Here is a Japanese language Google image search of “Japanese chinmi” for curious eyes: https://www.google.com/search?q=日本の珍味&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS727US727&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjUi9nI78HjAhXUsJ4KHcRBCFsQ_AUIESgB&biw=2133&bih=1041&dpr=0.9
I’m drooling, thanks!
A lot of places that serve this stuff buy it ready made. Big big big big props to places that make it in house (Shibumi for example).
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The one with Schlosser? That’s a great episode.
No, the recent one with Joshua Skenes.
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I had the opposite reaction… 
Perhaps chinmi is not for me, although I’ve had (and learned to enjoy) 2 of the “big 3” (had to look up chinmi):
Update 5:
Some dear friends of ours were visiting L.A. and wanted to try something they hadn’t been to yet. We ended up at Shibumi.
As we were seated, Chef-Owner David Schlosser was busy breaking down some A5 Wagyu from Japan:
Chef Schlosser’s training and experience from Kyoto’s famous Kikunoi Honten (3 Michelin Stars), as well as Kyoto Kitcho Arashiyama Honten (3 Michelin Stars) made for great conversations throughout the evening with our dear friends (who had plenty of questions while the Sake was flowing). 
Takacho - Regal Hawk - Bodaimoto Junmai Muroka Genshu Sake (Nara, Japan):
Chef Schlosser offered us a rare Sake he had just gotten in, made by brewer Yucho Shuzo that has been making Sake for over 300 years in Nara, Japan! 
What was special about this bottle was that it was made using the Bodaimoto method of making Sake (over 500 years ago in Japan), which Yucho Shuzo has helped revive.
All of that sounds neat, but then you take a sip:
Wow.
I don’t even know how to describe this. It’s complex, layered, so interesting: You get some distinct fruity, sweet tones (nothing artificial or too sweet), and it builds from there, hitting your palate with layer after layer and it finishes so clean!
It is one of the most interesting Sake I’ve ever had in my life. 
(@beefnoguy @TheCookie @Sgee @J_L @A5KOBE @attran99 and other Sake lovers.)
And Shibumi was selling this for a reasonable price of about ~$60. Chef Schlosser mentioned only about 0.5% of all Sake produced in Japan right now is done with this ancient Bodaimoto method, and it makes a huge difference.
Fuyu Persimmons, Kabocha, Whipped Tofu, Ginkgo Nuts:
The grounded sweetness from ripe, in-season Fuyu Persimmons matched the Kabocha Squash and Housemade Whipped Tofu Sauce, which tied the whole dish together. The Ginkgo Nuts were fantastic. (And this went great with the Takacho Bodaimoto Sake.)
Shima Aji Sashimi (Nagasaki, Japan):
Fresh, bright Shima Aji (Striped Jack) Sashimi, meaty but supple, with a nice Vinegar Dashi accompaniment.
Chinmi - Rare Delicacies:
Karasumi (Salted Mullet Roe) - Smoked with Cherry Wood, Aged for 1 Year:
Perhaps the greatest delight at Shibumi is what Chef Schlosser is doing with Chinmi (Rare Delicacies). These are usually things that certain Japanese restaurants might cure, pickle, ferment, preserve for a certain amount of time and pair with alcohol.
We start off this evening with Karasumi (Salted, Dried Mullet Roe), which Chef David smokes over Cherry Wood, and ages for 1 year(!).
I love Karasumi normally (non-aged), and this smoked and aged version is incredible! There’s a deep, rich flavor coming through, lightly smoky, slightly briny (in a good way), and a fantastic pairing with Sake!
Chef David pours us some complementary Sake to pair with the Chinmi, Kid - Junmai Sake (Wakayama, Japan):
On its own, this Junmai Sake was tasty, although a major step back from the rare Takacho Bodaimoto Sake we were having, but it paired beautifully with all of our Chinmi.
Shiitake Mushrooms - Aged for 5 Months:
Come on! “Umami” feels like a copout, but if you wanted to know how intensely flavorful and savory, what “umami” might mean? Try Chef Schlosser’s Shiitake Mushroom Chinmi that’s been aged for 5 Months(!). Outstanding!
