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NDTV
12-05-2025
- NDTV
7 Pan-Asian Restaurants In Chennai That Deserve A Spot On Your Food Map
Quick Reads Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. Chennai's Asian food scene has transformed into a culinary obsession. The city now hosts a vibrant expat community and food-loving locals. These restaurants are elevating street food into fine dining experiences. Chennai's love for Asian food has evolved from a passing trend into a full-blown obsession. With a growing expat community and a new generation of food lovers craving everything from sushi and Korean BBQ to Thai curries and dim sum, the city is now a major destination for Pan-Asian cuisine in India. Restaurants across Chennai are offering bold new flavours, with street-style dishes being elevated into fine-dining experiences. If you are looking for the best Pan-Asian restaurants, whether for sushi, Thai food, or Chinese specialities, Chennai has it all. From Sushi To Thai Curries, These 7 Pan-asian Restaurants Are Defining How Chennai Eats Right Now: 1. Zhouyu One of the finest Asian restaurants to debut in Chennai, the all-new Zhouyu on East Coast Road is also one of the most visually stunning dining spaces in the city. The menu features bold, authentic flavours from China (primarily Sichuan, Hunan and Cantonese) and includes signature dishes from across Southeast Asia. Zhouyu ditches the predictable red-and-gold aesthetic seen in many Chinese restaurants in favour of cool splashes of blue. Their stewed duck, wontons in chilli oil, and Treasure Prawns are unmissable. What truly stands out is the attention to detail - from the plating to the spice balance - that makes Zhouyu worth the drive. Where: ECR, Injambakkam 2. Soy Soi Soy Soi brings some of the best dishes from Asia's bustling food streets into an elegant setting. The restaurant recently updated its interiors and overhauled its menu as part of a broader revamp. The culinary team has travelled extensively across Asia, learning from hawker stalls and local street kitchens, to serve bold, authentic flavours. The new dishes include Wild Mushroom Gyoza, Tuna Tataki, Karipap, and an excellent range of grilled dishes, including our top pick - Lamb Dengaku. The dining room is stylish, with a few intimate private dining nooks. Where: Gandhi Mandapam Road, Kotturpuram 3. Pan Asian, ITC Grand Chola Spanning 8,500 square feet, the Asian restaurant at ITC Grand Chola is one of the largest of its kind in any Indian luxury hotel. A dramatic 'Temptation Walk' leads guests into this two-level space, complete with a glass-walled display kitchen where chefs are constantly at work. The Japanese section is particularly impressive, offering expertly prepared sashimi using ingredients flown in from Japan. The attention to quality ingredients and presentation sets the tone for a fine dining experience. Where: ITC Grand Chola, Mount Road 4. YouMee The Japanese manga-inspired interiors set the mood at YouMee, a high-energy Pan-Asian restaurant located in one of Chennai's top retail and entertainment centres. The decor uses a fun palette of black, white, red and natural wood, keeping things vibrant without going overboard. The menu balances traditional favourites with contemporary flair, covering Thai, Japanese and Chinese cuisine. Standout dishes include the tempura-fried asparagus, Kung Pao chicken, spicy Thai curries, and Miso Shiro soup. Where: Express Avenue Mall 5. Asian Katha In an age where many restaurants prioritise Instagram over flavour, Asian Katha is refreshingly food-first. Tucked into a convenient location in Chennai's Central Business District, this Pan-Asian spot offers a comfort-focused menu. Expect sushi rolls (the maki is a must-try), dim sums, and deeply satisfying Asian curries. The restaurant keeps things dynamic by introducing pop-ups inspired by different parts of Southeast Asia. Where: Nungambakkam High Road 6. Pa Pa Ya This modern Asian bistro and tapas bar has built a loyal following in Chennai for its dim sums and desserts. Pa Pa Ya continues the formula that has worked across India - blending Asian cooking techniques with a modern presentation. Popular items include stir-fried lotus stems, cream cheese dim sums, and the addictive rock shrimp tempura. Expect crowd-pleasers with an edge. Where: Nungambakkam High Road 7. Nasi and Mee The original Nasi and Mee on Khader Nawaz Khan Road gives off a casual, bustling Asian canteen feel. The newer outpost at Holiday Inn on OMR opts for a more laid-back, lounge-like atmosphere. Inspired by Singapore's Jurong Bird Park and Southeast Asian street decor, this space blends whimsy with comfort. The menu includes a strong line-up of Malay and Indonesian plates, complemented by well-made sushi rolls. Do not miss the soupy dumplings and their take on Nasi Goreng; pair it with their signature Iced Milo.
