You are now binchotan-hooked.
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Where? 
I wanna’ see it too.
Thanks @TheCookie. 
Hope you get a chance to try Shin Sushi soon. Take-san was happily answering everyone’s questions at the sushi bar, so it felt like a nice way to learn more about the intricacies of what we’re eating.
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Update 1:
With Shin Sushi finally getting their liquor license it was time for a revisit to enjoy Chef-Owner Taketoshi Azumi’s Omakase course with some hopefully great Sake. 
Sauteed Scallop with Parsley Pesto (Seattle, U.S.A.):
Similar to our first visit, the Sauteed Scallop is fresh, tender, with a beautiful light seared exterior. The Parsley Pesto gives it a nice herbal note.
We were eager to see what the Sake Menu might be like now that they got their liquor license. Well, suffice to say it’s still being developed. 
Take-san had only 2 choices for our visit (Suigei - Tokubetsu Junmai Sake (by the glass)) and this:
Nanbu Bijin - Southern Beauty - Tokubetsu Junmai Sake (Iwate, Japan):
We’ve had Nanbu Bijin before years ago, but I forgot which one. But even though this wasn’t a Daiginjo, it was surprisingly smooth, lightly floral with a clean finish. 
Take-san said he was still tasting and trying out different Sake and was happy to hear suggestions (@beefnoguy @J_L @Sgee @bulavinaka @BradFord and others, sounds like a perfect time to whisper some great Sake suggestions and help Take-san build out his menu).
Menegi - Japanese Chives Sushi:
We loved this start to the Omakase from our first visit and Take-san had it here again. It’s lightly onion-y, but quite refreshing.
Isaki - Grunt Fish (Nagasaki, Japan):
Tender, light, clean-tasting.
Hotategai - Scallop (Hokkaido, Japan):
I really like the 2 types of Scallop preparation Take-san is doing: Earlier, he prepared a (lightly) Seared Scallop (still raw on the inside) from Seattle, and now we got to try Hotategai from Hokkaido, Japan. It was ridiculous how good this was. Silky, tender, but still retaining firmness and naturally sweet.
Kurodai - Black Snapper (Ishikawa, Japan):
Almost meltingly tender, lightly fatty with a feint note of smokiness(!). This was outstanding! 
Hon Maguro - Bluefin Tuna (Boston, U.S.A.):
Flawless. Sometimes you might get Maguro that tastes kind of bland and it might be too soft. This Hon Maguro that Take-san served us today was seriously one of the best versions we’ve had in a while. Perfect in a balanced flavor, meatiness while still being tender enough, bright, not briny at all.
Sanma - Mackerel Pike (Hokkaido, Japan):
Seriously.
Smoky, meaty with a beautiful inherent briny oiliness. Just bursting with flavor! Highlight of the meal!
Asari Miso Shiru - Clam Miso Soup:
Just as excellent as the last time: A beautiful oceanic purity, a balance of the Clams and Miso in a delicate combination.
Salmon (Alaska, U.S.A.):
This was lightly seared before serving giving it a distinctive, pleasing smokiness to go with the lush quality of the Salmon. Delicious.
Kinmedai - Splendid Alfonsino (Chiba, Japan):
This was flash-grilled before serving, giving the Kinmedai a light smokiness as well. And while it seems like we had a few pieces with some smokiness, they were all different in the way it accentuated each fish.
Kasugodai - Baby Sea Bream (Kyushu, Japan):
This was fine; not as standout as the previous 2 pieces.
Take-san is still keeping his late father’s blade on the 2nd work station to honor him and make him feel like they are making Sushi together. 
Chutoro - Medium Fatty Tuna Belly (Boston, U.S.A.):
Take-san was explaining that for this Chutoro he was serving today, it was from a specific portion of the Tuna Belly, which he said was his favorite Chutoro to serve. Served lightly torched, it was just ridiculous!
Beautifully luscious, inherently fatty, but not as extreme as Ohtoro. It was also tied for my favorite bite of the meal!
Anago - Sea Eel (Kyushu, Japan):
Just cooked through, tender, lightly sweet.
