Cuisine:

• Japanese
• Sushi bar
• Others

Shima Description:
Japanese restaurant featuring brown rice sushi and flavorful sashimi specialty dishes. Organic wines. Small and fashionably austere interior, on two levels. A bit pricey.
This stylish yet relatively undiscovered sushi bar fits nicely into the fabric of Venice's trendy Abbot Kinney Boulevard. Without any prominent signage, the building appears at first glance to be a residential townhouse, and the continuation of a loft motif creates a warm, appealing interior. With floor-to-ceiling windows, a broad wood sushi bar devoid of those unsightly refrigeration units and a cozy mezzanine level for more intimacy, Shima certainly has the looks. But does the food measure up? We're generally pleased with the high-quality ingredients---including freshly ground wasabi---incorporated into delicacies like red snapper sashimi with truffle oil, tuna tartare with caviar, uni risotto, miso-glazed black cod and a highly spiced dish of grilled abalone and shiitake mushrooms. Shima is best known for its brown rice sushi, a healthful novelty that doesn't add much but generally sacrifices little flavor. A variety of grilled fish, meat and excellent house-made tofu dishes round out an inviting menu.