 Blowfish is a self-consciously trendy place with suede-covered walls. You will find a long, sleek sushi bar manned by hip young chefs, a bit of a bar scene and flat screen TVs everywhere broadcasting anime cartoons. The name of this branch of a trendy San Francisco eatery is pretty much all talk---genuine fugu is not offered here, just a harmless cousin. Nonetheless, you'll find plenty of intriguing options on chef Ritsu Tsuchida's innovative menu (that is, after enjoying an imaginative cocktail like a mango mojito or sochu lemondrop). Consider items such as a pyramid of tuna and salmon tartare with honey tartar and sweet ginger-soy sauces, tiger shrimp in a spicy aïoli, seared ostrich atop portobello tempura with beet vinaigrette, and entrées such as butterfish with peach-mint sauce or chicken with anise-teriyaki sauce. The quality of the sushi is surprisingly high for such a large operation and some of the inventive rolls are worth trying, such as the ego maki---toro (fatty tuna), eringi mushroom, hotate (scallop) and tobiko caviar wrapped in sushi maki kombu (seaweed); the roll is finished with a white truffle oil essence. To finish a meal here, one could do worse than the artistically presented green tea cheesecake. Many guests come strictly for the scene and may not mind the young and inexperienced staff, but the food is certainly worth checking out, too...live a little.
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Splurging at top-rated restaurants is fun for special events, but where can you go for a good quality meal that won't break the bank? Gather the change out of your piggy bank and sofa cushions and take it to one of our selections for the best cheap eats in your area. Also, check out our picks for the Top 40 Cheap Eats in the U.S.
