A lack of pretention and a focus on the food make Bluefin a Montgomery County standout.

The first thing you’ll notice is the distinct lack of so-called “authentic” touches at Bluefin. Indeed, recent years have seen an inexplicable preponderance of Japanese restaurants at which more effort seems to have been put into the conception and execution of the interior design than the food. The most egregious offenders of this culinary crime shall remain nameless; you probably know which ones they are without my having to point them out specifically.

Anyway, these houses of faux-Zen sensibilities generally feature lots of blonde wood, a simply and elegantly dressed staff, and at least one of those water sculptures that are equally popular with the proprietors of Japanese restaurants as they are with mid-level corporate drones who think that that incessant drip-drip-dripping sound is more relaxing than infuriating. And the food, with very few exceptions, is fairly standardized. Competent sushi chefs are all over the place these days; truly talented ones are more difficult to find.

Which brings us to Bluefin. Ms. Martini and I almost drove past it, but luckily (and this is generally how it works) she was paying more attention than I was. There, on the side of the road, tucked into a shopping center, was as undistinguished a sushi restaurant as I’ve ever seen. Its entrance was marked with a neon sign.

This, I thought, was either a very good sign, or a horribly bad one.

Fortunately, it was, indeed, the former.

We knew we were in for a different kind of sushi experience when, upon settling into our seats, we looked over at the sushi bar and saw one of the gentlemen behind it slicing pieces of flesh from a whole fish. Not a block of pre-frozen fish, mind you, but an actual fish. The fact that this caused me so much excitement is probably a sign of the generally disappointing state of sushi-culture around the area, but I won’t focus on the negative. The message was clear: These folks care about quality.

We began with the Oysters Tempura ($7.50), which were wonderfully plump oysters encased in a crispy, flavorful deep-fried batter. The subtly sweet soy-based sauce that accompanied it offset the briny flavors of the oysters nicely. We also had the Wasabi Shumai ($4.95), which, though nothing more than steamed pork dumplings that had been spiked with wasabi, were simply delicious. The balance of horseradish heat and porky richness was fine-tuned and exciting.

Ms. Martini, who this evening had to make due with the beer we had brought (Bluefin is a BYOB establishment, and I strongly recommend either a Pilsner-style or wheat beer, or even a nice India Pale Ale, to pair with the food there), also ordered a bowl of Miso Soup ($1.95). This was the only less-than-stellar part of the meal: While it was certainly flavorful, it was a bit too salty for both my taste and hers.

The sushi and rolls, however, were nothing short of extraordinary. The sushi came two pieces to the order, and both the yellowtail ($5.95) and the bonito ($7.00) that we tasted were impeccably fresh and wonderfully prepared with just the right amount of rice.

But it was the rolls that truly stood out. My personal favorite was the Marlee Roll ($14.95), a textural extravaganza of crunchy, spicy yellowtail roll that was topped with tuna, roe, and spicy sauce. The juxtaposition of crunchiness and softness achieved a sort of harmony and, despite the size of the construction, a certain kind of elegance.

The Noname Roll II ($14.95) was also a standout. This was a shrimp tempura roll that had been topped with roe, tempura chips, and spicy yellowtail, and whose variety of flavors played together to beautiful effect. What impressed me most was the delicate delineation of flavors: I had expected a roll with so many constituent parts to taste a bit muddled. But in this one, each of the individual flavors was afforded the opportunity to sing.

At the end of the evening, our waitress brought out, along with the check, a plate of fresh fruit and tempura-fried banana pieces with honey. It was the perfect way to end a wonderfully well-constructed meal.

Bluefin is a gem, and proof that you cannot and should not judge a book by its cover. Or, in this case, a restaurant by its neon sign. Bluefin is located at 1017 Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting, PA. You can contact Bluefin at (610) 277-3917 or visit them online at the Bluefin Web site (www.sushibluefin.com).