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| Watermelonmintini |
Syn Asian Grill & Bar, Taj Deccan, Hyderabad
Cusine: Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese
Location: Taj Deccan, Road 1, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad.
Phone: 040 66663939 / 092 95 006969
Hours of Operation: Mon - Sun: 12:30 pm - 3:30 pm, 7:30 pm - 1:00 am
Website:
Syn Asian Grill & Bar, Taj Hotels
Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/synicious
Twitter: https://twitter.com/synicious
Recommendations: Sushi Rolls, Yasai Salad, Vietnamese Vegetable Red Curry, Cocktails
Restaurants are always about more than just food. It is the overall dining experience which makes it more memorable and worth remembering. It was a bright , beautiful afternoon when we landed at Syn Asian
Grill & Bar at Taj Deccan here in Hyderabad. We were warmly welcomed by a bunch of neatly dressed guys into the restaurant and we promptly asked for a table which had a huge window right beside. :-).
Before I delve into more details, if I have to sum up my Syn experience in a one-liner, I would say -
"If you'd like a taste of best of Sushi (for both vegetarian and meat lovers) then there is no better place to visit than Syn." Oh yes, the Mango Maki (fresh mango sushi roll) and Kaki age Maki (crispy vegetable tempura roll) were definitely the showstoppers of the day!
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| ..beautiful indoors.. |
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See, I love that," I immediately said referring to the casually laid sofas which were very comfortable with an upmarket feel. The indoors of the restaurant had an expansive feel with a very relaxed setting and a high-energy island bar right in the middle.
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| Amuse Bouche a.k.a Happy Spoons Yasai Salad |
Our lunch was based on a customized menu. The idea was to taste a variety of dishes rather than eat just a couple. The meal began with a tasting of
Amuse Bouche (happy spoons) which was made with thinly cut water chestnut, raw mango in chilly plum and soya-based dressing on a bed of fried rice noodles. It had all the elements right - the crunchiness from water chestnut + noodles and light sweetness from the plum. Delightful, I would say. The next came
Yasai Salad which was such a treat to munch on. It has three kinds of tempura crumbs - beetroot, spinach and plain along with shredded iceberg lettuce and a dash of japanese mayo on top. I have never had such a combination of flavors before and it was truly a scrumptious discovery.
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| Wasabi Chilli Vodka Cocktail |
I have to confess - I don't like Wasabi. there are many of my friends who simply love its pungency and for such ones, we have a
Wasabi Chilli Vodka Cocktail. I, instead chose to sip on my
Watermelonmintini (the first pic) which had a cool, minty flavor.
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| Mango maki [Fresh Mango Sushi Roll ] Kaki age maki [Crispy Vegetable Tempura Roll] |
This is undoubtedly my favorite part of the meal (as I already mentioned in my one-liner). When the Sushi rolls arrived, there was no overt theatricality about them. They were just simple ingredients made and served well. The
Kaki age Maki was a crispy vegetable tempura roll and the
Mango Maki was a fresh mango sushi roll. These were so delectable that once we tasted it, we were bound to return with an insistent craving. Don't miss out on them if you make a visit to Syn. The other kinds of sushi served were -
Dragon Maki Fancy roll with shrimp tempura, crab stick and avacado with unagi sauce and
Karai Maguro Maki Traditional japanese spicy tuna roll.
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| Hanoi Corn Cake [Traditional Vietnamese Style Corn Cake with Chilli] |
Next came the
Hanoi Corn Cakes made with chilli, served with honey chilli sauce which was a nice accompaniment to cut the heat from the corn cakes.
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| Pho vegetable soup Stir fried vegetable with Tender Coconut |
The
Pho Vegetable Soup had rice noodles, basil, lemon, lettuce, baby corn, beans, bits of carrot, raw onions and caramelized onions. I never thought adding a bit of browned onions with star anise would give such a depth of flavor to a broth. Next time, I am making a soup for myself, I have decided to try this tip. :-)
For main course, it began with
Stir fried vegetables like palm hearts, asparagus, beans with tender coconut in a mild garlic sauce. It was fine blend of flavors and if you are a fan of palm hearts, you got to try this one.
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| Thai Fried rice and Vietnamese Vegetable Red Curry Thai Style Bamee Noodles |
Both
Thai Fried Rice and the
Thai Style Bamee Noodles were a bit spicy for my taste buds. These dishes were old made new, in a colorful way. A special mention to the
Vietnamese Vegetable Red Curry which is made with lemongrass just as a flavoring, a paste of curry powder and red chilli. I really loved the addition of sweet potato (along with tofu, broccoli etc) as it is an unusual veggie to be added in thai curries I have tasted before.
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| Dessert Platter - Tub-tin-grob, Ricotta cheese cake, Chocolate Tsunami with Vanilla Ice cream |
The dessert platter served by the very end was tastefully created - we had
Tub-tin-grob in shot glasses, thai lime flavored ricotta cheesecake, vanilla ice cream and chocolate tsunami with a goey middle.
There is no other better way to end such a fabulous meal than a small cuppa of white tea. It was so soothing and delicately brewed. I simply love teas made with lot of care. :-)
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| White Tea |
On a final note, I think
Syn is an uber trendy restaurant which enjoys being different from the rest of the lot and so is the food which is quite impressive and delicately plated. The staff is courteous and knowledgeable. The chef's passion to serve good food shines through and he is always around to answer any questions. I highly recommend to pay a visit if you are in the city.
Disclaimer: We were invited to sample few of their dishes and our meal was compensated for. However, the views expressed in this post are strictly my own, and doesn't involve any monetary compensation.
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Also check out previously posted editions of "Eat Outs" -
Thai Pavilion, Vivanta Taj, Hyderabad
The Egg Factory, Bangalore
Jalpaan, Bangalore
Cafe Coffee Day, Bangalore
Signature Monsoon Menu at Shiro, U B City, Bangalore
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Hello Siri, long time no see/read... but it looks mouthwatering from here! Hope you're well :)
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