food.
On Amelia Island, we can enjoy many variations of Asian food, but Fancy Sushi stands out as a classical Japanese restaurant that uses only the freshest ingredients with handmade components, organic when possible.
Susan was her usual welcoming self when my friend Patti Burch, my husband, and I stopped in for lunch recently. “Stopping in” is another special feature at Fancy—it is located in the center of island with plenty of parking, a peaceful dining room and sushi bar, and a strong reputation built over 18 years.
As ever, each diner gets a complementary little holiday roll to excite their palates. Edamame is how I judge an Asian restaurant, and hers is perfectly salty and steamy. Patti has traveled during her careers, and she says that Fancy’s Miso Soup is the best she has ever had. Others get cloudy, but Susan’s never is, she says. When we asked Susan what makes her Miso so clear and crisp, she explains how she makes her own broth (dashi kombu) using high-quality ingredients. “When I get sick, this is the soup I want. That first sip makes me feel better,” says Patti.
The familiar menu remains the same, but Susan is excited about her new menu. She has added boba milk teas, poke bowls and katsu bowls, and ramen. The Strawberry Boba Milk Tea will satisfy your child or your inner child, or you might enjoy the Mango Boba Milk Tea. Her poke bowls are unlike any others in the area, probably because of the Japanese way of arranging foods to enhance harmony among elements. They are plated and presented attractively, balancing shape, color, texture, and taste.
The two new ramens are exotic and deeply flavorful: Black Tonkatsu Ramen with Black Garlic Oil and rich pork bone broth and Korean Spicy Beef Kimchi Ramen. Two delightful items that are not on the menu, but which you can always order are the Tasty Piece and the Chicken Teriyaki Bowl. The 2025 roll is surely special. The June roll is the Triple Dragon Roll, but it’s so popular that it will remain available by request.
People who aren’t familiar with exotic seafood will enjoy the Chicken Katsu Bowl, made with Susan’s handmade katsu sauce. For anyone unfamiliar with Japanese food, there are secrets in the menu. Tempura means very delicately fried. If you’re in the mood for nothing fancy, just good meat, try the Teppanyaki, a hibachi-grilled meat. Fancy’s fanciest Surf ‘n Turf is Filet Mignon with Lobster. Tofu is on the menu, too, and can be requested, if desired.
As we finished our meal, Patti and I reminisced about how our now-grown children loved Fancy’s unusual ice creams. They are the perfect end to an experience of all the good that life has to offer. This is what Fancy is. Fancy Sushi is located at 1478 Sadler Road.