Kat's 9 Lives

I have been meaning to try out Bluefin in Laguna Beach but the long drive down has always stopped me. Ms. Lin was in town and I suggested that we finally try this place to see if they really had the best lunch omakase in town.
As many people know, I love eating sushi and I am always looking for tasty omakases in Orange County.
The normal prices here are pretty steep IMHO, but for lunch their omakase is only $30 for a 6-course and $50 for an 8-course.  It's a better deal to do the $30 because for $10 more on the $50 then you can have 2 lunch omakases.  I prefer 12 courses than just having 2 more courses, especially since they wouldn't even be more sushi courses.
To start off the meal they served a duo of Ankimo (Monk Fish Liver) with Caviar and Gold Flakes on top and a Red Snapper Roll that's wrapped in Cucumber with Gobo and Daikon.  I thought the ankimo was not bad mixed with the caviar and tangy ponzu.  The gold flakes were pretty but mainly for show.  I rather have another gold bracelet than to consume it, but still it's a nice presentation.
The red snapper (Tai) was refreshing.  They put a lot of thought to the presentation of these dishes.  The cucumber was thinly sliced and wrapped around the fish delicately.  Having gobo at the center helps to enhance the savory component.  I love gobo and the crunchy texture.  This roll was very smooth and light.
Next came the Sashimi course.  I was smart and asked that they replace my tuna (maguro) as I am not a fan of it unless it is the fatty area known as toro.  They kindly replaced it with a generous helping of salmon (sake).  The yellow tail (hamachi) was very tender and melted in my mouth.  They also had mackerel (aji) on the plate.
In total there were 6 slices of sashimi that were all very fresh and tasty.  They also have their house made sauce on the bottom that really complemented the dish.  It almost felt like a light salad.  The tangy grilled onions were savory and flavorful.  Be sure to take the shiso leaf in the back and wrap it around a tasty slice to kick the flavor up a notch.
Behind the sushi bar they have a blackboard with specials.  The first thing that caught my eye was the fact that they had razor clams.  I LOVE RAZOR CLAMS! The best way to have them is a la plancha with a pinch of sea salt.  Here the board said it would be Sautéed Razor Clams for $17.
Again, the prices are a little steep here but I had to try it since I hadn't had razor clams since Spain.  This dish was a bit disappointing because it lacked any real flavor.  It was mixed with thin slices of asparagus and a tiny bit of garlic.  I really wished they added more flavor to bring out the natural taste of the razor clam.  Kind of wished we didn't order this, especially for the price.
For the hot dish they served Grilled Halibut with Truffle Oil and Pink Peppercorn.  The aromatic flavor of the truffle emanated through the air.  I thought the fish was nicely grilled and seasoned.  It's a simple yet complicated dish with the herbs and pepper.  The fish was served over a bed of rice that soaked in all the flavors.
One of my favorite things in the world is Foie Gras! To my surprise they actually had seared foie gras as an appetizer with Chilean sea bass, how can I say no to that delightful combination???  YUM! The appetizer is just called Chilean Sea Bass and Foie Gras for $25.  I thought the presentation was very nice as they layered the sea bass with grilled foie gras and a shitake mushroom.  The shiso leaf is fried and topped with a gold leaf to enhance the presentation.
This is a great combination of flavors.  The added kick is the white truffle oil that releases a heavenly fragrance throughout the vicinity.  I thought the foie gras was nicely seared and savory with a hint of sweetness.  The sea bass was nicely cooked and melted in my mouth.  I made sure to use each slice to absorb up some of the sauce.  The sauce was glazed onto the seared foie gras and shitake mushroom.  Even the special berry on the side flavor was super tasty.  I enjoyed how it was nicely soaked in syrup.  A great way to complement all the savory components.  This was definitely one of the best things and I often think about driving down for some more.  If only this place was closer, I'd be there every day for this! Well good thing Bluefin isn't or I'd be destitute soon. lol
Before the dessert was the Sushi course.  For our lunch they served 5 sushi pieces and 2 slices of a roll.  Ms. Lin got the tuna while I had the Kanpachi (amberjack), which was topped with yuzu chili peppers.  I must say, I made the smart choice to avoid tuna because the kanpachi was very tasty and paired with my favorite yuzu chili pepper.  The spicy and salty seasoning really brings out the natural sweetness of the fish.
