Hidden Sushi KnockoutMy evening began with an early exodus from work as I headed to Blue Bell for an appointment with my dentist. Normally, one does not look forward to such engagements but it so happens that my Uncle Hal doubles as my dentist so my visits are always painless and provide a nice opportunity to catch up. At the conclusion of my appointment, I followed him home, we picked up my Aunt Fran, and we headed off for a relaxing evening of sushi and conversation. Our destination on this particular evening was Bluefin, a local BYO sushi restaurant that was the site of and outstanding meal for us one year ago.
As you walk towards Bluefin, it is impossible not to be under whelmed. Located in a small strip mall in Plymouth Meeting, Bluefin is the very definition of a hole in the wall restaurant. The outside of the restaurant is cold and uninviting. However, nice warmth emerges from the restaurant as you open the door and enter to a round of welcoming cries from the sushi chefs at the counter. The dining room is typical, understated Japanese style décor.
As we settled into our table, our server immediately took the 2001 Hogue Genesis Merlot that I had brought with us to remove the cork as we examined the menus. Having previously dined here with Uncle Hal and Aunt Fran, I was familiar with the sparse menu. Although there are numerous appetizers to choose from, the entree listing is quite short and is limited to standard teriyaki and tempura dishes. The nigiri and maki selections are likewise standard but are reasonably comprehensive. A few “concept rolls” round out the menu.
I received a rude awakening with my first sip of the Merlot, which left a bitter taste in my mouth despite its clean palate. However, as the wine began to breathe during our meal, the bitter aftertaste seemed to disappear and the resulting wine was easy to drink. The wine had a very noticeable aroma of herbs.
We decided to start our meal with a few appetizers: Aunt Fran and Uncle Hal both ordered salads with miso soup and I ordered the spicy tuna sundae. The sundae was served up in a martini glass and was a conglomeration of tuna, spicy sauce, roe, and avocado. The presentation was extremely colorful and the dish was nicely assembled. My first bite erupted with flavor and I quickly consumed the remainder of the dish. The tuna was very fresh and expertly cut. However, I was slightly disappointed at the somewhat skimpy portion of tuna that I received.
After finishing our appetizers we eagerly waited for our sushi to arrive. Fortunately, we had an excellent view of the sushi bar and admired the sushi chefs’ handy work as they assembled our first order of sushi which consisted of six maki: a dragon roll, a shrimp tempura roll, a California roll, an unagi roll with cucumber, a crunchy spicy roll, and a Scottish roll (salmon and asparagus). Our sushi arrived on a large clear, glass plate. Each roll was pristinely composed. The California and Scottish rolls were fairly standard. The unagi cucumber roll was very fresh and extremely flavorful. Eel is an excellent freshness benchmark since non-fresh eel often has a bitter aftertaste; this roll passed the test with flying colors. It was evident that a gentle hand was used to fry the shrimp and this delicateness persisted throughout all of our tempura dishes. I particularly enjoyed the crunchy spicy tuna roll with its extremely crispy tempura chips. The tuna had a marvelous combination of textures, and was extremely flavorful without requiring the typically overdone helping of spicy sauce. My favorite roll was by far the dragon roll. It demonstrated an outstanding balance of textures and temperatures. The eel was perfectly warm while the avocado was cool and refreshing. The creaminess of the avocado was matched by the gritty texture of the eel. This is my favorite roll in general and one that is often carelessly composed or ruined by poor ingredients. Bluefin carried out the dish extremely well and I was left extremely satisfied after our first round of sushi.
While waiting for our round two of our sushi, we were given a complimentary fish tempura appetizer. We all appreciated the gesture but were disappointed with the overly dry fish despite the excellent tempura preparation. Our second order of sushi consisted of our favorites from the first batch, another dragon roll, crunchy spicy tuna roll, and a shrimp tempura roll plus one spider roll, which we had not previously ordered. All rolls that we ordered for a second time were just as carefully prepared and tasty as the first time. The spider roll highlighted fresh, soft shell crab tempura and was easily one of my favorite rolls of the night.
At the conclusion of our meal, we were presented with a dessert sampler, once again complements of the chef. The sampler contained extremely ripe honey dew melon, orange slices and three pieces of banana tempura. The banana tempura was unusual in that there was no added sugar as is commonly done. I was put off by this at first but then came to appreciate the natural flavor of the banana and tempura that is too often smothered and masked by an over abundance of sugar. After Uncle Hal and Aunt Fran settled the bill (as they always very generously do), we headed back to their house.
Overall I highly recommend Bluefin. The sushi is outstanding: very fresh, expertly cut, and very flavorful. The décor is understated and the menu is sparse but it is more than adequate for a fine evening of sushi. In my opinion, Bluefin serves some of the very best sushi in the region and should not be missed.
The Facts
Name: Bluefin Japanese Restaurant
Address:
1017 Germantown Pike
Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462-2449
Phone: (610) 277-3917
Website: Bluefin
Cuisine: Japanese
Price: Appetizers $2-$9, Entrees $15-$26, Sushi a la carte $4-$8, Maki $5-$15
