Dear readers, what with all that saving the world stuff that Zena, Goddess of Fire does and my couch potato vacationing the blog fell to the bottom of both our lists of Things That Must Be Done. But now we are committed to getting back to our food writing and we have some great dining and posts lined up for your reading pleasure in the coming weeks and months.
My latest sushi adventure with the Albany Sushi Meetup Group was at Blowfish, a new all you can eat sushi place in Guilderland, at Johnston Road and Western Ave. in the Town Plaza. They have taken over some of the space for what used to be a Chinese buffet and started a small Chinese buffet and Blowfish. The new Chinese buffet had just closed and is apparently undergoing a re-structuring according to the signs we saw as we entered Blowfish.
The advantage of the sushi meetup is that the host of the the meetup usually negotiates for a nice price, since the group can literally fill the restaurant for the evening. At Blowfish we had 42 group members and completely filled the tables in half the dining room plus three or four more in the other half.
It became apparent early on that the Blowfish staff and chefs didn't grasp the situation and had not thought out how to handle so many people at one time, so we had fairly spaced-out service to say the least. Our table didn't get sushi for 90 minutes. Thank heaven that the company was excellent. Both my outings with this group have been blessed with very pleasant company, and to me that is at least half of why I value a restaurant experience.
The service for the all you can eat choice involves filling out an order sheet that has two parts, one for the appetizers and one for the sushi. The staff brings out more sheets as they become aware that you have eaten most of the sushi on your plate. This way you can enjoy the meal at your own pace, which is what I like.
This is not flashy or exotic shushi, but will serve when your appetite for the delicacy is primed. I appreciated their care in preparation, especially since they were under a lot of pressure, and I also appreciated that they didn't skimp in any way with the rice. For me, the rice doesn't complement the fish if it is too cold, or too dry, and they consistently take the time to make good rice in delicious combinations. The pieces were on the small side, which I prefer. They also take great care in design and presentation with each plate, even when they've got a full dining room, so I give them my admiration for not buckling to pressure and just throwing the sushi around. I'm not one to be hankering after more and more exotic sushi combinations, so Blowfish is a good match for my idea of a good sushi dinner that allows you to order a little, then order a little more, and then maybe a final couple of pieces.
The dining room is both very new and furnished in a minimalist style with light colors, so I kept expecting Hello Kitty to pop up at any moment on accessories or plates. I like that sort of bare but cheery style, however others consider it a bit austere.
Their facebook page shows menu items that are not sushi, so I will be heading back to see how they prepare and present other foods on the menu.
LorreBob sez check them out, then come back here and comment.
The advantage of the sushi meetup is that the host of the the meetup usually negotiates for a nice price, since the group can literally fill the restaurant for the evening. At Blowfish we had 42 group members and completely filled the tables in half the dining room plus three or four more in the other half.
It became apparent early on that the Blowfish staff and chefs didn't grasp the situation and had not thought out how to handle so many people at one time, so we had fairly spaced-out service to say the least. Our table didn't get sushi for 90 minutes. Thank heaven that the company was excellent. Both my outings with this group have been blessed with very pleasant company, and to me that is at least half of why I value a restaurant experience.
The service for the all you can eat choice involves filling out an order sheet that has two parts, one for the appetizers and one for the sushi. The staff brings out more sheets as they become aware that you have eaten most of the sushi on your plate. This way you can enjoy the meal at your own pace, which is what I like.
This is not flashy or exotic shushi, but will serve when your appetite for the delicacy is primed. I appreciated their care in preparation, especially since they were under a lot of pressure, and I also appreciated that they didn't skimp in any way with the rice. For me, the rice doesn't complement the fish if it is too cold, or too dry, and they consistently take the time to make good rice in delicious combinations. The pieces were on the small side, which I prefer. They also take great care in design and presentation with each plate, even when they've got a full dining room, so I give them my admiration for not buckling to pressure and just throwing the sushi around. I'm not one to be hankering after more and more exotic sushi combinations, so Blowfish is a good match for my idea of a good sushi dinner that allows you to order a little, then order a little more, and then maybe a final couple of pieces.
The dining room is both very new and furnished in a minimalist style with light colors, so I kept expecting Hello Kitty to pop up at any moment on accessories or plates. I like that sort of bare but cheery style, however others consider it a bit austere.
Their facebook page shows menu items that are not sushi, so I will be heading back to see how they prepare and present other foods on the menu.
LorreBob sez check them out, then come back here and comment.
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