On a breezy afternoon, I walk into Origyn, a luxury restobar at Merlis Hotel, and the first thing I notice is the natural light that floods the space. It sets the tone for the contemporary lounge where people can slow down, and engage with thoughtfully crafted food and drinks. By evening, the ambience changes, with the outdoor decks overlooking the runway offering a spectacle of aircraft taking off and landing against the city’s skyline.Sundeep Devarajan, executive director of Raj Park Hotels (Merlis is a unit of the same group) says Origyn was conceived as a traveller’s experience of Asia across cuisines, flavours and memories. “When we designed the place, we clearly wanted a concept that covers Asia as a continent,” he says, adding, “It is like travelling to different cities and exploring their food.”
Recreating the Asian experience with food and drinks
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Special Arrangement
My first drink is the Leaf and Husk, a clear cocktail inspired by pandan, coconut and the aromatic notes of lemongrass and kaffir lime. It is pristine as water but packs a punch that is comforting. “Each drink is designed with an Asian influence, built around a familiar flavour or memory,” says Vignesh M, bar executive. “The pandan cordial is prepared in-house using sous vide technique that extracts the flavour without retaining the leaf’s characteristic green colour. So, guests expecting a green drink is instead presented with a crystal-clear cocktail, finished with tender coconut jelly. It is our way of throwing a surprise to our guests,” he laughs.Madhusoodhanan Sugumaran, the general manager, says the private dining spaces at Origyn, including a 30-seater, allows guests to personalise the space with music and décor. Outdoor decks overlooking the runway offer another setting for private events. “ Each sip carries a story. Asia’s culinary and cocktail traditions are reborn with renewed flavours,” he adds.Soon, my eyes are fixed on colourful handcrafted dim sums that take over the table. While the green dim sums come packed with the goodness of baby corn, aubergine and carrot, the delicate yellow ones are stuffed with mushroom, cream cheese and truffle oil. The yellow colour from saffron and the truffle oil adds a lingering umami flavour to this melt-in-the mouth delight.
