Ankimo is the liver of the monkfish. If you have never seen a monkfish, google it. They are frightening creatures! Eating the liver is a Japanese delicacy which reminds me a bit of foie gras in the preparation and look. It’s usually de-veined and wrapped in a cheesecloth and then steamed. I am a huge fan of it, but I can be hard to find on the East Coast. I had been here about two years asking sushi itamae (chef) for ankimo before I finally tracked it down in the suburbs of Philadelphia. In Japan this dish is usually only available in the winter, but I believe that monkfish is available year round off the coast of America.

I should probably stop there and let it be stated that I am a bastard. It’s true, ask my girlfriend. One of my many faults is that I am a bit of a snob about sushi. I had this preconceived idea that if a sushi restaurant is not Japanese owned that I did not want to frequent the establishment. One of the reasons is that I often order items that are not on the menu. Any Japanese restaurant will probably have the items I ask for on hand, and gladly make them for me. Two examples of my favorites would be nattou to uzura tamago no gunkan (fermented soybeans and raw egg sushi) and mentaiko to avocado no nigiri (a spiced caviar sack and avocado sushi). These types of items are not typically on a menu, but a good itamae will gladly prepare them for you if you ask. I really believed that a non-Japanese owned restaurant would not delve too much deeper into Japanese cuisine then spider rolls and hamachi sushi.

Let it be stated that my erroneous concepts on Japanese food have been shattered. Blue Fin restaurant in Norristown is Korean owned, and they really know their sushi. First and foremost the itamae is incredibly skilled. Watching him break down whole salmon puts me in awe, and his nigiri sushi and sashimi are flawless. Bluefin also has quite a selection of fish at all times, and has several daily specials depending on what is in season.

I ordered several appetizers off their menu before I tried the sushi. First up was agedashi tofu. Dashi is a broth in this case made from bonito flakes. Deep fried tofu is served in the broth. The tofu was of the firm variety and the dashi was sweetened just a bit. The next dish up was the spicy tuna sundae. I had seen people getting this before in the restaurant and have always wanted to try it. A cocktail glass is a fun way to present fish and it comes covered in several types of fish roe. The last appetizer up was the ankimo dish. Typically ankimo is served alone, or with a ponzu (lemon soy sauce) to help keep the delicate balance of flavors intact. Blue Fin departs from this logic and uses a bold vinegar sauce. The dish is covered in daikon radish sprouts and green onion, both these items lending an additional bite to the dish. The texture of ankimo is a lot like pate and the flavor could be compared to foie gras. I have to say it’s really a successful dish.

Finally the sushi arrived. I ordered one of their combinations which is five pieces of sushi with a spicy tuna roll. The spicy tuna roll has something crunchy in it. I was trying to decide if it was tempura flakes or panko (Japanese bread crumbs) but I ate them all before I came to a conclusion. I also ordered a few pieces of my current favorite fish, shiro maguro (white tuna). This is one of the most intensely flavored fish I have ever eaten. It’s akin to saba or escolar in the intensity of flavor, without really ever tasting “fishy”. It’s also really fatty and a delight to eat, basically dissolving on the tongue.

All in all, Blue Fin is worth the half hour plus trek from center city.

August 25th, 2007 by John (Cho-Tabetai)