Salted Sea Squirt - Aged 5 Months:
This was a bit too funky for my palate. 
Intense, oceanic, still having a good density and chew considering it’s been aged for 5 months. I can’t really handle fresh Sea Squirt at Korean restaurants, so eating it aged for 5 months didn’t really help.
Squid Sperm - Aged for 1 Year:
We eat Fish Eggs (Caviar, Ikura, etc.) all the time. People love Uni. Shirako (Milt) is served at high end Sushi restaurants. So when Chef Schlosser puts before us Squid Sperm that’s been aged in-house for 1 year? Sure, why not?
(Actually I really didn’t know what to expect, was a bit frightened, but tried it anyways.)
It was rather chewy and sticky. More like a salty, oceanic, denser Jell-O than anything. I’m glad to say I’ve tried it, but it didn’t really stand out like the other Chinmi. Still it was a fun, unique, interesting dish that no one else is serving in L.A.
Shime Saba - Cured Mackerel in Seaweed + Ginger, Aged 3 Years:
I love a great Shime Saba and Chef Schlosser’s Aged Mackerel is very good. Inherently oily Fish, bold, big flavors. The Rice that’s served with it isn’t a traditional Sushi Rice, but it works well here. But a surprise highlight is the Ginger that’s aged for 3 Years(!). It is incredible! There’s so much intense, Ginger flavor, but not the spicy, wild flavor in fresh Ginger, but something else, more mellow, but intense at the same time. Everyone in our group couldn’t stop talking about it.
To top things off, it’s served with an Aged Soy Sauce (3 Years) from a Soy Sauce Specialist that’s been making this for 500 years in Japan. (And it was delicious! It wasn’t overly salty, and we ended up using up all of this Aged Shoyu on purpose because it was so tasty.)
Ohitashi (Shungiku) Kurogoma-ae - Marinated Charred Chrysanthemum Greens, Black Sesame Sauce:
The Marinated, Charred Shungiku (Chrysanthemum) Greens were very good. Tender, nice smokiness from the char, and it paired well with the Black Sesame Sauce, which added nutty, aromatic, earthy notes.
Kaze no Mori - Wind of the Woods - Junmai Muroka Nama Genshu Sake (Nara, Japan):
We were so impressed with the Takacho Bodaimoto Sake earlier, that we stuck with the same ancient brewer for another Sake from their lineup: Kaze no Mori. While this wasn’t made with the ancient Bodaimoto process, it was still pretty delicious being a Junmai Muroka Nama Genshu. It had a subtle effervescence (naturally), was a bit bolder, bigger in some ways, but still finished so clean and dry! Wonderful!
Salmon Trout Smoked in Cherry Bark (Iceland):
A mainstay on Shibumi’s menu from its early days, the Sakura Masu was moist, delicately smoky, although a touch aggressive on the Salt. Still it was delicious and an awesome pairing with the Kaze no Mori Sake!
Gohan - Iron Pot Rice with Ikura (Salmon Roe) (Hokkaido, Japan), Miso Soup, Burdock, Potatoes:
One later addition to the menu that Shibumi has really excelled at is their Iron Pot Rice dish. When you order, they will start cooking a new serving of Rice in an iron pot, and you can choose a variety of toppings. For this visit, Chef Schlosser chose to serve us some Ikura (Salmon Roe) he got in from Hokkaido.
First, the Iron Pot Rice: Perfectly cooked Rice, toothsome, lovely texture, you could appreciate each grain (not too mushy, nor too dry). It was an excellent complement for the Ikura, little wonderful morsels that popped in your mouth.
The Miso Soup was a spot-on, warming rendition, and I loved the accompanying Burdock Root and Potatoes.
The Housemade Pickles were excellent, piquant and snappy and another excellent accompaniment to the freshly-made pot of Rice.
