If My House Ever Has A Cocktail Room, It Will Resemble Synthe, Kolkata

It was my first time in Cal, as most locals call it. I call it Calcutta, not Kolkata. My mind was crowded with thoughts about the city. Some said the roads are always jammed; others called it dirty; only a few said what I agreed with after visiting. It is a city full of life, raw and nonchalant in its own ways, and, most importantly, is home to people who are equal parts passionate and possessive, not just about art, culture, and literature, but about food.

“Bengalis take their food very seriously.” I have heard this phrase as many times as I have spoken to a Bengali. And they truly do. They eat heartily, and their meals are often large. For me, this made Cal’s food scene worth experiencing.

Of course, nothing comes close to the Bhim Chandra Nags and Netaji shops of the city. I found myself at Synthe, the city’s newest cocktail destination and arguably the first omakase bar in Kolkata. On your visit, make sure to spot Satyajit Ray’s home which is  bang opposite Synthe’s building.

While hits and misses are part of every experience, the most striking bit about Synthe is that it dares to define how India’s drinking culture will evolve in the next century. The menu which features 11 cocktails is crisp and leaves little room for confusion. However, my two bits to the team at Synthe would be to use storytelling where needed. In an age when we are trying to pitch products through stories, only those with meaning shall sell.

For the diners: Go for their well-crafted drinks and plates that pair well. Dive lesser into the stories that come along.

A door led me into Synthe. Red lights and a cocktail-bar-like space welcomed me. I was seated at the bar and signed up for their omakase experience, entrusting the bartender to decide my first drink. Before you visit Synthe, make sure you have built up your capacity enough to gulp down at least half of their cocktails, because I assure you, you will be tempted. The bar program has been curated by beverage consultant Ankur Chawla.

I started off with Optimism. It is created for a decade when humanity will rediscover joy. As for that, I’m very unsure, but I sure did find my joy in sipping this vodka-based prep. Each sip features the best of all ingredients that make up the cocktail: yuzu for tang, jasmine for floral notes, and peach and orange bitters for sweetness. It was an elegant kiss and a good entry point into the menu.

Synthesis, which arrived second, became my favourite drink from the menu. It was tequila topped with a red wine float and coconut milk. The drink was meant to represent a time when people will exist in harmony with one another. Again, I’m unsure whether such a time will ever arrive, but the tequila and red wine were definitely in harmony in this drink. What drove the nail into the coffin were the notes of coconut. A long, deep sip, and you could taste everything coming together beautifully and harmoniously. Worth a second order.

Another one called Unlearn was bold. More herbal and intense at once, the gin-based cocktail featured notes of tomato and strawberry vinegar. The smokiness worked for me, but all in all, this drink is only a fit for those who are open to experimenting.

A comforting drink, as it was meant to be, was Emotional Design. Creamy and leaning towards the sweeter end of the spectrum, butter-washed Dewar’s, vanilla tincture, and brown butter syrup are topped with a cream foam to craft a drink that is engineered to soothe. For some reason, the only thing I could think of while sipping on this one was how it would be a perfect sip when battling a breakup. I wish you never had to, but just in case.

Finally, a drink I must mention before I leave is Tough To Be Simple. Quite against the name, it is a delicate composition where botanical gin meets the calming softness of chamomile tea and the freshness of cucumber. Balanced with bright lime acidity and a smooth foam texture, this cocktail delivers a clean, effortless sophistication that feels minimal yet deeply refined.

To the bites. Keeping up with their love for the number 11, the curators doubled it to 22 and added 22 dishes to the menu put together by Chef Vaibhav Bhargava. The service on the food front was not up to the mark compared to the speed and enthusiasm with which the drinks were served, which also makes the point: they are more cocktail-forward than food-forward.

From past experience, I trust food at cocktail bars less than I should. However, I did enjoy a few things that landed on my plate at Synthe.

The Chilli Theory Gyoza was my first bet. What makes or breaks gyoza for me is the crunch on one side. The one at Synthe ticked that check box. They were well-filled and spiced, too. Another one, Cornspiracy, was quite interesting. Corn, I have always believed, is one of the most underrated vegetables. This one featured corn ribs served with smoked miso corn mousse and mango corn salsa. What worked best for me was the mango corn salsa.

Anyone who has ever dined with me knows how much I enjoy a good tempura sushi. If that’s on the menu, I rarely skip it. At Synthe, the Blackout Futomaki was a dish I could return for. It was a full,  fat roll packed with crunchy charcoal asparagus tempura and chilli oil mayo. I enjoyed. I heard great things about the Seoul Mac Attack; it was probably their take on mac and cheese, but I never got to try it.

The menu is neatly divided into 11 vegetarian and 11 non-vegetarian plates (I am glad they were unbiased about that, despite being in Mumbai). I was told that the Jumbo Prawns were worth a serving after another, and so was the Fire-Fold Chicken Dumpling.

Finally, to something I have no reservations about: the ambience. The music sets the mood, and the lights make it a little more trippy. You step in, and you know that you are here to gulp down a few shots or linger over a couple of cocktails. Your body is likely to sway even before any amount of alcohol enters your system, and I talk with experience.

It is a compact space that feels like an extra room in your house transformed into a cocktail bar. The bar is beautiful and buzzing, and everything in that room revolves around it. It is a room that does not try to do much, but it allows you to stay focused on what you are there for: the drinks. Visit for the sips, and you will return tipsy, definitely, but also happy.

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