Blue Fish for tasty sushi

The College Son is home for summer, and has discovered that the 24/7 food opportunities afforded to him at school are much more limited on the home front. While the dining halls provide a smorgasbord nearly any time of day, our home kitchen is not staffed around the clock.

Furthermore, the menu does not include sushi, a food group upon which he has grown increasingly dependent. Mama don’t do sushi, but she will, on occasion, accompany him on such an excursion in exchange for some conversation and tales of college life.

One blazingly hot afternoon, his need for cool, raw fish brought us to Blue Fish in Montrose. No one was taking advantage of the sidewalk seating, as the fish might very well have broiled under that summer sun, but on a cooler summer evening, one of those tables might be pleasant for dining and people-watching.

We opted for an indoor table in the comfortable dining room. Very high ceilings and a brick wall flanking one side of the room make conversation levels reverberate on a busy day. A sushi bar extends nearly the length of the space, with blond wood and sleek black accents creating a clean-lined atmosphere.

Sushi Boy opted for the Rainbow Roll ($9.95), which the menu describes as California Roll with seven kinds of fish and Yellowtail Sashimi ($5.50 for two pieces, $12.95 for seven pieces). He pronounced the miso soup delicious, sipping the broth and deftly spearing tiny cubes of tofu with his chopsticks.

When his order arrived, even a non-sushi fan like me could appreciate the art of the presentation.

A sinuous array of vibrantly fresh shrimp, salmon and tuna sushi pieces, along with what seemed enormous slabs of glistening yellowtail, graced the large platter.

He tucked into the sushi, wasabi and pickled ginger with gusto, and I was even persuaded to partake of a couple bites. The sweet flavor of the fresh-fresh fish was excellent, I had to admit. While I did not taste the yellowtail, I could see that it was impeccably fresh and gleaming. It rated the nonverbal "thumbs-up," as a piece was large enough to make his cheek bulge.

My tempura (vegetable $7, assorted $9, seafood $11) proved a crunchy treat, with slabs of sweet potato, green beans, broccoli and shrimp, all crowned with a tiara of onion rings.

 The crisp, fresh batter held no trace of grease. This tempura coating was thick and even, rather than lacy, but not at all heavy.

An order of yakisoba (vegetable $7.95, chicken $8.95, beef $9.95) was presented in a broad bowl, with a tangle of deeply flavored noodles, studded with red onion, carrots, broccoli and bell pepper strips.

While tasty, it was beyond the limits of our appetites that day. (We found it equally delicious, chilled, the following summer afternoon.)

The College Son was more than pleased with Blue Fish, especially when Mom picked up the tab.

CHERIE MERCER TWOHY teaches cooking in La Cañada Flintridge. She can be reached at www.chezcherie.com.