Sushi with a View: Taste Shimbashi Izakaya's New Menu Items

Shimbashi Izakaya in Del Mar has a handful of new menu items. New additions include the Victory roll – a tempura-style battered Alaskan king crab roll with cucumber slices and spicy mayonnaise, which is topped with marinated strips of seared Kobe style beef, sesame seeds and fried onions, then drizzled with garlic oil.

Shimbashi Izakaya, named Shimbashi after a district in Tokyo and Izakaya after a style of bars and restaurants for after work drinks and food, serves up both wild caught and farm raised fish for a diverse range of flavor.

“There is a big misconception about farm raised fish,” Chef Yoshi Nohara told Patch in an email. “The only difference between wild caught and farm raised fish is texture and flavor balance. Everything else is equal. Both are excellent.” 

A few more additions to Shimbashi Izakaya’s new menu include a duck breast salad, cold tofu shirataki noodles, and the Shimbashi prime short rib diced steak served with a self-cook hot pot that is individually prepared by each guest.

While it all about fresh fish and flavorful bites, it is also about location, atmosphere and service at Shimbashi Izakaya. Located in the Del Mar Plaza at 1555 Camino Del Mar, Shimbashi Izakaya has both indoor and outdoor seating with views of the ocean. The umbrellas are perfect for sunny afternoons and the heat lamps are perfect for cool evenings.

One friend who recommended Shimbashi Izakaya said, “Shimbashi Izakaya has a beautiful indoor dining area styled with a traditional Japanese Izakaya feel that is comfortably lit to provide an intimate and relaxing atmosphere for lunch or dinner. The outdoor dining area has an old-world feel to it with its surrounding rock walls and breath-taking ocean views. The luxurious surroundings are enhanced with the warmth of antique-bronzed space heaters, adjustable umbrellas and the elegant placement of foliage.”

When we stopped in for lunch earlier this month, our server made some excellent recommendations when we were overwhelmed by the book-like menu that has more than 65 varieties of sake, a dozen Japanese beers, mixed drinks, frozen cocktails, wine, champagne, soft drinks, happy hour specials, tapas, soups, salads, rice and noodle dishes, hotpots, appetizers, grilled fish dishes, dinner entrees, and a handful of desserts to top off your meal.

We ordered up a bento box for lunch that had a little bit of everything. This is a good start for anyone's first Shimbashi Izakaya experience. The box is in two layers and has enough food for two people or one ravenous person. If you share the bento box, you may need to have quick chopstick skills to grab the yellowtail sashimi and veggie tempura before your date gobbles it up first. The shared bento box leaves a bit of room to order something new.

Tips:

• Stop by for happy hour
• Bring in your parking pass for two free hours of validation.
• Attend one of Shimbashi's sushi making classes on Saturdays to learn from the experts.
• Ask your server for suggestions.