| rev:text
| - Better late than never.
I regret not having visited Blowfish until now, a week before it closes up for good. It's too bad, because this is a fantastic and classy space that knows exactly what it's good at and capitalizes on said elements extremely well.
I was extremely fortunate to get a reservation on the Saturday before the restaurant closed, and was a bit surprised with how small the space was (an opinion that was backed up by our server, who told us that there are apparently plans to do something with the space, including knocking out a side wall, though exactly what wasn't clear to them).
There is no doubt that this is (or was) a great venue for a classy dinner or a date. I just wish I'd known about it sooner - might have visited more times.
It is true that you don't really visit Blowfish for the sushi, as absurd as it sounds. This is a place where you pay for the ambiance and the views. We were actually able to switch our table to the windowed booth overlooking King Street, and watched as people getting off busses stared at us awkwardly as we ate dinner. The service was fast and friendly, and definitely set this place apart from other restaurants in the area (though I see how they were all rocking those short skirts - like I said, ambiance and the views).
Half of my group settled for the tuna tartare cold plate ($20) and sweet potato tempura ($4), while the others settled for a different mix of the torched sushi ($15) and shrimp tempura. I have to say that Blowfish is not a place to visit if you're hungry. You pay quite the amount for small portions (most of the time - there are exceptions to this rule, like the ebi shooter others have mentioned).
The tempura was easily my favorite part of the meal. Greasy as hell, but the batter was surprisingly light and came with a generous dish of soy sauce - and if you know me, you know that I like my soy sauce like I do Chalet Sauce: as a post-course drink. This was also the first time I tried the tartare, and it was bursting with flavour in every bite.
That being said, I didn't just come here for the food. My main objective was to try the signature Ginger Grapefruit Saketini that they had on offer, and it didn't disappoint. (Though for $15, it better not have.) It packs a punch in every sip - my palate could definitely taste the ginger and a light grapefruit note cutting through the heavy alcohol, but it's a stylish and unique drink that's easily the centerpiece of the table. My group was going to try some of the Japanese whiskey, but ended up settling for another venue - I'm not sure we would have been able to handle it anyway.
Blowfish is (was) one of the hippest spots in King West, and I'm sorry to see it go. The combination of the mood, service and food was fantastic, and it really was a memorable experience. I hope the owner reopens the space as something else (but please don't open another steakhouse - there's already enough in the immediate area).
If you can, visit before the restaurant closes. It's well worth the trek.
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