Shibumi - Los Angeles

Surreal. It's the only word I can think of to describe what Shibumi is like. I can't quite put a finger on what makes it so, but there's something about this minimalist bar and grill, a cinematic air of creativity and art. 

The food is flawless, and the service is exemplary for two servers and a bartender against a full house. I peruse the menu, a one-page world of wonders under the watchful eyes of the owl mascot of Hitachino Beer. It bubbles with a gentle fizz, cold and smooth behind the frosty glass, a yuzu lager with popping notes of cheerful citrus, as smooth as they are subtle.

The beer opens its own bouquet against the hard-hitting Chinmi of Santa Barbara spot prawn. The pile of soft shrimp carries a pungence from fermenting in its innards, a fishy frolick not for the faint of heart. 

There's Caviar and Sake, a silky spoon of siberian-royale. The sake is sweet, and it cradles the caviar, and it is the single most luxurious thing I've ever done.

Soft shavings of Silken Tofu Ikura are an ocean of comfort. The tofu is thick like a porridge with a quality of salmon roe I haven't seen since Tokyo. The bubbles pop in sweet surrender, and the balls of orange have minimal salt and they finish with no fishiness, no brine.

We move on to the meat dishes, these hearty staples in smaller portions, crafty and creative, quietly glamorous in their understatement.

The Grilled Red Koji Duck is so tender, and the koji makes it pop. The daikon and green are so simply simmered, but they have a savory infusion that you won't soon forget.

There are not one, but two slabs of juicy steak in the Grilled California Holstein Beef Strip. One wades in fresh wasabi and another lounges in nara-zuke pickles, crunchy squash pickled sugary in sake lees.

There's a Pork Jowl Iron Pot, where the rice gets crispy on the sides. The pork is paper-thin, like pressed slices of liquid fat. 

I love Shibumi. The atmosphere is one of quiet joy, and the food is simple perfection. Every bite is an experience, an experience you'll want to continue.