California Holstein Beef Strip, Grilled, Fresh Wasabi, Narazuke Pickles:
Excellent as always: Chef Schlosser has really been successful in extracting this wonderful beefiness and savoriness from the Holstein Strip, especially with the pairing of the Fresh Wasabi and Narazuke Pickles.
Sansho Peppercorn, Seaweed-Wrapped A5 Wagyu Beef (Miyazaki, Japan):
In a nice exploration of Beef, Chef Schlosser serves us Holstein Strip and then A5 Wagyu Beef from Miyazaki, Japan, back-to-back. As much as we loved the Holstein, the A5 Wagyu Beef from Miyazaki was just that much better. A delicate beefiness, the Sansho Peppercorn was just a whisper, a luxurious taste lingering on the palate, and it was far better executed than the A5 Wagyu we just had recently at n/naka. Delicious!
Chef Schlosser also featured A5 Wagyu Beef (“Hokkaido Snow”) from Hokkaido, Japan, but we were getting full, and being mindful of our friends’ budget.
Apricot Seed Almond Custard:
Insanely fragrant (in a good way), Chef Schlosser’s Housemade Apricot Seed Almond Custard was like the best version of Annin Tofu / Almond Jelly / Almond Tofu you’ve ever had! Our friends devoured their servings before I finished taking photos of it!
Koji Rice Cream, Blackberries:
One of his popular Desserts from the Grand Opening days, like with almost all the Sauces and various items around Shibumi’s menu, Chef Schlosser makes his own “Rice Cream” (Rice-based Ice Cream) from scratch, in-house, with a Koji base. It is still surprisingly “Ice Cream”-like, and it fooled our visiting friends, who thought it was a nice Ice Cream. Tasty.
For Japanese Whisky lovers, Shibumi has been really developing their Japanese Whisky menu. They currently feature 34 Japanese Whiskies (plus a few Off-Menu selections as well).
Mars - Iwai Tradition - Wine Cask Finish Blended Whisky:
Chef Schlosser recommended this Mars “Iwai Tradition” Japanese Whisky, that was a Wine Cask Finished Blended Whisky. Quite enjoyable, a bit more robust than the basic offerings from Nikka or Suntory.
Yamazakura - Pure Malt Whisky:
(Off-Menu) Yamazakura - Port Wine Cask Finish Pure Malt Whisky:
We finished off the evening with a tasting of 2 Yamazakura Whiskies, their standard Pure Malt Whisky, which was spicy, a bit wild compared to the Mars, and then the same Yamazakura Pure Malt Whisky, but this time finished in Port Wine Casks. What a huge difference that made! It was smoother, rounder, a bit sweeter, and just enjoyable.
Shibumi has started to really settle in on finding its own voice in the L.A. landscape. It may not have a larger, crowd-pleasing menu (that our top Izakaya have), but instead is a more austere, focused, and unique menu, focused on interesting dishes here and there, along with a fantastic Sake and Whisky Menu.
There’s no one else in L.A. doing the level of Chinmi (Rare Delicacies) that Chef Schlosser is doing. We still think lovingly on the Chinmi of Uni, Aged and Fermented for 1 Month, and the Spot Prawns, Aged for 2 Weeks in its own Innards(!). They were flatout phenomenal!
The Shrimp and Shrimp Eggs Fermented for 2 Months was even more amazing on another visit! And this visit’s Karasumi (Salted, Dried Mullet Roe) Smoked and then Aged for 1 Year was incredible!
Pair up his Chinmi offerings with Shibumi’s interesting Sake Menu and you’re well on your way to an enjoyable evening. Shibumi has a standout Sake menu, with some interesting offerings (and some standard ones), but the pairings are always a delight.
Chef Schlosser introducing us to Takacho (Regal Hawk) Sake made in the ancient Bodaimoto process of making Sake already stands out as one of the most memorable Sake we’ve had in years (and at an affordable price to boot).
Add-on some regular cooked standouts like their Beef selections (California Holstein and Japanese A5 Wagyu variations), Iron Pot Rice (the Pork Jowl is our favorite), various dishes that feature Chef Schlosser’s Housemade Sauces and Condiments and beyond, and it’s a place that has found a noteworthy niche in our city.
