Dine: Shima in Venice

Everybody in LA has a favorite sushi spot, I personally am a traditionalist so I love Sushi Park, Sushi Zo, Kiyokawa, Asanebo, and Hiko. For some odd reason, Shima isn't on the sushi radar as much as it should be, and while I've eaten at the colorful modern restaurant on Abbot Kinney a handful of times in the past, up until recently the eatery didn't make my tops list.

A week or so ago Brad started freaking out to me about Shima and how it was the second best sushi restaurant in LA next to Asanebo, a personal favorite for both of us. He, however, loves Asanebo because of those little live crabs they serve which are deep fried just moments before they end up in your mouth.

Anyway, according to him I HAD to revist Shima, so the other night, amidst treacherous rain, we went over for dinner. First off, the space is absolutely adorable and tastefully done with a minimalist approach. Spots of color pop through the space from the bar stools to the colorful (vintage antique Bauer) plates stacked across the sushi bar.

We grabbed seats at the bar and our eating adventure began. However, before I get to details, I need to mention a few things. Shima serves brown rice sushi, makes its own soy sauce (which is INSANE), and grates fresh wasabi root in place of the paste/rehydrated powders that appear in restaurants across the city. Shima also serves NO meat and all desserts are vegan.

We started off with a personal favorite which is now in season, baby sweet shrimp served in coupe glasses topped with caviar.

Plate two consisted of lotus root wrapped around chevre, marinated Japanese spinach, salmon wrapped around sweet shrimp, king crab wrapped in cucumber, and this fish pate which wasn't my favorite. Too fishy pour moi.

Next came salmon sashimi with jalapeno, onion, and shiso, incredibly fresh, didn't have any of that fishy salmon taste that I despise.

Especially since it was cold and rainy outside I LOVED the delicate matsutake mushroom broth with matsutakes and one chewy ginkgo nut.

The next course was our favorite, a boiled lobster removed from its sell with hand-sliced accordion cucumbers, avocado, cilantro leaves, tossed in a zippy yuzu ponzu sauce- insanely delicious, craving this right now.

More sashimi, red snapped (as I recall) lightly seared with truffle oil, black truffles, ponzu, slivers of ginger, chives. YUM.


A live scallop (seared) in its own shell came next, followed by what I had been craving all night, simple sushi. Blue fin tuna, red snapper, yellow tail, giant clam, uni, and sweet shrimp. At this point we were both stuffed, though decided to split an uni/caviar roll to top it all off, our wonderful sushi chef obliged withoth batting an eye.



And finally, for dessert, a frozen coconut ice topped with sweet red beans, a chocolate pudding-esque sweet with granola and slivered almonds, and a bowl of fresh fruit with fraise de bois, persimmons, melon, gem pomegranate seeds and blueberries. Again, all vegan.

Little disclosure, omakase like this isn't cheap. To go for the fully monty expect to drop about $500 for two people, though ordering a la carte is a cheaper (still delicious) option.

Shima
1432 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice
310-314-0882