Shizusan Shophouse and Bar opens doors in Bengaluru

Food9Lead1
Food9Lead1

Visitors to places like Penang and Singapore will know that shophouses form part of their charm. The colonial era buildings often hold stores or businesses on the ground floor and the living quarters of its owners on the first. Phoenix Mill’s Bellona Hospitality brings a slice of the shophouse life to Bengaluru, after Pune and Mumbai, with Shizusan Shophouse & Bar — a pan-Asian restaurant that serves up an exotic mix of Chinese, Japanese, Burmese, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, Korean, Filipino, Malaysian and Thai cuisines. 
While not really spread across two storeys, the restaurant boasts two areas — a dining space with live sushi and dim sum bars, and an outdoor section which takes inspiration from Kyoto’s jazz bars.  


Miso mania
We were first treated to the Taiwanese staple, Miso milk — a soup made with udon noodles, wakame (a kind of seaweed), bits of tofu and an aromatic miso broth that is made special with the addition of milk. An assortment of satays and sushi rolls followed in quick succession and proved to be an assault on our senses. The Sriracha Blush, a Thai sushi roll with avocado, cream cheese, jalapenos and cucumber, is a great vegetarian starter. So is the Edamame, Petit Pois and truffle oil dim sum — velvety smooth pea puree encased in a silky casing and topped with edamame. 
Sweet, sour, spicy and refreshing, the Asian watermelon salad had us feeling moreish. It’s often the simplest ingredients that make the best dish and this salad, featuring radish, feta, toasted almonds, mint and cilantro with a tangy chilli-garlic soy dressing, is testament to the fact. The almonds added crunch, while the cheese brought in creaminess, which was well balanced by the refreshing mint, cilantro and 
watermelon chunks. The Penang Laksa lotus stem is another must-try. The stems are fried, flavoured with coconut and served with a garnish of basil and lemongrass. 


For mains, don’t miss the Black bean yaki udon — noodles with spinach, sugar snap peas and a choice of chicken, prawns or beef. The Dan Dan Mian, hand-pulled noodles tossed with chilli oil, peanuts, scallion and pepper served with either chicken, prawn or minced pork, is another interesting choice. If the food doesn’t floor you, the drinks certainly will. We sampled the Ok Lah — fresh orange juice, orange chunks, and kaffir lime, taking inspiration from street vendors in Bangkok. For something stronger, try the Black Sumatra (Old Monk, Amaretto, espresso), or Saigon Lemonade (Jim Bean, yuzu, ginger ale). Dessert was the sinful Vietnamese Banh Chuoi Nuong — candied banana on a layer of chocolate mousse, banana cake and sesame seed crumble. 
The variety on offer, the well-curated drinks menu and focus on lesser known dishes, make this place a must-visit.
Rs 1,800 for two. At Phoenix Marketcity, Whitefield. Details: 67266655 

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