Windy’s Sukiyaki marks 50 years of Japanese classics
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- Stacey Marsh, new owner of Windy’s Sukiyaki in Ogden, with the restaurant’s classic sukiyaki dish.
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- Sukiyaki, the signature dish for 50 years at Windy’s in Ogden.
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- The Hamachipeno is a popular sushi roll at Windy’s Sukiyaki.
For 50 years, Windy’s Sukiyaki of Ogden has been the site for marriage proposals, anniversaries, birthdays, graduations and prom dinners. But the restaurant’s many “regulars” don’t need a special event to enjoy their favorites like sukiyaki, sushi, teriyaki and tempura.
New owner Stacey Marsh says the restaurant will keep making delicious memories with its private tea rooms and Japanese cuisine.
“There’s a very loyal customer following, but we also want to introduce new people to Windy’s,” said Marsh, who bought the restaurant from Steve and Sono Farnsworth earlier this year. “It’s a very social, unique experience.”
Marsh has been eating at Windy’s since she was a child. She moved out of state, but always came back to Windy’s whenever she was in Ogden. As a marketing executive, she worked around the country and in Europe for brands such as Adidas, Victoria’s Secret, Chanel, Bath & Body Works and Fossil Group.
“I chased my career for many years, but my family is here in Ogden, and I always dreamed about coming back,” she said. “So I decided to be a small business owner and move home.”
The timing was right, as Windy’s owner, Steve Farnsworth, decided to retire after more than 35 years.
“Steve wanted to pass the torch to someone who loves the restaurant and wants to see it live on,” Marsh said.
Windy’s was founded in 1974 by Donald Anderson and his wife, Ritsuko “Windy” Katsushima Anderson. Donald met Ritsuko while he was stationed in Japan during the Korean War. (Donald passed away in 2022, and Ritsuko passed away in 2023.)
Their daughter, Sono, married Steve Farnsworth, who worked at Windy’s and bought the business from his father-in-law.
“Don and Windy were really ahead of the curve in bringing this concept to Ogden 50 years ago,” Marsh said. “Steve maintained the authentic Japanese recipes that to this day are the customer favorites.”
The Farnsworths invited Marsh to spend two months training at the restaurant before taking it over. She worked every position such as washing dishes, working the fryer, rolling sushi and hosting.
Marsh said she’s keeping the same menu.
“Our menu is incredible and much of our food is homemade,” she said. “We hand-roll our gyoza every week when most other restaurants buy it frozen. We also make and roll our harumaki (egg rolls) from scratch. Our homemade salad dressing is so popular that we bottle it for customers to purchase at the restaurant.”
Sukiyaki, a traditional one-pot meal, remains a Windy’s classic. It has clear “glass” noodles, fresh vegetables such as napa cabbage, carrots, snap peas, mushrooms, zucchini and onions and a choice of beef, chicken or shrimp, all in a slightly sweet soy broth. It’s served in a cast-iron bowl, with a wooden lid.
“There’s a reason it’s our namesake — it’s really delicious,” Marsh said.
Fried rice is another menu mainstay.
“We don’t make a big batch of fried rice, like a lot of restaurants do,” Marsh said. “We make every plate to order, with fresh vegetables, egg, seasoning and your choice of chicken, beef or shrimp. It comes in a heaping portion and is very popular.”
Sushi wasn’t on America’s culinary radar when Windy’s first opened. Long-time staffers say the restaurant first started serving sushi about 25 years ago, offering four different rolls.
“Now we have a large sushi menu, but also a list of over 150 different rolls that we can make on request,” Marsh said. “It’s become so mainstream that people love it.”
One popular sushi roll is the Hamachipeno, made with avocado, cucumber, red onion, kaiware (daikon radish sprouts), topped with hamachi (yellowtail tuna), jalapeno, miso-sesame sauce and sriracha.
To help ensure the restaurant’s future, Marsh obtained a full liquor license and expanded operating hours from three nights a week to five nights (Tuesday to Saturday).
She also updated the old-school pen-and-notepad method of ordering.
“We just launched our first point-of-sale system with handheld devices for our servers so that customers can pay at the table with digital screens for our cooks,” she said.
The new system also makes it easier to split the bill among large groups.
Windy’s has 11 private tea rooms that vary in size from seating six to 22 people. The tables are set low to the ground, with a recessed floor beneath so you can stretch out your legs. Reservations are recommended for the tea rooms, but there’s also an open dining area for walk-ins.
“It’s a wonderful experience to dine in a little private space,” Marsh said.
Location: 3809 Riverdale Rd., Ogden
Contact: https://windyssukiyaki.com or 801-621-4505
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 5-9 p.m.
Average price range: $15-30.