All the sushi was very fresh and tasty.  I enjoyed the Albacore with their special sauce and green onions.  The albacore melted in my mouth and had a smooth texture. 
They also had Ebi, Shrimp, as part of the sushi platter.  Everything else was really good and this is the only regular sushi that I wish wasn't there but it's not surprising.  It's always your typical sushi to add on because it is the cheapest.  Still, everything else was great.
Another typical fish is the White Fish, which was fine.  It was fresh but I am never a big fan of white fish since it has a little chewier texture.  I prefer my fish to be tender and fatty.  =D
They also have a delicious slice of Hotate, Scallops.  I always enjoy the sweetness and tender texture of raw scallop.  If you haven't had raw scallops, you are missing out.  As long as it is fresh, it's succulent and heavenly.
The Eel California Roll was nicely prepared.  I liked how the Unagi, Eel, was crisp and warm.  This roll is simple but a good ole favorite.
Along with the sushi platter is the Soup with a house made Fish Ball.  Inside are puffed grains and thinly sliced daikon inside.  The soup was very light and piping hot.  It's a nice way to cleanse the palate, but I am not a huge fan of these kinds of clear broth.  Luckily Ms. Lin is around to help finish my soup.
For dessert they served a Pear soaked in Plum Wine with Jelly and fresh Vanilla Ice Cream.  This was not a bad dessert but I personally dislike the taste of alcohol.  Still, I know that many people would enjoy the fruit that's been soaked in plum wine.  I thought the vanilla ice cream was extremely tasty.  The flavors were incredible.  It was the best part of the dish.  I wished dessert was just a big bowl of this ice cream.  Yum!
All in all I was very satisfied with their lunch omakase.  The price was very reasonable for how much they normally charge for their dishes.  BlueFin is very fresh and tasty, but super pricey for sushi.  I recommend coming here for lunch because it is a much better deal.  They are actually pretty busy for lunch so be sure to make a reservation and if you have an Open Table account then be sure to get your points.
I actually came back the next day for dinner.  It is very posh and can be a little snooty from the staff but the food is good.  The chefs seem friendly and know what they are doing.  I took some friends there who had a toddler and they do not have any high chairs.  Even though I am not a fan of children at restaurants, I don't think that they should be so judgmental to my friends who brought their child and were very sweet about the fact that they didn't have high chairs.  Minus a point for this, but that was dinner, the lunch staff have been fine.
BlueFin Sushi
7952 E Coast Hwy
Newport Beach, CA 92651
(949) 715-7373

Did I hear right? Petrossian was offering a Foie Gras Tasting Menu?? Later I learned that it was for Dine LA and I thought... alright, I pray this will be good! Gourmet Pigs let me know about the special menu and we set up plans while she was away about going when she comes back. So here is the low down of the night. I have been here 3x already for their Dine LA menu and I think all 3x they had different Executive Chefs. Last time they had Chef Ben Bailly and he was very nice. Their latest Executive Chef is Chef Giselle Wellman. Here is the cold hard truth of the experience that transpired the other night...

I arrive and the place seems pretty busy and there are tons of staff members standing about the restaurant yet I see the guy at the counter who is the general manager helping a couple buy products which is understandable. Here comes the part I really don't get... 3 women are in front of me just standing there as well. I decide to ask them if they are waiting to be seated. I glance across the room where staff members were looking back at us and doing nothing... Then the women say that they are waiting to be seated and apparently this guy is the ONLY one in charge of the list. So then we ALL waited. I am standing there thinking ummm okay.... why only have one person seating when they are obviously helping customers at the counter on the "boutique" side... The gm did come by and apologize for the wait, but I just kept waiting and more people started to squeeze in for seating. I am thinking to myself... OH GOODNESS! It's getting crowded! So after they seated the people in front of me right next to the counter they stood **could've seated them earlier** then luckily Gourmet Pigs must have some pull because we got a nicer table. The server was very friendly but... more to come.
