A bit of a mouthful to pronounce but I’m sure the city’s foodies will get used to it. I’ve been waiting for some interesting food concepts in Phoenix Market City and thankfully here they are … things started happening with 212 and now this Asian ‘pop’ bistro. It’s the kind of concept that should do well across the country – hip and happy décor with touches of the Orient which are smart but not in your face and a charming terrace onto the new courtyard to dine when the weather is suitable and in the evenings.
The menu revolves around the fictitious character called Shizu and his culinary travels around Asia. Undoubtedly, painstaking research has gone into this extensive menu with dishes from Japan and China to Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia. It will take at least 3 to 4 meals to fully sample and taste what is on offer. Start with dim sums – all really well prepared with fresh wrappers, some with unusual flavours – edamame with peas, prawn and chive and lamb and leek. Some combinations are better than others but they are all really fresh and steaming. Our table unanimously loved the Vietnamese family sized Pho soup – a clear well flavoured broth with rice noodles and shrimp (you can also have chicken or veg). I would have loved some beansprouts, Thai basil, fresh red chilli, scallions and coriander leaves thrown in for that authentic Vietnamese aroma. In the ‘cold plates’, the tuna carpaccio (or ‘tataki’ as it should be called) is pretty perfect with the right amount of seasoning. The ‘baos’ are a twist on the original Chinese recipe where a whole soft white sweetish bread is stuffed with usually a sweet pork filling and baked. The baos at Shizusan are served like tacos. Both the pulled chicken and 12 hour braised pork belly were excellent. Mains need another dinner! However, we did try the minced chicken kaprow – a popular Thai minced chicken dish with red chilli and galangal, and the Pad Thai, the famous Thai noodle dish. We saw the hot stone rice being made in front of the table next to us. Fantastic idea which brings a bit of theatre to the culinary experience. Do not leave without dessert. Most Asian desserts are pretty lack luster but the ones here are amazing – the peanut butter pie, the tiramisu Asia with a green tea sponge and the chocolate mud pie were all brilliant.
You have an excellent selection of authentic Asian sauces on the table – spicy sriracha, the Japanese chilli pepper togarashi and a fabulous chilli oil. If I have any complaint it would be the sashimi which since it is a dish of raw fish, needs really good fresh fish to make it special. The restaurant has just opened so I’m sure this will happen soon. All the presentations are superb.
WOW FACTOR : 8/10
WATCH OUT FOR : You can easily miss it since it is on the ground floor of Phoenix next to retail fashion shops (opposite Mango)
PORTION SIZE: Good
ALCOHOL: Not yet (hopefully in April)
VEGETARIAN: Plenty of options
And remember Dim Sum portions are always 4 pieces. Maybe order 2 if you are more in number.
Here’s a link to my review on Shizusan featured in the Pune Times.