Flavours from the frontier

Jyran works well in terms of the ambiance and the cuisine that reflect the flavours of the north-west Indian frontier, evoking a sense of royalty, poetry and drama. The corporate lunch menu has been especially designed to cater to the health-conscious working professional. There are set choices on offer, but the chef assured us that they were open to customisation.

Overall, the primary aim of a balanced meal is achieved with enough variety of flavour, texture and colour. Opting for two dark gravies or curries is not advisable, as the first one usually dulls the taste buds. I would recommend a stir-fried veggie option instead. There were a variety of rotis on offer, but few were a tad dry. The brown rice was light and tasty.

While I felt that the core of the mutton pieces were a bit pink and rare, I was unable to understand the rationale of placing mushrooms alongside the mutton. I wonder if this culinary logic is also followed in other cuisines. If yes, then mushrooms with a lighter gravy preparation, leaning towards 'bland' would have made for a better accompaniment. Or a simple pan-toss.

The presentation style was apparently customized for Jyran Balance specifically—the fixed bowl arrangement on wooden block with grooves. I found it a trifle restrictive and inconvenient.

The finer points of the meal included the orange (rind and pulp) and the mint-infused water. The portions were enough for 2-3 people to have a taste of everything they have individually ordered. The bite-sized portions of dessert were welcome. The ambiance and service score well, with personal attention from the head chef and the manager. Food-wise the ala carte menu may be a better bet, but the ambiance is definitely worth a visit.

Taste: 7
Presentation of food: 7.5
Menu: 6.5
Ambience: 8
(Rating on a scale of 1 to 10)