Bluefin
The crown jewel of the Porter Exchange, Bluefin stands proud among a conglomeration of noodle shops, Asian supermarkets, and gift shops offering myriad treasures from the
The menu offers plenty of home-style Japanese dishes as well as a wide selection of sushi, sake, and Japanese beer.
If the menu seems intimidating, may I recommend the “kits”, these are essentially bento boxes for grownups.
Come for the sushi, stay for the Japanese comfort food.
For instance, I had the pork cutlet kit. It came with a small pile of pork cutlet covered in a light sautéed onion gravy, a bowl of miso soup, a sizable cube of soft tofu seasoned with some bonito shavings, a curry croquette, some little fried gyoza, a bowl of sticky rice, and a small salad. With the exception of the salad, which was swimming in oily dressing and tasted of an improperly washed afterthought, everything was delicious and the large variety of little bits and pieces made for an interesting and enjoyable dining experience.
With the kits in mind, you really aren't going to need an appetizer, but I couldn't resist the crab cream croquettes, served with curry mayonnaise. The crispy and creamy croquette will melt the frost off your taste buds while you await the arrival of the main course, which, depending on how busy the restaurant is at the time, could be a while.
The sushi platters are all well made, artfully presented, and deliciously fresh. The a la carte menu changes day to day depending on the day’s catch; a nice touch and a guarantee of freshness.
If you are looking for a Japanese restaurant that has more to offer than sushi, charmingly presented with all the comforts of an authentic Japanese café, I cannot recommend Bluefin enough. The food is moderately priced, but you get a lot of quality for your dollar. And, if I may make a suggestion, I can personally attest to the curative powers of Bluefin’s kitsune udon.