Hibachi Steak House But No Pufferfish
St. Pete Beach, Florida USA
Dined in December 2016
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
Fugu or better known as the Japanese pufferfish is one of the most dangerous foods in the world to eat, it has a tetrodotoxin, which is a potent neurotoxin with no known antidote, and is more dangerous then cyanide. Fugu Chefs in Japan have to train for seven to ten years in the art of preparing pufferfish and removing all the toxic parts properly to avoid them from contaminating the meat. As a result of this training and skill, ordering this sushi will cost ¥10,000 ($110-120 USD). According to the statistics, of the 23 incidents reported in Tokyo from 1993 through 2006, only one took place in a restaurant; all others involved people catching and eating the fish. Because of this, as crazy as that sounds, it may seem crazier that I want to try it. So when my wife and I drove down Gulf boulevard in St. Pete Beach and saw the Blue Fugu restaurant, I wondered if they actually served this dish. We went with my daughter one evening, and I discovered that they did not, they only named the restaurant after the fish. We still enjoyed a nice hibachi experience.
Follow Wine, Dine, and Play:
Main review:
The Blue Fugu features three unique concepts, the Japanese Hibachi Grill, a full Sushi Bar, and a saké menu all in one restaurant. This winning combination has made Blue Fugu ratings hit the top on Trip advisor and other review sights as St. Pete and the Beaches best Japanese restaurants. Their saké menu consists of over 30 selections, and one of the largest connoisseur sake selections on St. Pete Beach and the Tampa Bay area. The sushi menu offers varieties of sushi-grade seafood, including tuna, snapper, salmon, shrimp, clam, conch, eel, scallops, octopus, and many more, and their Hibachi section and menu offers the full Teppan Yaki experience.
We sat down next to the Teppen Yaki grill with about ten seats, same as most other Hibachi restaurant seating arrangements, with a family on the other side where there was a little scare as one young girl was choking, and the father had to help the poor girl. After everyone calmed down, and drinks were delivered between a non-alcoholic strawberry daiquiri for my daughter, a gin martini for my wife, and a warm saké for me.
 |
| Great reaction from the kids, and there first Hibachi visit |
All dinners are served with shrimp appetizer, soup, salad, zucchini’s, onions, mushrooms, fried rice and noodles. The menu is also broken down by regular dinners, the chef suggestions, samurai warrior steaks section, and the blue combinations section. My daughter ordered the shrimp dinner from the regular section, and my wife order the chicken and shrimp from the blue combos.
Where I work, there is not very good quality meats, so when I come home to see my family, so I enjoyed the New York strip steak option, which really hit the spot, and cooked to perfect.
Dessert:
All of us were completely full and did not have room for dessert, but they did have some nice options such mocha cake, matcha or tempura ice cream and several others.
Other Noteworthy Japanese and sushi Favorites:
Rock 'n Raw at the Hard Rock Casino, Tampa, Florida
Morimoto Asia in Disney Springs, Orlando, Florida
Ambrosia in Key West, Florida
Final notes and observations:
Over all from this experience taking the six factors I use on Wine, Dine, and Play to produce my rating, I give Blue Fugu a 3 out of 5 stars, meaning that they exceeded my expectations and were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants. The six factors used to get this rating include reviewing of their wine selections; overall customer service from host, bar, service, and management; the restaurant ambiance, noise level, lighting, and bathroom quality; plate presentation, which includes garnish, color, and art; quality of the food, where it is produced, and how it is prepared; and finally the “wow” factor. Did the restaurant wow me in any way not listed in the five factors above? Some restaurants do, but most do not.
|
Overall Star rating by Wine, Dine, & Play:
|
|
|
Ambiance:
|
6 of 10
|
|
Quality of the Food:
|
7 of 10
|
|
Plate Presentation:
|
5 of 10
|
|
Customer Service:
|
6 of 10
|
|
Wow Factor:
|
2 of 10
|
|
Wine Selection:
|
5 of 10
|
Other St. Pete Beach, and Madeira Beach Florida reviews on Wine, Dine, and Play:
|
Contemporary American Eats
|
At the Lows Don CeSar Hotel
|
Rooftop Artisan Fusion Bistro
|
|
Blue Fugu
Japanese Steakhouse and Hibachi
|
Mediterranean Cuisine, 360 views
|
Relaxed Italian Eatery
|
|
Rooftop 360 Revolving Restaurant
|
Madeira Beach Tavern
|
American Eats, Caribbean Flair
|
Food Prices
(excluding, alcohol, taxes & gratuity)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00
**Currencies chosen reflect the world’s major travelers and restaurant connoisseur’s**
|
My food bill:
|
Currency:
|
Price chart:
|
|
$75.00
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$$
|
|
$100.00
|
Australian Dollar (AUS)
|
$$$
|
|
£62.00
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
££
|
|
$98.00
|
Canadian Dollar (CAN)
|
$$
|
|
¥517.00
|
Chinese Yuan (CNY)
|
¥¥¥¥¥
|
|
€70.00
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€€
|
Currency rates as of January 2017
Alcohol Prices:
$38.00
Blue Fugu:
Dolphin Beach Resort
4615 Gulf Blvd
St Pete Beach, Florida
33706
Contact Information:
|
Maître d or host:
|
+1 727-367-6762 |
|
Restaurant website: |
Blue Fugu |
|
Serving hours: Eastern Standard Time (GMT - 5:00) |
Mon-Sun 3:30 pm - 10:00 pm |
|
Email or webpage contact: |
Contact Fugu |
|
Social Media
&
Accolades:
|
Facebook link |
|
Instagram |
Review basics:
|
5 stars
|
An Extraordinary Experience
|
|
4 Stars
|
An Outstanding Experience
|
|
3 Stars
|
Exceeded Expectations
|
|
2 Stars
|
Above the Average Experience
|
|
1 Star
|
An Average Dining Experience
|
|
No Star Rating
|
The Restaurant is Basic, Poor, or Appalling
|
|
Overall Star Rating:
|
3 of 5 Stars:
Exceeded Expectations
|
|
Corkage fee’s:
|
The Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge $25.00 per bottle
|
|
Restaurant style:
|
Casual
|
|
Reservations:
|
Not Required, But Recommended
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
|
|
Child policy:
|
The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a child’s menu or cater to them; however for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended for children not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
Hire a Babysitter!
