Yellow Tail

Hot new restaurant sensation Yellow Tail—a Japanese seafood and sushi buffet—has just hit Fairlawn, offering the magnificence of beautifully prepared cuisine with all of the luxury you would expect from a Las Vegas resort. Owner Mike Chen’s budget-friendly dining spot is a jackpot of taste sensations.

By: Beth Newcomb
Date: 06/27/2008
Most of what happens in Vegas stays there—but the best part has just arrived in Fairlawn.

The opening of the fabulous new Yellow Tail Japanese seafood sushi buffet now gives those of us longing for a high-end Vegas-style dining experience, the chance to enjoy it without having to hop a plane across the country.

You won’t find a single slot machine, but you will find an extraordinarily beautiful restaurant that’s been completely outfitted with premium grade sushi, an upscale raw seafood bar, stir fry, and fresh-off-the-hibachi grilled selections.

“We’re taking buffet dining to a whole new level,” boasts Yellow Tail owner, Mike Chen. And while he might be new to the local dining scene, Mike has more than 32 years in the restaurant biz and knows how to pull out all the stops.

Working with a top designer, Mike transformed the enormous space—located in Montrose, between Home Depot and Levin Furniture—into a modern tribute to all things fresh and delicious. When he set out to build a better buffet experience, he made sure to include two private dining rooms that open to form one large space—perfect for groups of 100. Imagine hosting the ultimate graduation or birthday party in an all-you-can-eat, hip and happening sushi bar.

A well-appointed private meeting space includes wireless Internet and chiseled dark teak floors. Frosted glass separates all of the private spaces from the rest of the restaurant, and two huge saltwater fish tanks define the front entry and lounge.

The walls have been painted a happy mango color, which perfectly accents the elegant contemporary interior.

But it’s the buffet area itself that pulls you in and holds you captive. The choices are mind-boggling and every item has been prepared with obvious precision and gorgeous attention to detail.

At the start of each shift, the crisply attired serving staff lines up in front of the stunning fish tanks near the hostess stand to make sure everyone is at their best for the evening. In unison, the smiling staff offers a shout of “Eee-La-Shea-Mas!” —which means “welcome” in Japanese.

Nine sushi chefs prepare no less than sixty different sushi selections—both cooked and raw—that have been arranged in artistic fashion on bright white platters. You’ll find everything from the California roll—crab stick, avocado and cucumber—to the Spicy Tuna Roll—tuna, avocado and cucumber. “We use the freshest ingredients and everything is chef-prepared,” Mike shares. Fish selections include blue fin tuna, Norwegian salmon and red snapper, to name a few. “Selections change daily,” he adds.

More than thirty hot selections include Yakitori (Japanese shish ka bob), soba noodle soup, grilled shrimp, beef teriyaki, grilled shitake mushrooms and more.

The buffet also features more than twenty salad selections that showcase scrumptious items like seaweed salad (with four kinds of seaweed), Hijiki (a glamorous black seaweed salad), and jellyfish—a crunchy salad. The raw bar features chilled stone crab legs, shrimp cocktail, oysters on the half shell and clams.

A surprising twist on the Yellow Tail buffet is how artfully all of the items have been arranged. “We don’t put out huge trays of food in steamers that sit for hours,” Mike says. “By putting out smaller servings, we ensure that every guest enjoys the freshest foods.” In fact, the buffet has been intentionally fashioned to keep the cooking staff in full view of guests who watch in rapt amazement as each item is meticulously prepared.

Stunning blooms—delicately carved out of carrots and beets—rest on the edge of each platter. Mammoth radish towers bear an amazing likeness to pagodas, and sushi selections float on mini wooden boats. No item stays on the buffet line for more than a half hour.

It’s a gorgeous experience from start to finish. The cost is a modest $15 at lunchtime and $25 during dinner, for adults. Children are priced according to height. “I wanted to create a place where anyone could afford to come and enjoy a delicious selection of Japanese specialties,” Mike emphasizes. “We offer the best value with the highest quality for the price.” It’s an especially great bargain for the sushi lover.

And don’t forget dessert.

It might have been easier to forgo the fanfare on the dessert island, but that’s just not Mike’s style. Chef-prepared sweets include green tea mousse and mango shortcake alongside an entire section devoted to fresh-cut fruits of every variety.

Of course you can also enjoy a visit to Yellow Tail without opting for the all-you-can-eat buffet. The lounge seats fifty guests and is located just off the front entry. It boasts a generous selection of cozy, camel colored chairs that encourage guests to linger. You may order from the lounge menu and have your selections delivered tableside, or partake of the magnificent buffet, if you choose.

“During happy hour, we offer $1 off all Japanese sake, beer and wine, and guests save $2 off mixed drinks,” says general manager, Tina Russell.
Mike’s been sure to include an especially generous wine selection to accent his fabulous sushi rolls.

Yellow Tail is located at 4054 Medina Road in the Montrose Plaza in Fairlawn, between Home Depot and Levin Furniture. Hours for lunch are Monday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Sunday 11:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Dinner is served Monday through Thursday from 5:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. and Sunday from 5:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. The phone number is 330-666-9988 or you can check out the website which is www.YellowTailOH.com.

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