Shin Sushi seems to be getting more steady and comfortable in its offerings, delivering outstanding Sushi of excellent quality at a slightly lower price than most of the top Sushi restaurants in town. Currently, the only minor quibbles might be:
(1) Take-san seems to be over-packing the Shari (Sushi Rice) on this visit, as it was a bit too dense compared to our last visit. It’s nothing “bad,” but it was noticeable.
(2) The lack of Shellfish offerings (outside of Scallop).
(3) Limited Sake Menu. But that’s growing day-by-day.
Beyond that, it was really an excellent Omakase meal, and I’m still dreaming about the Sanma (Pike Mackerel) and Chutoro (Medium Fatty Tuna Belly) weeks later. Shin Sushi is definitely in our Top 5 for Sushi in L.A. at this early stage and I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Shin Sushi
16573 Ventura Blvd.
Encino, CA 91436
Tel: (818) 616-4148
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Thanks for the report!
Suigei + Nanbu Bijin (both Tokubetsu Junmai) are not too hard to find, but are low cost to the restaurant and consumer doesn’t and shouldn’t need to pay arm and a leg for it and should go nicely with the meal. They are both from the same distributor/wholesaler (Mutual Trading) and there are others in that portfolio Take san can choose from that will work. My only suggestion is that he tastes as much as he can and pick the ones for the best value and performance, rather than rehashing the Dassai’s, the Hakkaisan’s, and the Kubotas. There are quite a few newer additions to the portfolio I’ve tasted recently that I think that will work well and be fun even in a recommended sake pour by the glass “pairing” kind of scenario, but it’s not practical to carry so many…but he can probably afford to stock a few selections and perhaps rotate every now and then.
That Nanbu Bijin Tokubetsu Junmai you had was the gold medal winner for Junmai category last year at the International Wine Challenge, yes top honors. It pairs very nicely with a duck shoyu ramen, appetizers, as well as Ippudo’s baseline shiromaru which I tried at the San Francisco location…very easy to like, floral, aromatic and medium bodied to an extent.
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Hi @beefnoguy,
Thanks for the great tasting notes again. Yah, I like that both Sake were very affordable, I think Take-san only charged like… ~$40 for the full bottle of Nanbu Bijin “Southern Beauty” Tokubetsu Junmai Sake. Does that seem fair?
It was very easy to drink. Next time you visit LA, maybe try out Shin (after Mori and Shunji again) and give Take-san your thoughts.
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$35 at True Sake, probably $28 or less at Southern California Marukai / Mitsuwa. Wholesale I’m guessing $15 to $18 a bottle unless there’s a bulk discount then it can be a bit lower. If corkage ~$25 a bottle and you brought it in then then this is peanuts compared to $70 or $80 a bottle pricing at other places with more foot traffic and high rent / operating costs for a Junmai. Kudos to Take san to keeping it affordable.
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When I went, Take-san said he didn’t like it when customers left the restaurant not feeling full, so maybe that explains the Shari packing. But to be fair, the cut of fish is generally a bit larger than Mori as well.
Usually, if customers are not feeling full as the end of the omakase draws near, then most experienced itamae will go the route of offering temaki (handrolls) to fill the belly. I’ve not heard of sacrificing the optimal packing of the nigiri courses before.
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Catching up on previous dinners. Our last supper before stay at home.
Update 1:
It had been awhile since we last visited Chef-Owner Taketoshi Azumi (formerly of Sushi of Gari, Asanebo and Mori Sushi). Walking in, Take-san had proudly displayed his well-earned Michelin Star:
Take-san was as warm and affable as always, greeting us with a smile. He has always run a tight-knit operation, and on this visit it was literally just himself and 1 hostess / waitress, and that was it.
Good news, FTC Sake Lovers, Shin Sushi has finally started expanding its Sake offerings. On our 2nd visit, Take-san had literally 2 Sake on the menu and was asking customers for recommendations if they had any. He now has 10 different types of Sake, all the way up to baller level: Tatsuriki Yoneda (@beefnoguy @J_L @Sgee @TheCookie and others.)
