Fun, Cool, Hip Asian Food

Food again? You're right! Another food entry from The Pink Tarha Girls and we will not get tired of posting entry about food. Medyo matagal nga ang interval from our last food post eh. Kamusta naman? Busog kaming lahat nung isang gabi eh! :p

First, we wanted to greet our pretty precious friend Jamila [in Arabic the name means “beautiful”] a happy happy birthday. Shukran, girl! ♥

We went to Zyng Asian Grill the other night to celebrate the Jamila's birthday. Nag blow-out po kasi siya. Zyng is located at the Localizer Mall along Al-Tahliya Street, Riyadh. It is the first branch to open here in Riyadh but it has other branches in Jeddah, Dhahran, and even Bahrain. I remembered months ago that our boss wanted to try Zyng's food in the office. Unfortunately, Zyng does not deliver.

Zyng Asian Grill

Back to the birthday feast, the resto was closed for prayer when we got there so we lounged around their zen-styled patio area. How we wish their sprinklers work during that time. It's getting terribly hot in Riyadh.

Al fresco dining for the guys.

Zyng opened around 7:00 pm. It was my first time there and I could not help but be enticed by the ambiance of the surroundings. It's almost peaceful and meditative. Kasi kami lang ang tao sa loob! Zyng combines the modern ambiance and coziness of a usual Asian resto.

Stripped to its essentials.

The minimalist design of the place sets off the Asian flare. The blackness of the tables and chairs is highlighted by the brightness of vibrant green pillars. Japanese lanterns that give off a dim light accentuate the green ceiling. A huge, heavy curtain separates the indoor bachelor area from the family area. Cubicles has ample seating for 4-6 persons each properly seated on black leather sofas. Hindi ba pwedeng nakasalampak na lang sa floor ala Japanese?!

Cooked right here!

The service is friendly. We even get to watch how they prepare and cook our food. Did I just mention food?! Okay, let's go to the food. I'm sure you're all waiting for it. Ang masasabi ko lang, nalasing kami sa kabusugan!

Appetizers pa lang, ulam na busog na kami. The appetizers served delighted and prepared our palate for the main meals. We ordered:

Tom Yum with Shrimp

A Thai savory soup flavored with exotic Thai spices and herbs with citrus flavorings.

Vietnamese Beef and Noodles‭ (‬Pho‭), ‬SR35
Thin slices of seasoned‭, ‬teppan grilled beef with onions‭, ‬scallions‭, ‬and rice noodles in a Vietnamese broth flavored with star anise and cinnamon‭.‬ This bowl of noodles is good for 6 persons.

Seared Salmon Sashimi‭, ‬SR32
Marinated sashimi seared rare and thinly sliced with wasabi‭, ‬ginger‭, ‬and ponzu dipping sauce‭.‬

Sumo Platter‭, ‬SR35
Assorted egg rollz‭, ‬crispy gyoza‭, ‬crispy shrimp‭, ‬and crispy tender chicken served with sweet chili and tangy soy dipping sauce‭.‬

For the main course, Eyecandy tried the Pad Thai and Thai Coconut Curry Chicken while Jamila ordered the Sesame Beef and Brocolli. They ordered their meals extra extra spicy. Tapang! Kailangan talagang pausukin ang mga tenga! I asked our server, Kuya Rene, to make my Mongolian Beef mildly spicy kasi hindi ko talaga kayang kumain ng maanghang! Sundrenched had the moderately spicy Korean BBQ beef.

Pad Thai‭, ‬SR30
Thin rice noodles with bean sprouts‭, ‬tofu‭, ‬carrots‭, ‬egg‭, ‬and peanuts in a spiced sweet and sour sauce‭.‬

Thai Coconut Curry Chicken‭, ‬SR48
Spiced red curry with red and green peppers‭, ‬onions‭, ‬and fresh basil served over wide rice noodles‭.‬

Sesame Beef and Brocolli‭, ‬SR48
Sliced and grilled with yakisoba sauce‭, ‬sweet red peppers‭, ‬and onions garnished with toasted sesame seeds‭. ‬Served with steamed jasmine-scented rice‭.‬

Mongolian Beef‭, ‬SR48
Seasoned beef‭, ‬sliced and grilled‭, ‬in a mildly spiced sauce with snow peas‭, ‬baby corn‭, ‬carrots and water chestnuts‭.‬

Korean BBQ Beef‭, ‬SR45
Traditional bulgogi‭; ‬tender seared sliced steak served with kimchi‭, ‬sweet chili cucumbers‭, ‬and jasmine-scented rice‭.‬

Our choices of drinks: iced tea and colas.

The food is good! Our only complain is that there was a shortage of rice noodles! They used Udon noodles for our dishes. And we thought "Zyng is noodles" according to their menu. And they used frozen shrimps! For the indecisive, you can take on their "Tour of Asia" three-course meal. You get to choose your starter, entree, and dessert for 75 riyals. Or you can try their "Asian Market Bowl" where you mix and match your protein (beef, chicken, shrimp, etc.), noodles (ban pho, cantonese, lo mein, udon, etc.), rice (jasmine or basmati), and sauces (peanut sauce, yakisoba, schezuan, kung pao, etc.). Leave your bowl of ingredients to them and they'll cook and deliver your masterpiece.

They also gave us complimentary tea! Zyng Chai is a befitting end to our meal.

Try Zyng Chai
The magical fusion of tea, non-fat milk, honey, and exotic spices.

Surprisingly, we had to decline dessert because we're too full! We even had to take a break from eating just so the food gets digested first. No avail. We're still full hours after that meal.

Zyng Asian Grill lives up to its name. It's really a new experience in Asian casual dining. It offers carefully select viands popular to China, Japan, Thailand, Korea, Vietnam, and Singapore at very affordable prices.

Salty, sweet, sour, and spicy? Which Zyng are you? Find out one of these days. :)

Zyng Asian Grill
Al-Tahaliya Street, Riyadh
(beside Localizer Mall)
Tel No. +966-1-453-0000

*Description under each food item is from the Zyng menu.