Shibumi Sushi Bar — Restaurant in Belisario Quevedo

The Omakase 8-course tasting menu is a captivating adventure through surprising, diverse flavors and textures. My meal began with a soothing sea bass miso soup, which consisted of flamed wahoo garnished with a mixture of honey, orange, and ginger sauce. The shiso leaves provided the perfect touch.

Next up was the Sierra fish with its remarkable black truffle sauce. The wreckfish and red tuna, accompanied by shallots, followed suit, with the red tuna paired with martina red sake. Just when I thought the experience couldn't get any better, the snapper arrives, flamed and slightly draped with creamy Camembert cheese. Then there was the salmon, offering a delightful twist with its roasted coffee terrain brandy sauce, which added an unexpected depth.

The sea bass jiaozi brought a zesty punch with its spicy Ponzu sauce and crunchy filling, and the Nigiri lineup was nothing short of exceptional. Whether the fiery kick from spicy oil paired with the salmon, the tanginess of the tangerine oil, or the satisfying crunch of the silver cracker with salmon eggs and fennel, it was abundantly clear that these were no ordinary sushi experiences.

The salty flan and Chawammu shi reset my palate for the vibrant red fish dish, which was elevated by mushrooms, chives, and oil. The Kaburi maki was fantastic and consisted of white fish, lemon, avocado, sweet corn, and roasted crunchy corn with a touch of Sriracha.

There were two servers, but regrettably, I didn't catch the second person's name. However, Andres provided exceptional assistance throughout my dining experience.

And to top it all off, the lemon bourbon ice cream was the kind of dessert that left you yearning for more, making this culinary journey truly...

WARNING!!!!! Go there at your own risk...

this used to be one of my favorite restaurants, if not my favorite.... On february 14th my partner and I had a terrible experience.

To begin with, the omakase (tasting menu for the day) was disgusting, but what made the experience unbearable was the behavior of their chef, Junior Cordova, who behaved like an animal.

He took our plates and shouted at us to leave because I had a "bad attitude", eventhough I never raised my voice, despite my visible discomfort with the food served and his attitude. I tried to descalate the situation, telling him of the previous experiences I had and by telling him that even though I did not enjoy the meal served, taste is based on personal preference, therefore is subjective. He then proceeded to talk to us condescendingly, telling us about how he's basically a genious and the amazing season he's had (of which I'm well aware, I was a regular customer). His actions and behavior were completely uncalled for.

In the end, we did manage to descalate the situation, getting an offer for a do-over menu. By this point it was too late, our Valentine's Day was ruined and we honestly just wanted to go home...

I talked of this experience with friends and have been told by more than one person that many others have had to deal with Cordova's narcissism and erratic behavior.

TLDR: DON'T GO HERE, THEIR CHEF...

Shibumi is a real treat! They have an a la carte menu but also have an omakase menu. I recommend opting for the omakase or mini omakase menu unless you already know what you want to eat. The omakase allows the chef to surprise your tastebuds with interesting taste and textural combinations. You can also ask for your menu to be geared towards a more specific direction. For example I personally prefer pesca blanca and so the chef really surprised us with a pesca blanca nigiri selection which featured super fun and exciting flavor profiles and different textural sensations.

The absolute best feature about Shibumi is that they really highlight the beauty of Ecuador’s local fish and it’s other unique ingredients. Service is outstanding and the servers take the time to showcase the unique elements of each dish. Come and spend a magical time at Shibumi and whatever you do…. Don’t leave without tasting the miramelindo sashimi. It’s...