Lenten Sacrifice?

Somewhere between the "Gorton's fisherman" Fridays of my childhood (complete with a commercial tartar sauce my brother euphemistically referred to as "pickles and puke") and my later discovery of (and ultimate obsession with) all things sushi, I think I lost touch with the whole Lenten sacrifice thing. Give up red meat on Fridays? But mouth watering, tear-evoking raw salmon and tuna over rice is sanctioned by the Church? Check. I'm in.

Since we still had Nicole & Kerry's Christmas gift -- a certificate for dinner at Blowfish - Sushi to Die For. The flashy website (more style than substance) and Santana Row's reputation for "sister restaurants" that don't live up to the reputations of their siblings, and I don't think either of us were expecting much. We were pleasantly surprised.

Standouts included Pyramid of Tartar - big eye tuna, atlantic king salmon and avocado with a light honey tartar sauce and a sweet ginger soy sauce, the Godzilla Roll - sweet shrimp, mango, avocado, caramelized cashews, roasted coconut and aonori, and some wonderful kanpachi nigiri. The portions were a little on the small side -- and pricey -- but again, that's a function of trendy Santana Row. And considering the trend-factor (read: I am not and have never been a member of the "beautiful people" club) the plastic factor among the staff and the chefs was remarkably low -- we got very good service despite the fact we clearly wouldn't have fit in with the "in" crowd. Because it's trendy, a bit expensive, loud, and we're really not into the stunt sushi thing, it won't be on our regular visit list. But it was an interesting experience, a memorable meal, and I'd certainly go back again. They serve 'til midnight, so it's a great resource for late-night sushi-snacking.