The new Asian Shophouse & Bar is modeled after a fictional character by the same name, which loosely translates as collector of maps in Japanese
Shizusan aims to breakaway from the expected template of what an Oriental eatery should be in terms of its décor, concept and food. Divided into two sections — the ground floor has a sushi bar, and an 18-feet-long wood log bar counter, cantilevered at one end to form a community table. The ceiling panels are painted with expressionist-style flowers, placed according to the season they bloom in — cherry blossoms represent spring, Wisteria represents summer and chrysanthemums for winter. The regular red lanterns, a fixture at most Oriental restaurants, have made way for Vietnamese-style lanterns made from wireframe and fabric. As one walks up the staircase to the first floor, you enter Shizusan’s personal bar. Frescos of lotuses adorn the wall while the green tinted concrete floor, is inlaid with metal lotus leaves. There’s also the scaffolding bar complete with ladders and Asian dinnerware on display alongwith a Dimsum Studio at the opposite end.
Food: Reflecting the fictional nomadic character’s desire for change (after whom Shizusan is named), the menu too is off beat and offers you something unique. Here’s a glimpse of what was on offer the day we dropped by for an exclusive preview.
To start with, from the dimsum section, we tried the Edamame, Petit Pois and Truffle oil (a delicious way to whet our appetites), Poached Chicken Dumplings (which was fairly good) and the Pulled Pork and Kimchi Mandoo (this one was a let down in terms of flavour). Under Maki rolls, we sampled the Avocado Salad (a mouthful of flavours, this is a stunner) and The Peruvian (that has tuna ceviche, lemon-chilli mayo and cilantro, that was delicious). Under Asian Tapas, we recommend Penang Laksa Spiced Lotus Stem for its sweet, delicate flavour. It stands out as a unique bar bite that complements any drink.
For mains, we tried the Lemongrass and Coconut Cream Mussels. The coconut cream perfectly balances the salty mussels, and once you are done enjoying them, you can mop up the rest with the Mantou buns served alongside. But if you truly want to try something different, we recommend the Gochujang buri bop that’s also served with strips of tuna and a hot sauce. Thin slices of tuna are placed around the rim, and the sizzling pot of egg rice is spiced up with the hot sauce, while the tuna on the side cooks with the heat. It’s a feast for both your eyes and your tastebuds.
To finish off the meal, we recommend you go with popular Filipino dessert, Halo-Halo, served here under the tag of Manila’s Halo Halo Sundae. It’s a marriage of lavender, coffee and vanilla ice cream with condensed milk, sweet corn, red bean jelly and rice crisps. While we also tried Hong kong’s Egg Custard Tart. It was too heavy, and would probably have worked better as a smaller portion. The two cocktails that we tried — Cocky Rooster and CuCu are a work in progress. The former was strictly okay, the latter had a bitter after taste of cucumbers that could be avoided. We hope these teething issues will be sorted before the place officially opens on February 6.
COST: A meal for two approximately works out to Rs 2,500 plus taxes
AT: Shizusan, High Street Phoenix, next to Lifestyle, Lower Parel
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