Shibui Japanese...nice sushi

Shibui Japanese Restaurant
(305) 274-5578
7101 SW 102nd Ave
Just north of Sunset on 102nd Ave.

We have been to Shibui with my aunt and uncle several times now, and it is their favorite sushi place in Miami. The service is impeccable, friendly and helpful. The ambiance is also very nice: dimly lit with dark, rich wood paneling. Upstairs you can eat more traditionally, seated on cushions on the floor at low tables.

Some of the appetizers Shibui does are delicious. The seaweed salad is light and crunchi, slightly sour with a nice note of sesame. We get that every time we go, and it is one of my favorite parts of the meal. The tempura dipped sweet potatos are also good, very light, with an ethereal dipping sauce. The tempura is just right, a very thin crispy layer. The gyoza (dumplings) are good, about the same as dumplings you get anywhere else.

Shibui has a wide selection of rolls (about 40), and a good mix of cooked and raw fish selections, as well as some vegetarian options. Sushi rolls tend to be somewhat up to personal taste, but I will outline the rolls I have liked. I don't care for mayonaise (actually, I hate it), and most of the cooked fish rolls have a flavored mayonaise. But the mayonaise is very subtle, it's not overpowering at all. The Futo Maki is probably my favorite so far, with shrimp and mushrooms. Others that we like (accounting for all our individual tastes) are the JV roll, the Vegetable roll, and one with crawfish (I think it was called the Creole roll?).

Of course, I can't leave out dessert. Pretty standard desserts are offered: tempura fried cheesecake (a favorite of my aunt) and banana. And green tea and red bean ice cream, of course. I love to end the meal with a simple scoop of green tea ice cream, it really caps off all of the flavors of the meal.

If you want good sushi at a reasonable price (rolls are around $9), with great atmosphere and service, Shibui is a good option. I especially enjoy the appetizers, they shine just as much as the sushi itself.

Miscellania

A few things I've discovered this past week...

A blog worth reading...
Burnettiquette, a blog by James Burnett of the Miami Herald. He's funny and insightful at the same time (a difficult balance). I've posted a link on my favorite blog menu.

Young at heart...
David will never lose his inner child, which keeps us both young at heart. We were at Target looking for a new vacuum. It was a weeknight, and we were both tired after another long day. I stopped to "aww" over some Winnie the Pooh baby sweaters with a Christmas theme...perfect for our new little nephew. David grumbled that he didn't want to spend all night at Target, he still had things to do that night. And off he marched in the directions of household appliances. After sighing over tiny socks and pants for a minute more, I set off to meet him at the vacuums.

I was passing the toy section, where I noticed David standing in front of Tickle me Elmo, mesmerized, the toy's squeaky voice laughing hysterically and screaming, "Again! Again!".

I couldn't help but laugh while I said, "Did you still want to look at vacuums?"

(In David's defense, Tickle Me Elmo has evolved into quite a captivating little toy. Check out this video of the little critter, you will not believe what he can do these days! He's a maniac!)

Armed with a sandwich

Okay, I couldn't help but comment on this tidbit of weird news from the AP. A man in Port St. Lucie (about 120 miles up the coast from Miami), attacked his girlfriend with a sandwhich while she was driving, knocking off her glasses, and almost making her lose control of the vehicle. The article concludes, "Police haven't said what type of sandwich was involved." (which is the funniest line in the article).

That left me considering what a professor told me the other day, that South Florida is full of nuts, and not just the edible kind. Like Harlan Pepper from "Best in Show", I could sit around and name nuts all day around here.

And another thing, you'd think with the inflation of food prices, this guy would be more mindful of his chow. Why use a good sandwhich toward a violent end? I find when enraged in the car, hitting the dashboard is a satisfactory outlet (just kidding of course, I never, never lose my temper--wink, wink).

In all seriousness though, it's a good thing that no one was hurt, and domestic violence is no laughing matter. Shame on this guy for hitting his girlfriend, period.