While many reviews you will see written here gravitate towards sandwiches, burgers, fried chicken and other quick cheap meals, there are times when I like to go out and splurge on a fancier class of restaurant. It was such with Ponti Seafood Grill.

Set on the Southern bank of the Fremont Ship Canal, Ponti is set back away from the hustle of the Westlake Avenue and Fremont Bridge traffic. A quiet subdued atmosphere is what you can expect to find in the dining area of the restaurant. With one side of the building covered in windows overlooking the canal you can catch all the action while still feeling safe and secure. And the service is equally spot-on with quick, knowledgeable staff ready with suggestions on what is best that night.

I started off with an order of Dungeness Crab Spring Rolls ($7.00 half, $12.00 full). These crispy, fried spring rolls came to the table still piping hot stacked on a small mound of cilantro and pickled ginger. The heat caused the ginger to give off a wonderful aroma that begged me to try a bite. Inside the crisp shell was tender, sweet crab mixed with a light blend of cabbage, red pepper and rice noodles. Accompanying my half order of spring rolls was a red curry aioli that held the faintest hint of spice that played well against the light sweetness of the roll. Before I knew it the spring roll was gone and I was left tempted for more while awaiting the arrival of the main course.

For this course I choose the Pan Seared Alaskan King Salmon ($26.00). What arrived was a high-rimmed plate with a small mountain of squash risotto in the center, topped with a good-sized salmon filet and a fair portion of black trumpet mushrooms. I tasted the risotto first. A creamy, cheesy flavor hit my palate first, the risotto itself very tender. Underlying the flavor of cheese there was a hint of delicate squash, almost non-existent. While I like cheese, I would dare say the risotto could have done with just a tad less in order to let the squash flavor really come to life. But this dish is about salmon and so I carved off a bite with the edge of my fork. Tender and flakey with still a hint of glossiness on the inside. The outer surface has a wonderful sear to it, a golden brown crust flecked with bits of pepper and a crunch that matched nicely with the faintly salty ocean flavor of the fish. Combined with a bit of mushroom and there was a wonderful blending of earthy and buttery flavors.

While this particular meal may have been a little more than I’d typically like to spend for a quick casual dinner alone, I will say that it was well worth it. Sometimes the best pleasures are the ones that you bestow upon yourself and this is one that I will likely return to in the near future.