King Street resto-lounge Blowfish to open new location in the financial district
Seven years after opening its doors in a bank building on King Sreet, Japanese fusion resto-lounge Blowfish is getting ready to do it all over again with a new location in the financial district. The team behind the original spot had been mulling over a second outpost for some time, says co-owner Joseph Siahou (executive chef G.Q. Pan and nightlife impresario Zark Fatah are also back on board). They were eventually convinced by a prime 3,500-square-foot space at the northwest end of the Bay-Adelaide Centre. “A lot of our clientele is from the financial core,” Siahou says. “Ultimately, we felt that’s where the best bang for our buck was.”
Designed by Johnson Chou, Blowfish on Bay will bring the original’s nighttime formula of gourmet sushi, Japanese-inspired dishes and saketinis to the lunch meeting and after-work crowd. Old menu favourites will carry over, but the expansive new space is giving Blowfish’s kitchen squad the chance to experiment (apparently a new handroll akin to their signature giant ebi roll is in the offing). Still, the focus on Asian fusion remains, with new offerings like Wagyu beef, Japanese ribs and a sophisticated Asian spin on the doughnut (“like a Japanese Boston cream,” says Siahou).
The layout of the space will also allow for a new sake-tasting room where two “sake sommeliers” will introduce patrons to several brands exclusive to Canada. At the bar, award-winning mixologist Nishan Nepulangoda will continue to pour up new versions of his innovative sake-based cocktails.
After six months of construction, Blowfish on Bay launches this weekend with a slate of private parties, before opening its doors to the public on Monday for lunch and dinner.
Blowfish on Bay, 333 Bay St., 416-860-0606, blowfishrestaurant.com.
. They were eventually convinced by a prime 3,500-square-foot space at the northwest end of the Bay-Adelaide Centre. “A lot of our clientele is from the financial core,” Siahou says. “Ultimately, we felt that’s where the best bang for our buck was.”
Designed by Johnson Chou, Blowfish on Bay will bring the original’s nighttime formula of gourmet sushi, Japanese-inspired dishes and saketinis to the lunch meeting and after-work crowd. Old menu favourites will carry over, but the expansive new space is giving Blowfish’s kitchen squad the chance to experiment (apparently a new handroll akin to their signature giant ebi roll is in the offing). Still, the focus on Asian fusion remains, with new offerings like Wagyu beef, Japanese ribs and a sophisticated Asian spin on the doughnut (“like a Japanese Boston cream,” says Siahou).
The layout of the space will also allow for a new sake-tasting room where two “sake sommeliers” will introduce patrons to several brands exclusive to Canada. At the bar, award-winning mixologist Nishan Nepulangoda will continue to pour up new versions of his innovative sake-based cocktails.
After six months of construction, Blowfish on Bay launches this weekend with a slate of private parties, before opening its doors to the public on Monday for lunch and dinner.
Blowfish on Bay, 333 Bay St., 416-860-0606, blowfishrestaurant.com.){kind=link}