Japanese with a modern twist: Shizuku restaurant review

A NEW addition to the Abbotsford foodie precinct, Shizuku delights and dazzles with its Ramen burger. Tracy Pham delivers her verdict.  

The pork belly ramen burger is Shizuku’s delicious signature dish. Photo courtesy of Shizuku.

Just a 15-minute tram ride from the city, Shizuku was an unexpected surprise when I visited recently.

The decor was a mixture of classical and minimalist Japanese design with black, wooden furniture dotted around the restaurant and inverted flower look-alike lanterns to light up the place.

The restaurant takes its name from the traditional word for ‘droplet’ and pays homage to the day-long process of preparing ramen from scratch.

Since opening in July this year, Shizuku has become known in Abbotsford for its combination of Izakaya-style plates with heartier, authentic dishes and original recipes that are utterly modern. This isn’t your typical Japanese restaurant. And it’s not expensive either. Dishes range from $10- $30.

I ordered the restaurant’s signature dish, its ramen burger. The ramen burger is a New York culinary creation. At Shizuku, it comes with a choice of pork belly or eggplant. The pork belly burger has plum, prune and kewpie mayo. I wasn’t sure what the latter was, but it sounded delicious, while the eggplant burger comes with a rich miso jam.

The ramen burger was a fresh, tasty summertime  burger. The meat had a wonderful, loosely-packed texture and the toppings were fresh and plentiful. It was one of those burgers I’d be happy to eat day in and day out.

I also decided to give the marmalade chicken with its sweet citrus flavour a try and it was very appetizing. I admit I was also tempted by the tuna tartare with deep fried gyoza pastry and the crab meat croquettes.

The eggplant ramen burger is a healthy vegetarian alternative. Photo courtesy of Shizuku.

Presentation takes on major importance here.  The sashimi, sushi, udon, ramen and rice dishes were all beautifully laid out.

Both the ramen burger and marmalade chicken were not greasy, light and jam-packed with flavors. The char siu pork belly in the ramen was slow-cooked onsite for 15 hours and absolutely delicious. For dessert, I tried the green tea ice cream with soy bean powder, which was fantastic.

Overall, the food quality was fine. The dishes weren’t overtly overpriced and were a fresh alternative to what’s on offer in neighbouring places on Victoria Street.

I think the restaurant’s atmosphere was perfect for a nice night out with friends or a date. The menu was exquisite and creative and the friendly, attentive staff earned Shizuku a few extra brownie points.

Shizuku is at 309 Victoria Street, Abbotsford. It’s open seven days from 11.30am to 10pm.