So to start off we placed our order and there were a few menu items that I was debating but in the end I decided to start with the Foie Gras Ravioli. My biggest qualm is that they claimed to be a "Foie Gras" dinner and there is no seared foie gras to be found anywhere??!?!?? I will be honest, I was devastated! I have been sick since the Bahamas and to drive up straight after work, it better be one of the best dinners to be worth the drive and time. Albeit, meeting up with my pal after so long is a big part but the food needs to be up to par as there are so many delightful places in LA to eat. Now back to the food at hand. The raviolis were al dente and flavorful. I wished there was just a bit more sauce on top for moistness. The grape, walnuts, and mushroom were a nice complement with earthy and sweet tones. It's probably the best "foie gras" dish of the night.
At this point we finished our appetizers and just sat there waiting for the main course. I am not sure why it took forever for the next course to come. I debated on which main dish to choose. The steak had the offering of white truffle oil and a foie gras, leeks, mushroom duxelles that I was tempted to order. Then the kicker was what the foie gras was. It turns out to be a mousse on top of the pastry. That made me change my mind to the Squid Ink Fettuccini. The kicker was that it has wild Californian sea urchin and salmon roe in a curry sauce. At first I was thrown off by the curry sauce but I couldn't resist the fact that I can get some sea urchin. I don't quite know if it was the right choice because I ended up eating mostly pasta/carbs for the night, which is normally against my belief. They did give me a taste of the steak which was not bad but not anything out of the ordinary. The foie gras and pastry was actually pretty tasty. I did enjoy the sea urchin. The natural sweetness complemented the savory flavor of the pasta. If you like pastas and tons of carbs then this is the dish for you, but if you are a meat eater like me it might leave you wanting for more at the end. Still, to be fair the pasta was unique and I did enjoy the sweet uni. At first bite I was debating on the whole vibe of the dish. The more I ate, the more I felt the flavors sink in.
If it is not evident by now, I am a devout lover of foie gras. I have had it as a martini, seared, terrine, raw, soup, butter, and as crème brûlée right here before. It is finally time I had it in ice cream form! Of course my friend started to warn me by text of the night to come and was eagerly awaiting my verdict on the ice cream. I was very tempted in getting the Mille Feuille because I often think about the wonderful dessert from Pierre Hermé. Thank goodness I did not make that choice because that was NOT a Mille Feuille. Yes, I know they have their own take on the dessert but that was almost blasphemous. First off, mille means a thousand layers and not 3 lame toasted bread with fruit cut up on it. By this comparison, I must say it made the Foie Gras Ice Cream so much better. To be honest, I couldn't stop laughing while I ate this. I actually detest foie gras terrine. This really was just a thick, cold, and creamy foie gras terrine. It was served with raspberry jam, honey, and sea salt on top of a brioche. I agree with my friend that it could use something bitter or salty to cut the richness down. Between this and the Mille Feuille, I'd gladly take the super rich and heavy ice cream over the poor excuse of passing off bread as a delicate pastry. To give them credit, the ice cream did taste exactly foie gras ice cream so at least you know that there is real foie gras inside.
All in all I think the place is not bad but nothing special that I would necessarily recommend or drive up for again. I felt a little tricked and I was not the only one in my party who needed to nibble on other food when they got home! The server was not bad and they were friendly but that does not excuse the inefficient way they function. I guess they are not use to being busy? In the past, I have never seen them this packed for Dine LA but this year they are probably the only restaurant offering a decent menu. When you choose restaurants to try out for Dine LA, you have to be very careful or you will end up spending more for the pre-fix than when you order separately! Dine carefully, but most importantly just enjoy the meal and the company.

Petrossian Boutique & Cafe
321 N Robertson Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90048
(310) 271-0576