Shibumi
815 S. Hill Street
Los Angeles, CA 90014
Tel: (213) 265-7923
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@Chowseeker1999
You certainly do have a lot of “dear” friends!
The kind that like to visit. And then they make you go places.
I only have shitty friends; the kind who like to stay at my place and make me cook for them.
Want to change friends?
Oh - great report too. I love Shibumi and don’t understand why there are so many haters.
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Thanks for the report!
I will make Shibumi a stop when I am in town next!
How much was this dinner per person (without sake)? Was it a tasting menu / omakase or a mix of a la carte and let the chef decide? Were the sake available by the glass or you all crushed three sake bottles and then pours of whiskey afterwards?
Glad to see the two nama sake at Shibumi. My friend reps the importers for the sake you had, and this is just a small portion of a portfolio of about 28 or so sake. He’s based in SF but is taking on the LA market. So be ready to see more Manzairaku, Kid, Takacho/Kaze No Mori, Takenotsuyu (nama), Nishide etc in Southern California restaurants.
Yucho’s Kaze No Mori is quite popular in Japan these days, and even one Junmai nama can have upwards of 7 variants or more using different sake rice varietals. The one that is available/exported is Akitsuho rice. When I asked a friend in Japan back in February which of the 7 was her favorite, and without batting an eye she said “omachi”.
That Takacho “Regal Hawk” is freakin wild nuts balls to the wall good. Opened one at Izakaya Rintaro last month to unstoppable applause at our table (men and women, some beginner drinkers). Fruit forward, aromatic but with a lot of acidity, yet incredible amount of balance and some wonderful effervescence and a lot of body (some sake have just sweet, high acidity, but nothing much in between and ending). Out of all the sake you’ve had I would say the Takacho, Kaze No Mori are the strongest (also highest alcohol content). The Takacho is definitely prime contender for pairing salty fatty animal protein and/or innards (the pairing with Izakaya Rintaro’s delectable yakitori liver was a dead super good pairing). The owner of True Sake had Takacho with Churrascaria, I’m sure he had a blast that night. Unfortunately whatever is in the market is it, distributor currently has none and have to wait for a restock. Even then, a lot of it is already spoken for. Its popularity is rising and I think eclipses the Kaze No Mori (which is more in abundance right now).
Apparently Kaze No Mori should be tasted about half way, then cap it, refrigerate and wait 3 to 5 days until the effervescence disappears. It gets even more intense and far more umami. It might even travel well and can be warmed. Speaking of which, I’d be curious if Shibumi has proper heating vessels (and thermometers) for serving warmed sake.
Kid has celebrity sake status in Japan, very easy to drink but too light for me…and that goes for the Junmai that you had.
Not knocking the pairing choices, but I feel that it should have been the reverse order serving for the sake, and this is pure preference, similar to the principles of sushi, light to heavy flavors. Kid Junmai first, then Kaze No Mori, and Takacho afterwards. Or have the Takacho and Kaze No Mori side by side with the more savory and pungent or greasy foods afterwards. It’s great that you enjoyed whatever you had at that moment, but it could be a lot better. 
Did you take pictures of the sake menu? Curious if they still carry Den. Batch #8 just got released, seems like #7 wasn’t that long ago and I haven’t picked up any #8 yet nor tasted it right out of the bottle.
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I was there this week and did not see Den on the menu.
The guy that usually goes on the “Den runs” has not been up north recently.
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Must the rising cost of gas, and if not it has to be also those crazy ass fires burning all over.
I believe Sako san of Den is trying to figure out a way to better distribute Den into SoCal.
Kudos though for Chef Schlosser for pushing the new sake. One can only drink so much Tamagawa red and white labels haha.
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Hi @CiaoBob.
. Thanks. Well we also have friends who stop by and I like cooking at home as well. But since our LA board is about restaurants I only post about the restaurants we go to. 
