Shima Sushi Restaurant: First Impressions

Shima, located at 339 Fore Street, Portland, ME, opened on September 30th, 2009, after chef David left a local Japanese restaurant.  Shima resides in the same space the fallen Siam occupied for along time (I never wrote about it but I thought their food was delicious).  Shima shows signs of a new restaurant with a slight lack of focus, plenty of ambition, and a struggle with consistency - but I encourage everyone to try it for themselves.  The menu is Japanese-French-Hawaiian fusion.

I got the privilege of interacting with guests sitting at the sushi bar, all whom raved about Shima.  Personally, I was disappointed with the sushi selection.  Even though one could order directly at the bar, the formal process is paper slips reminiscent of all-you-can-eat sushi restaurants in other parts of the country.  Aside from the sushi slips, the full menu is divided into appetizers, two sushi dinners, and a-la-carte items.

The selection of fish contains all of the staples, but no speciality items - outside of a $60 single serving of Kobe beef.  It may sound expensive but Kobe beef can easily cost twice as much - in Japan.  The sushi menu itself is relatively low priced; Chef David has secured good deals on fresh fish from New York.  To an extent, that's disappointing to me because I rather support local businesses.

The same, however, cannot be said about the prices in the rest of the menu.   The restaurant features a number of a-la-carte options including spare ribs and king crab.  I tried the spare ribs, which were more fat than rib.   They were well seasoned and delicious, but not something I would order again.

On many levels Shima appears to have a menu for the masses juxtaposed against a small and intimate dining room; well almost.  The huge liquor storage area, not really a bar, is an eyesore.   In fact, the alcohol selection appears to be for a full-scale bar, certainly excessive.   Even the sake selections are broad and unfocused.

In the end, my check was about $70, which included a bottle of sake. I am torn because it's not very expensive for high quality sushi, yet it seems over-priced for what was served. Shima may become a contender in the Old Port, but for now it is not near the top. My favorites are Miyake and Benkay, for two very different reasons.   The rest I tried and never felt compelled to come back to.  I will likely re-visit Shima in a few months to check on its progress, but I doubt it will become a favorite anytime soon.