STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Sushi Shima lands in an otherwise sleepy stretch of the Staten Island Mall, anchored by an improbably durable Applebee’s and a new pickleball venue. With Red Robin gone, there was little reason to venture this way—until Shima rose from the frozen crustacean ashes of Mighty Crab, breathing life back into a long‑forgotten corner of the mall.
At Shima, there are no towering platters of sushi, no Jell‑O squares a‑jiggling, no soft desserts engineered to slip effortlessly down the gullet. The restaurant is organized and intentional, divided into three dining sections with booths and larger tables, all oriented toward an open‑style prep kitchen that functions as part assembly line, part craft station.
There’s none of the buffet chaos that typically fuels skepticism. No steam tables, no communal troughs, no food malingering under heat lamps. Orders are placed from the table, prepared to order, and delivered with friendly care. This is civilized sushi AYCE—pearls and weekly budget intact…