Hyaku Moku - Alt 3 - Special Blend Sake (Hyogo, Japan):
This was a surprise: Take-san explained to us that this new offering from Hyaku Moku, known as “Alt 3”, is a blended Sake, made with multiple types of Yamada Nishiki Rice brews. So it doesn’t have a traditional classification like “Ginjo” or “Daiginjo.” Interesting.
Taking a sip, pretty smooth, more layered and more complex flavor than a typical Daiginjo. It was sippable and went well with our opening course.
(Zensai Course) Fat Bastard Oyster (Washington) Topped with Ikura (Salmon Roe) (Hokkaido, Japan); Ankimo (Monkfish Liver); Takenoko (Bamboo); Hotaru Ika (Firefly Squid) (Toyama, Japan) + Karashi Miso (Japanese Mustard + Miso Sauce):
The Fat Bastard Oyster with Ikura (Salmon Roe) from Hokkaido, Japan was wonderful: Crisp, silky, bright, with excellent pop in the Ikura.
The Ankimo (Monkfish Liver) was fine. Creamy, fatty, this was a solid rendition of Ankimo.
However, the fresh Takenoko (Bamboo) was outstanding! Super tender and delicate, but with some nice texture. The Dashi Broth that Take-san poached this in was a great complement.
And the Hotaru Ika (Firefly Squid) was a highlight when paired with his Housemade Karashi Miso sauce added a wonderful light zing but mellowed out by earthy Miso.
Time for Sushi:
This was an excellent comparison of an adult vs. young version of the same Fish.
Madai - Sea Bream (Ainan, Japan):
Take-san talks about Madai, which he says is the adult Sea Bream. He tops it simply with some Sea Salt and Yuzu. It’s refreshing, light and delicate with a good mouthfeel.
Kasugodai - Young Sea Bream (Kyushu, Japan):
And presented back-to-back, the Kasugodai (Young Sea Bream) was surprisingly a bit more firm, but still tender. We preferred the Madai.
Yuki Masu - Snow Trout (Nagano, Japan):
One of the lesser seen Fish around L.A., Take-san has been a big fan of Yuki Masu (or Snow Trout) since he first opened Shin Sushi. He presents it today lightly torched, and you get this clean, smooth taste, with a lightly smoky finish.
Hotategai - Scallop (Hokkaido, Japan):
(Forgot to take a pic, sorry.)
Beautiful texture, silky, fresh.
Sawara - King Mackerel (Nagasaki, Japan):
Incredible! Beautiful inherent deep oiliness and nice funk. So good!
Kurodai - Black Snapper (Chiba, Japan):
Shut the front door! 
Seriously.
Creamy, smooth, there’s a real lushness to the Kurodai that was incredible! Best Bite of the Evening! (@PorkyBelly @J_L @Ns1 @paranoidgarliclover @TheCookie @foodshutterbug @A5KOBE @beefnoguy @CiaoBob and others.)
Good news for Sushi fans, Take-san’s Rice has improved. When originally opened, I thought Shin Sushi’s Rice could’ve used some improvements, and for this visit, the Rice has better texture, it has more body, and you can discern the grains / mouthfeel better than previous visits.
Maguro - Bluefin Tuna (Turkey):
From a 500 pound, farmed Tuna, this is Take-san’s preferred size of Maguro, it has the right amount of fat and flavor for his taste. It was very good, yielding enough without being overly soft, good balance of bright and (good) briny.
For the next Sake bottle, Take-san recommended Kuzuryu.
For those that remember, Kokuryu (or Koku Ryu) is a rather famous Sake lineup, meaning “Black Dragon” in Japanese (such a cool name!).
According to Take-san, the brewery behind Kokuryu has a special separate lineup and named it Kuzuryu (or Kuzu Ryu), meaning, “Nine Headed Dragon”! 
And Take-san said this was his favorite from that lineup, so we had to order it. (Sorry @beefnoguy, I missed your recommendation until after the meal. Thank you!)
Kuzuryu (Nine Headed Dragon) - Daiginjo Sake (Fukui, Japan):
While the Alt 3 Blended Sake was a fun drink, the Kuzuryu Daiginjo Sake was delicious! So clean and dry, balanced, not overly floral. It was just perfect!