The Hindu
01-05-2025
- The Hindu
Soy Soi in Chennai is back with a new menu and old favourites
In 2017, chef Te Yuan Peter Tseng and his team went on a 21-day journey across Southeast Asia, with one goal in mind. To eat. 'We went to five countries and ate only street food. By the end, we had eaten and documented around 300 dishes,' he says, fondly remembering the trip. The journey was undertaken to give the menu of his latest venture, a taste of authenticity. 'We came back and started building a solid menu. We mixed influences, took some difficult decisions and narrowed it down to 120 dishes,'. And thus, Soy Soi was born. A restaurant that looked to serve Asian street style food in an elevated dining space, Soy Soi bridged a gap in the culinary landscape, and introduced the city to many new and interesting dishes and cuisines. In March 2025, they closed doors, took a break and spent almost two months to change things up. 'We have added some dishes that we only see in fine dining restaurants and incorporated different flavours and textures to make something innovative,' says brand chef Rajat Gurung, as he serves an amuse-bouche - a Persian cucumber roll, stuffed with tofu, asparagus and carrot, plated in a pool of sesame sauce and chilli oil. It is a good mix of flavours and textures that prepares us for an exciting meal. The first course is the avocado carpaccio. The smoky, buttery slices of avocado are served in ginger ponzu, chilli oil and topped with a pineapple salsa, jalapeño relish, herb oil, and rice crispies. The contrast of textures and flavours works perfectly. The meat alternative to this is the tuna tataki, which is served in a soy onion dressing and Japanese karashi mustard with chilli oil, and topped with jalapeños and herb oil. The mushroom gyozas with a crispy skirt might seem like something we have seen before, but there is a new addition to the dipping sauces. Along with the classic chilli crisp and scallion oil, a bright, and pungent karashi honey mustard, is served. This combination, while not conventional, brings out the umami notes of the mixed mushrooms in the gyoza. It pairs well with the ginger and kaffir lime mocktail, Soft Thai Fashion. The star of the meal is the grilled eggplant miso served with a roasted sesame dressing and the recurring karashi mustard. It is grilled to perfection, melts in your mouth and coats your tongue in a nutty, savoury dressing. The crispy avocado sushi crusted with tanuki (tempura flakes) and stuffed with jalapeño, leaves no room for innovation. The flavours are familiar. We also try the Malaysian Karipap, which is a curry puff filled with curried vegetables and served with a Malay potato curry. It is aromatic, but heavy on the palette. The lamb dengaku is a special addition to the menu. 'This is not traditionally made with lamb, but we are a lamb loving city, so I have customised it to go with this sauce. The lamb is tenderised with raw papaya and marinated in herbs, to make it flavourful,' says chef Rajat. For the main course, the spicy Vietnamese pho with thinly sliced meat or vegetables and a flavourful broth is a wholesome option. The Malaysian curry in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options is served with fresh jasmine rice. End the meal with the signature fluffy Japanese cheesecake served with yuzu sauce, coconut crumble and macerated plum. Even ahead of the formal re-opening of the restaurant, every table is occupied, and baskets of dimsums, and bowls of ramen and pho are flying in and out of the kitchen. Some finishing touches remain. The walls are bare, there is an underlying smell of fresh paint in the air, but the aroma of chillies and the memories are clinging to the walls. Paying no heed to the unfinished parts, Chennai embraces Soy Soi like an old friend. Soy Soi is at 2/10, Gandhi Mandapam Rd, Chitra Nagar, Kotturpuram. A meal for two costs ₹2,400. For reservations, call 7397774857.
