Enjoy a serving of sushi with a side of sky at Sozo

Catch an unforgettable view with a lovely pan-Asian dining experience at Sozo Skyline

One needs to take a lot into consideration when stepping out for a bite in Bengaluru — distance, traffic, cuisine, ambience, parking and more. Well, now you can add another factor while making your choice — the view.

Among its many pluses, one can count Sozo Skyline staying true to its name. Perched high up on the 17th floor, this pan-Asian dining destination commands a breathtaking view of the city. Located opposite the Vishveshwariah museum, the panorama from the top spans a regal Vidhana Soudha, the High Court lawns and Cubbon Park from the left before coming to a gentle rest on Chinnaswamy Stadium and a glimpse of the Manekshaw Parade Grounds. A gorgeous view of green and an ample sky unbroken by cables or high rises, just kites soaring so close you can see each plume.

With such a spectacular backdrop, the management was smart to leave the décor to a sensible and tasteful minimum. Of late, many pan-Asian restaurants are being more mindful of including vegetarian options and Sozo certainly does not disappoint in this regard. Water chestnut, edamame, quinoa, mock meat and more, share the menu with the usual non-vegetarian offerings.

We begin with the spicy soya and basil dumplings, and a chicken sui mai with water chestnut, before moving on to the mock meat with bok choy and garlic. It is heartening to see each dish arrive at the table paired with suitable sauces and dips, and not the usual one-taste-fits-all range of condiments that have sadly become commonplace.

The sakura mango sushi of beetroot rice, pickled carrots, mango and carrots served with salsa was as refreshing in taste as it was to look at. While the katsu gimbap of chicken and bell peppers was a tad dry, the Sozo special chicken with nuts and fried shallots was an interesting mix of flavours and textures.

There is no dearth of appetisers at Sozo and the five spice crispy prawn and the tuna crispy rice, one of their signature makis, were excellent choices that went well with our drinks. The tiramisu cafe with cream is a light, non-alcoholic version of Baileys, while the smirking gimlet and naughty Lucy were smooth choices for an afternoon tipple.

The Rendang curry, a lamb stew spiced with Sumatran herbs and served with jasmine rice was our choice for the main course and its hearty flavours balanced out our over-indulgence with starters.