The New Shima Japanese Restaurant

The first thing you notice with this restaurant is how low the A/​C is set, that feels as if you’ve just stepped out of the sauna into the plunge pool. While useful on a hot day, it’s particularly uncomfortable when it’s at least 10-​deg variance between indoors and out.
Roughly 12:15 and it also seems as if I’m the only one at this place. Should I place my order or should I simply turnaround and walk away. I decide to stick it out and keep my jacket on to brave the cold.
My eyes dart over the menu and I skip over my usual sushi craving and head straight after something hearty instead. This time it ended up being the deep-​fried Karaage Chicken Bento Set and Miso.
As I sit into a central but obscure end of the room I notice the joint slowly filling up. My meal comes through in 5 mins and I begin with the Teriyaki and Tuna sushi starter as part of the set. Fairly decent however far from magic. A taste of the salad with mysterious salad dressing makes for the one-​off sampling of the salad.
Next up Karaage Chicken. Nice generous portions, but biting down reveals that they were pretty generous on the fatty skin. Chicken tasted a little funky for my liking so hopefully this won’t be the last review you hear from me. Interesting spice but the chicken itself is far from appealing.
Last up Miso… looking forward to a warm (wash-​down) only to be disappointed by the extreme amount of salt used. Feeling cold, hungry and parched after lunch? Definitely a few reasons not to come back again.

This place is under new management & they are Chinese, not Japanese! However, the previous owners were Chinese & did a reasonable job. The new owners have made this place in to a ‘cheapie’ — you can’t use the Entertainment Gold card anymore as the prices are so low. Personally, I would prefer to pay the extra $ 5 & get to enjoy my meal. They have really dumbed down the Japanese dishes & you can tell many things are mass produced in the kitchen & then your meal just quickly assembled. Crossed off the lunchtime list.

New Shima has been through a bit of a makeover since I last went there. Whilst it used to be a table service restaurant it is now set up to order at the counter, your food is still delivered to the table. The seating is still the same as it used to be but the menu has been made simpler then before.
When you walk in there is a large board displaying bento boxes all of which are $ 9.50 and include your choice of meat/​veges salad, rice and either sushi or gyoza. They also have a Ramen Noodle Dish and a choice of Japanese Curries for $ 8.50. I chose the Teriyaki Fish today and the bento boxes are a generous size and good for $ 9.50. Probably not my favorite Japanese in Perth but a good quieter sit down option for lunch.

We come to this place often, originally found it via Entertainment book but now regular visitors. The sushi is fresh and good value. Great for pre Perth Arena feeds. Not date night. Quick and efficient, basic décor, very functional. But then again about 20% of the price of Nobu.