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Mirjana Jovetic

Blowfish

20-26 Peel St, Central

Tel: 2815 7868

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 12pm-2.30pm, 6pm-11pm; Sat 12pm-2.30pm, 6pm-12am; Sun 6pm-12am

The recent opening of this funky modern Japanese gem has propelled Peel Street into the high-end stratosphere, throwing a neon spotlight on the once-overlooked thoroughfare.

Perfectly positioned to cater for residents of the new, upmarket Shama apartments across the road, Blowfish is carving a niche for itself. Although there is no shortage of quality Japanese restaurants in town, few have made the leap from traditional offerings such as sushi and teppanyaki to the levels of originality expected in modern fine-dining.

Comparisons with WasabiSabi are difficult to avoid, as the Causeway Bay groundbreaker set the town on fire with its superb innovation - both food- and design-wise - for which diners pay top dollar.

It's a hard act to follow but Blowfish handles the challenge well. Like WasabiSabi, it is beautifully - if not as lavishly - designed and maximises the space of what was once the Jah bar.

It endeavours to lift traditional specialities - yakitori, hand-rolls and tempura among them - to new levels, while creating some tantalising signature dishes such as sashimi splash (a distant cousin of carpaccio) and sashimi sizzle, in which raw fish is partially cooked at the table. The wagyu beef splash ($138) can only be described as a taste sensation. This revered beef is served thinly sliced and drizzled with tamari, lemon sauce and garlic chips, offering a sweet and sour flavour that doesn't overpower the tender meat.

Sweet shrimp sizzle ($100) too is an experience with an orange and hot grapeseed oil poured over the four raw crustaceans at the table - it's a shame there isn't a dozen of them.

After all this excitement, we decide to pare down the flavours and order a deluxe sashimi platter ($158). Six different types of fish - including halibut, salmon, a deep-purple tuna and octopus - arrive. Although fresh, the platter is a little pedestrian and would benefit from the addition of a special ingredient such as urchin or roe.

Not quite full, we top off the meal with cold shellfish and soba noodle salad with a miso vinaigrette ($80), which is light, well-dressed and perfectly cooked.

All this is delivered by helpful staff and the manager Grace, who welcomes each guest and makes recommendations from the lengthy menu.

Although not quite WasabiSabi, Blowfish is a welcome addition to Central's dining scene. Does it justify its price tag? Foodies shouldn't have too many qualms about the cost, and there are enough less expensive items for the budget-conscious.

The cost: dinner for two with a bottle of Tyrell's Long Flat chardonnay ($188) and two mineral waters ($28 each) came to $880, including service charge.



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