|
|
Dress code:
|
Casual attire
|
|
Cuisine style:
|
Steakhouse, Seafood, Asian-fusion, Japanese, & Vegetarian
|
|
Experiences:
|
Trendy, Hot spot, Great outdoor dining, Good for special occasions, Tourist grabber, and a Neighborhood gem.
|
|
Payments:
|
Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
|
|
Parking:
|
Public lot
|
|
Wifi
|
The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
|
|
Noise level:
|
Medium
|
|
Smoking:
|
Nonsmoking restaurant, with a nonsmoking patio
|
|
Patio:
|
Yes
|
****
The worlds best restaurants, based on the
That have been visited and reviewed on this site…
|
Rustic New American Fare
Saint Petersburg, Florida USA
|
Eclectic French-Asian Tasting Menu
Sydney, Australia
|
Modern Eclectic African Cuisine
Woodstock, South Africa
|
|
Innovative East Meets West Menu
Cape Town, South Africa
|
Modern Upscale Global Plates
Austin, Texas, USA
|
Classic French Gastronomique
Bordeaux, France
|
|
Elegant Fine Australian Dining
Melbourne, Australia
|
Chic Country-Style Vineyard Restaurant
Constantia, Cape Town, South Africa
|
Hip Asian-Fusion
Dubai, UAE
|
|
Ornate Top 10 American Chophouse
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
Haute French Cuisine
Paris, France
|
American-Global Molecular Menu
Chicago, Illinois, USA
|
|
Quintessential Modern Australian Cuisine
Sydney, Australia
|
Impeccably Acclaimed French Cuisine
Dublin, Ireland
|
French-American Fine Dining
Yountville, Napa, California, USA
|
|
High Rise Fine Global Dining, Highest Restaurant In The World
Dubai, UAE
|
Contemporary, African-Inspired Tasting Journey
Franschhoek, South Africa
|
Upscale Creole Fare
New Orlean’s, Louisiana, USA
|
|
Inventive Eclectic Tasting Menus
Ripponlea, Melbourne, Australia
|
Safari + Upscale African Cuisine
Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa
|
Creative Mediterranean Cuisine
Denver, Colorado, USA
|
|
Vibrant Pan-Indian Cuisine
Slough, United Kingdom
|
High-End New Zealand Fare & Bistro
Christchurch, New Zealand
|
Posh French Cuisine
Festival City, Dubai, UAE
|
|
Inspired Farm-to-Table Dining
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
|
|
Reviewed by:
Sean Overpeck (CFE)
Picture below was taken at
Le Gabriel 2010 with Chef
Francois Adamski
About Sean:
I am based out of St. Petersburg, Florida working in the food service industry for the past twenty years, and am currently with the American Embassy as the Executive Chef in Basra, Iraq. Formally I have worked with groups contracting in Afghanistan, and Antarctica, also working in restaurants in and around Atlanta, Georgia prior to the wars. I have also owned a catering company and served proudly in the United States Army Food Service Program. The idea for Wine, Dine, and Play started in late 2012 after a trip to Jordan, when I was asked by friends to write down the experiences from a few Jordanian restaurants, wine from the region that I tasted, and locations of interest such as Petra. Since that time, over 250 articles have been written on restaurants, including fifteen from the worlds top 100 lists of San Pellegrino and the Elite Travelers Guide. There are articles on exotic world locations such as Victoria Falls, and South African Safari’s; food recipes & Grand Food Dictionaries; ethnic country cuisines such as Afghan, and Peruvian; tasting tours of world cities like Charleston, Cape Town, and Dubai; and of course wine from vineyards in California, Oregon, the Carolina’s, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia, with much more to see and write about.
Who is John Galt?
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Other articles of interest on Wine, Dine, and Play:
Shark Cage Diving in South Africa
Gulfport Tuesday Market Gulfport, Florida
Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai, UAE
(coming soon)
Petra, Jordan
A Taste of Dubai
A Taste of South Africa vol 1 & 2
Wine, Dine, And Play’s “best of” List
FOB Shank - Cooking with Incoming
TTFN
