BY LINDSEY MURAOKA / Special to the Star-Advertiser
Now open in Waikiki is Blue Marlin, a seafood fusion restaurant with a three-concept dining experience. I attended a tasting last week to sample some of their dishes, which have a mix of Asian, Spanish, and local flavors.
Blue Marlin brings in fresh fish three times a week from Tsukiji Market in Japan. There’s a restaurant area, sushi and tapas bar, plus a separate poke cafe called Hi Tide Poke.
Owner and CEO Masato Kanemoto was inspired to open up a restaurant in Hawaii after enjoying an amazing dinner at Vintage Cave. Presentation and quality is very important to him and it shows in all of the dishes at Blue Marlin.
Kanemoto, right, with Blue Marlin director of operations Saki Igawa.
Fashion Designers Allison Izu and Summer Shiigi collaborated with Blue Marlin to create the staff’s uniforms with casual and subtle Hawaiian prints.
This is a sampling of their sashimi platter. It looks very Vintage Cave-inspired. Blue Marlin executive chef Tim Petersen actually worked for a bit at Vintage Cave as well as Alan Wong’s and as executive chef at Stage Restaurant. From left to right, a Goose Point oyster with pickled chiso vinaigrette, onaga with a ginger aioli and sea asparagus, big eye ahi with spicy aioli and tobiko and hamachi with ponzu gel and a cilantro-pickled jalapeño leaf.
I really enjoyed the salmon roll. It would’ve been just a typical roll with avocado and cucumber if not for the thinly sliced lemons that added a refreshing spark of flavor.
This is a sample of some of their entrees: huli huli chicken, a vegetable medley and garlic shrimp with paella rice. The chicken had an intense peppery flavor while the garlic shrimp had a light creamy flavor that was not too overpowering.
Since I was in Waikiki the next day, I went back to check out Hi Tide Poke Cafe. You choose two kinds of seafood (ahi, hamachi, salmon or octopus) and also the style (local, Japanese, Korean, or Southeast Asian). I got ahi and hamachi, Korean-style with brown rice ($9.50 for the regular size). The fish was really fresh and the sauce wasn’t too spicy; it was just enough to give the dish flavor.
Blue Marlin is located at 364 Seaside Ave. There is validated parking available across the street in the parking garage before Ross Dress for Less. Blue Marlin is open daily for lunch and dinner; the tapas and sushi bar is open until 2 a.m. For more information, check out their website.
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Lindsey Muraoka blogs about food and drink for the Pulse. Contact her on Twitter or via email at foodlalablog@gmail.com.