The next time you go to Shibumi, definitely ask Chef Schlosser for the Takacho “Regal Hawk” Bodaimoto Sake. Paradigm shift. It’s so good.
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Hi @Chowseeker1999 Great report!
I heard that Matt Weaver is now working at Shibumi, any sightings?
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Hi @beefnoguy,
Thank you for the great info! I think you’ll like the visit, especially because you enjoy Sake and the Chinmi selection is insane here.
The food itself was partially curated: Chef asked us if we had any requests (things we liked from the regular menu), and incorporated that into a partial “Omakase” type of experience. I think it was $120 per person, which is sadly cheaper than some of our dinners at Republique (a la carte).
For the Sake, yes, we had Sake by the bottle. Worth it! 
I’m so glad you liked the Takacho “Regal Hawk” as well! It’s like nothing I’ve experienced before, and I wasn’t sure if my palate was going crazy, or if it was just an amazing Sake. Glad you approve of it also!
Do you know of any other Bodaimoto Sake? And at $60 / bottle it felt like a steal for the amazing taste. Far better than most Sake we’ve had at double or triple that price!
We really liked that Kaze no Mori as well. It’s an extremely enjoyable Sake by itself or with Shibumi’s food.
And that’s amazing that your friend reps that importer! I need more Takacho in my life! I hope to see it appear at more places around L.A.
Here’s the latest Sake Menu (Chef Schlosser has various bottles not listed also, FYI):
Yah, we didn’t see Den. Let us know if you have any other recommendations.
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Hi @A5KOBE,
What?! That would be amazing if it were true. We didn’t see Chef Matt anywhere in site (nor in the kitchen from our vantage point). Please report back if find out any more info. Thanks!
Another beautifully illustrated, fascinating report. Thank you once again!
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Hi @Chowseeker1999 -
The Takacho Regal Hawk seems awesome.
Chef’s selections and preparations are unusual and maybe the reason for some of the hate. I pass by Shibumi a lot but the mixed reviews made me avoid booking. Intrigued again!
Funny!
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I see three bottles also from my friend’s portfolio on the menu:
Arabashiri Kimoto Nama Genshu Moriki (Mie prefecture) - very dry and masculine. I think this is polished to 90% so it’s very ricey.
Junmai Muroka Nama Genshu Akishika (Osaka) - I believe this is actually Okarakuchi (super dry) yet it finishes wonderfully clean. I didn’t like it the first time but the latest batch I taste a month ago, it was a dramatic improvement
Kodama Jozo Junmai Ginjo (300 mL) - have not tasted this yet.
I’d say try the two namas.
Of the others on their sake menu:
Maboroshi Junmai Daiginjo (black box) - is actually a genshu but is ridiculously great and smooth. One of the few feel good high end brews I actually really enjoy, and ladies would love it too. $290 is not too bad (True Sake took special orders at $200 a bottle, Kusakabe charges $400 I think). But I’m not sure what this will pair with at Shibumi. It’s more suited for Mori / Shunji / Connie & Ted’s / Hayato / Urasawa / Ginza Onodera and maybe Somni, or at least those are the places I would want to take it to (Hayato doesn’t allow corkage on sake though).
The only other two Bodaimoto sake I can think of are by Gozenshu
The “9” is available as 500 mL and at Domaine LA. The Usu Nigori might be a bit more interesting and a touch closer to Takacho, but likely not even close. Don’t think I’ve seen the Gozenshu Usu Nigori in LA wine shops.
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I think sea squirt is the worst thing I’ve ever almost eaten. Like an old inner tube filled with diesel and sewage.
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The pseudo-formaldehyde funk of sea squirt (as well as konowata) is transformed with the taste of alcohol. It’s almost a mandatory pairing.
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The wiki describes it as:
Sea pineapple ( Halocynthia roretzi ) is cultivated in Japan ( hoya , maboya ) and Korea ( meongge ). When served raw, they have a chewy texture and peculiar flavor likened to “rubber dipped in ammonia”
Lol
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