We gave some to Take-san and after our toast, he just stopped for a second and smiled. He thanked us and said simply, “I feel complete.”
Iwashi - Sardine (Shizuoka, Japan):
Outstanding! Beautiful deep oceanic oiliness, nice amount of fattiness as well. (Nowhere near as good as the legendary Oba Iwashi we had with Maru-san in our last visit to Mori Sushi, but this was still very good!)
Amaebi - Sweet Shrimp (Canada):
Beautiful texture, good meatiness while still retaining a good tenderness and slippery quality.
Miso Soup with Amaebi Head:
And Take-san made a special Miso Soup with the Sweet Shrimp Head. A good interlude.
Gindara - Black Cod (Toyama, Japan):
Loved the light torching, a buttery, tender example of Gindara.
Kohada - Gizzard Shad (Nagasaki, Japan):
Wow.
Kohada is probably one of my favorite Fish for Sushi, and Take-san’s Kohada was outstanding on this visit! Deep, gorgeous brininess, nice salinity, good texture. 2nd Best Bite of the Evening!
Ohtoro - Fattiest Tuna Belly (Turkey):
From the same 500 pound Tuna as the Maguro he gave us earlier, Take-san lightly torched the Ohtoro for flavor enhancement: Lightly smoky, extremely fatty, luscious.
Zuwaigani - Snow Crab (Hokkaido, Japan):
Inherently sweet Snow Crab meat, I wish he had an entire Zuwaigani (Snow Crab) for us to eat. It was that good.
Bafun Uni - Sea Urchin (Hokkaido, Japan):
Topped with a bit of Yuzu, this was the one misstep for the evening. The Bafun Uni on this evening was just not that fresh, having a bit of bad ocean funk, but still having some inherent sweetness. Just not as pristine as one would hope.
Buri Toro - Yellowtail Belly (Canada):
Incredibly luxurious in its fattiness, but not overwhelming. The Buri was simply another Highlight of the Evening!
Saba - Mackerel (Kyushu, Japan):
Marinated with Shoyu and Sesame, this was a nice departure from the usual Saba preparations we’ve had recently. Beautiful brininess and oiliness.
Bonus Round:
Amadai no Kobujime - Tilefish (Kyushu, Japan):
The Amadai (Tilefish) wrapped with Konbu (Kelp) added some delicate notes to the fish, however, this was really chewy(!). It had more meaty chew than most Tako (Octopus) Sushi we’ve had. It was really interesting, but I’m not sure if I’d order this again.
(Same Karei no) Engawa - Roughskin Flounder Fin (Miyagi, Japan):
I love Engawa, which is usually the Fin portion of various Fish (like Fluke). For this evening, Take-san is smiling as he presents to us a special type of Engawa (from an ocean fish called Same Karei), and taking a bite…
What am I eating?
It’s outrageously creamy(!), fatty, lightly torched for smokiness, I’ve never tasted Engawa like this before.
It is simply ridiculous.
OK, this was the Best Bite of the Evening! WOW. (@beefnoguy @PorkyBelly @J_L @Sgee and others.)
Ikura Shiso Kyuuri Temaki - Salmon Roe, Shiso Herb, Cucumber Handroll:
We asked Take-san to make his favorite Temaki (Handroll) for this evening, and he made us this. Great combination of Hokkaido Salmon Roe, herbal bright Shiso Leaf, the crisp snap of Cucumber and Yuzu Dashi! The Nori (Seaweed Wrapper) could’ve been a touch more crisped, but otherwise, enjoyable.
Dessert Time!
Trio of Housemade Desserts:
Tofu Mousse with Kuromitsu (Black Sugar Syrup):
For some it might sound weird, but this was one of the best Desserts we’ve had recently: Incredible fluffy, airiness in this Housemade Tofu Mousse! The Kuromitsu (Black Sugar Syrup) provided enough sweetness without being saccharine. So good!
Hojicha Ice Cream:
Very good Hojicha (Roasted Japanese Green Tea) flavor in each bite.
