New Restaurant: Nû Burger Sushi Bar

This Japanese-inspired burger joint serves interesting and fun fusion food that’s perfect for the adventurous eater.

 

 

Located downtown on the corner of 4th Avenue and 8th Street S.W., Nû Burger Sushi Bar is one of the most interesting restaurants to pop up in Calgary in the last little while.

The interior of the small space (it seats about 30) is fairly basic with a white, black and red colour scheme, short tables along the floor-to-ceiling windows and some slightly more cozy banquet seating in the back. Nû is open for lunch and dinner throughout the week, making it a good place to pop by for a quick lunch over the noon hour or for a casual dinner after work.

Now, it’s hard to pin point the exact focus of the menu here. If it has be classified, it would fall into the category of Japanese-meets-burger joint. Not a regular classification by any means, and if that explanation of the food sounds strange to you it’s because it is. But it works for Nû.

Whether or not a particular menu item makes your mouth water, the descriptions are generally so intriguing that you and your friends will want to order something (or a lot of things) simply just to see the flavour profile outcome. Nû’s take on croquettes (“croquette bombs”) will get you a generous line-up of two-bite patties filled with a blend of sweet potato, cauliflower, kale, spinach and pickled ginger that are coated in a black sesame and panko with miso mayo for dipping. If there are enough people at the table to try a few things, then the chicken corn dogs with togarashi aioli are worth sinking your teeth into as well.

Since a part of the restaurant’s identity leans toward being a sushi bar, you can order from a small selection of nigiri, sashimi and temaki, but these options all seem to pale in comparison to the gourmet sushi offerings. Different rolls like Russian Roulette (tempura shrimp, jalapeno-infused cream cheese, cucumber and tobiko served with a shot of sake on the side) or the Silk Road, a vegetarian roll comprised of tofu, tempura avocado, cream cheese, pickled beets, daikon and cilantro — it’s a lot going on on one small plate and definitely packs a punch. They may not be the most expertly formed and sliced sushi rolls in town, but no one could ever fault these guys for lacking in the flavour department.

Much like the traditional sushi options, the more standard burgers themselves sound interesting enough, like The Jerk with chicken, mango salsa, slaw and jerk hot sauce. But peruse the “burgushi” options (sushi-inspired burgers) on the flipside of the menu to discover sushi/burger mash-ups that will slightly boggle your mind, while appearing enticing all at the same time.

The Shabang “burgushi” sees sushi rice wrapped in soy paper and toasted instead of the traditional top and bottom bun. In between, you’ll find smoked salmon, capers, cucumber, onion and cream cheese. Again, it’s one of those dishes where most rhyme or reason seems to have been thrown out the window, but the result is something fresh and enjoyable and, perhaps nicest of all, the rice-based “bun” holds its shape bite-by-bite.

Whether you decide to try the out-of-the-ordinary “burgushi” or stick with the regular, make sure to get the battered zucchini instead of fries (although the crispy fries with parmesan and truffle oil do sound pretty top notch). Deep-fried zucchini was a very popular bar appetizer years ago, so it’s deserving of a more contemporary comeback like this. Think of a golden brown Kentucky Fried Chicken-style batter coating sticks of zucchini. Fried squash has never looked so good.

A menu hasn’t been this fun to read in Calgary in a long time. So, if you like fun and good food, eating at this new spot will be well worth your time.

890 4 Ave. S.W., 587-955-8606, nubsb.com, @nubsbhq