Bengaluru’s IZA beckons you on a pan-Asian journey

There’s so much more to Asian fare than noodles and wontons; IZA could be your doorway to a whole new world of pan-Asian cuisine

If the words tom kha and teriyaki, sambal and Sichuan, sui mai and nasi goreng, conjure up a vision of a smorgasbord that is the Far East, then Iza should be on your bucket list. But, I am getting ahead of myself.

Iza is at Divyasree and once you get your bearings and step in, you will find it is a well-done space where both large parties and intimate gatherings will feel at home. Apparently, Iza is short for ‘Izakaya,’ which is Japanese for stay-drink-place; it is an invitation to get comfortable with food, family and friends, and that is exactly what we see unfolding around us.

Being a pan-Asian restaurant, the offerings at Iza are plenteous and diverse — the only problem you would face is trying to decide what to choose. Apart from the small eats and starters, the dim sums, baos and grills get a separate section of the menu card, to say nothing of the soups and salads.

Thankfully, the choices were made for us so all we had to do was enjoy the good, good food that came our way. The crispy chilli edamame is a great way to start things off. Browned garlic and almond flakes round out the punch that the chilli oil brings to fried edamame; it does quite well as a bar snack.

The dim sums here are a revelation — with 14 variants on the menu, the vegetarian options edge out non-veg ones by one! And honestly, given a chance I could make a meal just out of these choices alone. We tried the wild mushroom and truffle, chicken and blue pea, and spicy prawn and kaffir lime dim sums.

Each of these were delicious by themselves and came with sauces that enhanced their taste. What really stood out for us was that the dim sums came in beautiful vibrant shades instead of the now boring, off-white that is the norm. And while colour does not always affect taste, it certainly influences perception. And that is another thing about Iza; everything is so aesthetically laid out — from the way food is plated to their simple table linen and décor.

The Singaporean cereal prawns were a bit bland despite the curry powder and fried chilli tempering, though the prawn itself was soft and succulent. The duck spring roll, spiced with hoisin and served with chilli plum sauce, is for those who enjoy a smidgen of sweetness with their spice. Duck too, is an acquired taste, so order it only if your palate is accustomed to either one or both.