Dora Ding of Fuji and Fuji Ramen – Why NEPA?

"The neighbors, the people, are so nice and helpful."

Dora Ding grew up more than 7,500 miles away from her current hometown of West Pittston in the bustling Fujian province in Southern China, just a two-hour flight from Hong Kong. As an only child, she was spoiled, she says, and greatly loved by her mom, dad and entire extended family. After graduating high school, Dora traveled to Beijing, where she spent a year refining her English-speaking skills.

With her parents’ encouragement to see the world and experience new things, Dora arrived in America in 2010 to study economics at Maryville College in Maryville, TN. With cousins scattered throughout the United States, Dora honed her skills in the food service industry in Arizona, New York, North and South Dakota, and Washington.

With an entrepreneurial spirit and her childhood-classmate-turned-husband, Derek, a chef, and their now 11-year-old son, Thomas, the family relocated to Luzerne County to take over the existing Fuji restaurant on North Main Street in Pittston from her best friends’ family.

A local favorite for authentic Asian/Japanese cuisine, the restaurant has been thriving so much so that in 2023 Dora opened not one but two new establishments, Fuji Ramen Pittston and Fuji Ramen Scranton. We sat down at the bright and modern Pittston ramen location where Dora praised her son, who, in addition to her native language, Mandarin, speaks three languages, and shared with us of all the places her international family could have called home – Why NEPA?

How long have you lived in NEPA?

Since May 2015.

What do you love about your town?

I love Pittston because I have made a family, a community, here. Opening my restaurant, I have made so many friends who have become like family. The neighbors, the people, are so nice and helpful.

What’s your favorite NEPA restaurant?

Fuji (laughs). ‘Cause I’m here every single day. I eat in the restaurant every day, every day, every day. (Since you were wondering, her go-to order at Fuji Ramen is boba tea and Tonkotsu ramen, spicy). But my son’s favorite is Tony’s Pizza.

What is your favorite thing to do in NEPA?

My favorite thing to do is go to the Pittston Tomato Festival with my son. It’s really close. He loves all the festivals and fairs in Pittston. He tries to win fish and we try the different things to eat. We go every year together. We go hiking a lot. We go to the Poconos to do outdoor activities. The restaurants are closed on Mondays, so we’ll go to Sky Zone and Nova. And every winter we ski at Montage.

What’s next for you?

I just opened two locations of Fuji Ramen – Fuji Ramen Pittston and Fuji Ramen Scranton – so, right now, focusing on those two and seeing my three restaurants succeed. Then we’ll move forward. For now, focusing on those two.

Where do you see NEPA heading in the future?

I heard in the news there’s going to be a theater on Main Street next to Fuji. That will be really nice. I’ve seen more community events happening since I moved here. The community has just grown so much closer and better.