Lychee Sorbet:
Very nice aromatic Lychee flavor coming through in this Housemade Lychee Sorbet.
Since being awarded 1 Michelin Star, Take-san remains as approachable as always, earnest, friendly and he makes you feel at home, cracking jokes and keeping a jovial atmosphere. His Sushi has improved as well, with the Rice being more distinct than before, toothsome and balanced.
And while his Fish offerings will change with the seasons, looking at incredible offerings on this visit like Sawara (King Mackerel), the amazing Kurodai (Black Snapper), Iwashi (Sardine), Gindara (Black Cod), Kohada (Gizzard Shad), Buri Toro (Yellowtail Belly) and that ridiculous Engawa (Fin), Shin Sushi continues to shine as one of L.A.'s great Sushi restaurants.
Shin Sushi
16573 Ventura Blvd.
Encino, CA 91436
Tel: (818) 616-4148
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Nice! Looks like his fish selection is getting better! Jealous of some of those bites you had.
As for the rice, on my visit Shin is a little more dense in comparison with Shunji, which is more airy. Glad to hear of the improvements.
Because of his openness and personality I really enjoy dining at Shin Sushi.
Did you do the Shin Sushi and Pizza Wagon @moonboy403 bang bang?
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I loved that tofu mousse. So good!
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Nice @Chowseeker1999!
Because you tagged me on this report I got to see your last report previously missed.
Not to take away from the wonderful neta in your reports - a delicious education - but I’ve never heard of Menegi (Japanese Chive Sushi) and I love chives!
P.S. I love the Alt.3 bottle. 
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I certainly did!
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Great report. I had both the Alt 3 and Kuzuryu (I think) too at some recent sushi dinners. I recollect Alt 3 stood out as an unusual and pleasant surprise. Can’t wait til I can travel or even dine out again 
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Hyakumoku is the higher end lineup offering of Kikumasamune (a mass producer like Hakutsuru, Yaeki/Yaegi etc) designed for the modern market. I recently tasted all three offerings from sample bottles dated 2/2019 and would have to say the Alt 3 is definitely the most remarkable, whereas the other two (Junmai Ginjo and Junmai Daiginjo) were easy to drink but overall they are all not my style.
Alt 3 is actually a blend of new batch sake and aged batches, which explains the bitterness/some astringency mid palate with a trailing spicy finish in the end. I believe they are trying to make this more of a wine drinking experience, perhaps mimicking oak barrel flavors in wine… which is not a surprise when the distributor actually recommends pairing Alt 3 with fish with butter meuniere…which is more of a White Burgundy e.g. Mersault food companion.
Kokuryu Kuzuryu Daiginjo is a very solid sake, but it is designed to be consumed warmed (which is very very rare for a Daiginjo). Kuzuryu (Nine Headed Dragon) is the lower affordable level label of Kokuryu, and is more full bodied and structure, aged/matured, and gets even better heated up to about 40 to 50 degrees C. I would rather have this with kaiseki fare or tempura, or Japanese hotpot.
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Uhhh… Yumm! The label actually reminds me of a wine bottle label.
It’s a notable effort to do this, but now we’re talking if it’s done to create something new vs making and forcing it to be more of a wine drinking experience solely to capture the wine market share. That is a total shift in attitude, mindset, brewing, and forgoing tradition (vs letting tradition facilitate the pairing which is not easy in itself already) from a producer’s and seller’s standpoint.
For example of the latter, 3 Michelin star Noma, they found an old school artisanal organic sake producer (Terada Honke in Chiba prefecture, been around several hundred years, handed down the family through many generations) to use some of their offerings for their beverage pairing program in Copenhagen to their worldwide popups (e.g. Mandarin hotel Hong Kong) 5 years ago, maybe they changed their recipes through time but I don’t think they purposely did biodynamic for the sake of catching up with the wine world or to compete. Prior to that Terada Honke was known to sake people but not outside, and I suppose Noma really helped with this. A few other restaurants nowadays are catching up and discovering them to use in their beverage pairing programs, but they end up selecting the same one(s) that Noma uses…
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I’ve seen posts about this trend. Interesting question. 