Blowfish in Toronto’s financial district (333 Bay St.) has just launched their Fall/Winter menu much to the delight of young professionals across the city, as well as our tastebuds. The beloved sushi and sake bar has refined its already impressive menu to include a fresh array of makimono, tempura and hot plate dishes.
Both the lunch and dinner menu are a Japanese-inspired fusion offering with hints of European and North American cuisine, served in two parts; sushi, and small shared plates. To truly experience Chef G.Q Pan’s vision, we recommend ordering both for your table.
When it came time to pick favourites to share, it certainly wasn’t easy. We loved the truffle albacore roll, comprised of spicy albacore tuna paste, tiger shrimp and avocado, then topped with a garlic chip and truffle oil drizzle. Equally impressive was the coconut bay roll, featuring coconut battered shrimp, cucumber, frieze and spicy kewpie.
We ordered several sides to accompany our rolls to share, of which the lobster seafood miso soup was a definite standout. We also opted for two excellent sea-salted options, the edamame plate and wasabi sea-salted sweet potato chips.
A few members of our party decided to order some cold plates before the mains arrived. The jalapeno salsa maguro dish, a seared lean tuna with garlic-ginger sesame sauce, was the perfect spicy prelude to the hot dishes that would serve as our main course.
The highlight of our night was the hot stone-seared wagyu striploin slices with sesame & ponzu dip, followed closely by the roasted miso-marinated black cod with sautéed seasonal greens. Ask us on another day, and we probably would have chosen two different favourite dishes; it was that close.
We finished off our evening with desserts, of which the miso caramel cheesecake with green tea ice-cream, citrus bread, roasted pineapple and spiced nuts seemed to be a table favourite.
If you’re anywhere near the financial district (and even if you’re not) we would highly suggest making a stop at Blowfish to sample the excellent new menu. Of course there’s also a location at King West and Bathurst for those living in the west end. Prepare for an elegant night out with refined and exceptional fusion dishes, complemented nicely by an unpretentious atmosphere amidst a sophisticated cool space highlighted by rich, dark wood and bronze accents.