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August 2019 by Leonard B.
Defi is a gem--by far the best restaurant I've been to in Syracuse! The food is delicious, expertly prepared, and beautifully presented. They use fresh local ingredients and the menu changes weekly. We chose the 5-course fixed-price menu, but there are also a la carte options. Our dinner included tarts with goat cheese, peas, lemon and micro greens; incredibly tender rolled pork loin stuffed with sausage with coarse mustard; beets and tuna tartare on a lemon emulsion; roast duck legs with stew vegetables and sauce over savory gnocchi (which is one of the most delicious things I've ever tasted); and a crepe wrapped around sweetened house-made ricotta for dessert. We ordered the wine pairings for first four courses, and they were delicious. A co-owner is a grade 3 sommelier, which I think means that he knows a lot about wines from around the world and has exceptionally good taste. The wines were extraordinary and a bargain at $7/glass. We didn't order a mixed drink, but a person nearby ordered one that looked delicious. The waiter/bartender talked about how he made the drink; he seemed just as invested in creating delicious cocktails as the chef was in preparing sublime food. We sat at the counter, which gave us a chance to chat with our waiter, the chef, and the sommelier. It was a delightful experience and I can't wait to go back.
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June 2019 by Vahid L.
This place is way overrated and overpriced. My wife and I had dinner there last night. The food quality was average but the portion sizes were very small. My $28 dinner of cauliflowers and lentils wax the size of an appetizer. The waitress was very confused and we had to repeat things several times before she understood. I ordered a mixed drink and she forgot all about it. My wife asked for a salad with some protein and she did not know what my wife was talking about - she went and got the chef. The worst part was the bill which included a 20% service charge (tip). We don't mind giving good tips to people who serve us and normally we average about 20 to 25%. But to force the tip on the customer, especially when the service was so poor was outrageous.
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June 2019 by Max K.
We don't know Syracuse well and wanted something special to take our son and his roommates' parents out to dinner. I'm so glad I found Defi Cuisine! It is by far the best restaurant we found in town (and one of the few that didn't have nachos or fried mozzarella sticks on the menu) it was simply suburb. Fresh, farm to table dishes that were imaginative without being too challenging and the restaurant itself is intimate and beautiful. Not too expensive either! We'd put it right up there with some of our favorite "foodie" restaurants in Los Angeles or New York City (at a fraction of the price). If you live near Syracuse, treat yourself to dinner there. It will not dissppin
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June 2019 by Maria T.
This is a very elegant and dynamic restaurant. My husband and I visited for my birthday dinner and opted for the six course menu. Usually when we have done course dinners in the past at other restaurants , they have been a "prefixed" menu. Not at Defi- the menu is catered to YOU and your likes. The chef personally comes to your table and offers 3 categories of course. The first category being for mild palettes, the second a little more vivacious and the third for the most adventurous! From there they will prepare what they think you may like the most. Most if not all ingredients are locally sourced which I appreciate. The atmosphere was very intimate and the service outstanding! We had a great experience and hope to return again.
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April 2019 by Janet T.
So much flavor, creativity and tastes absolutely delicious. This is my third time at defi. Highly recommend.
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April 2019 by Linda G.
Not your average restaurant for sure. The bread, ask about the bread. Where the grain comes from. The butter that they make themselves has smoked salt and pepper in it and I could have been happy just with that it was so perfect. Just smell everything you get before you eat it. We were in not so beautiful Syracuse for accepted students day at SU. There were 4 of us at dinner, my husband and me, our foodie daughter and her SU student friend. We chose the right place to go. With a limited menu, please check it out before you go to make sure the selections are to your likings. Ahead of time we knew the duck and scallops would be chosen. Definitely the scallops were the best I've had and we live on the coast. It was paired with mustard which I love and my husband does't and he loved this meal. Just something about it. I had the duck. It was yummy. Just incredible. Perfectly cooked. I enjoyed the thin layer of fat on it, others at the table removed it. Midway during the meal I had a bit of an emergency about the teenager we left home. I won't go into details, but the chef came over and I shared what was going on, I was no longer hungry, he comp-ed me a drink, I was able to take a few breaths, relax and truly relax again. Ugh. All around, I recommend Defi. It does defi all the odds. Next time we will do the courses.
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April 2019 by Abhishek M.
Based on my family's previous two visits over the last 6 weeks, I was really looking forward to trying Defi since they sold me on their ambience, and food especially their monkfish. However, after we got seated, ordered drinks and dinner, we were informed that they were out of monkfish and two of the three in my party had ordered the monkfish. We were then informed that they may be able to serve skate fish which they serve on the Defi pre fix menu. Turns out, they were out of that too. I inquired if they had any steak and I was told no. So we were left with Duck leg, Venison (not on menu), Pork ragout and fried Scallops as our options and the two of us didn't care for those. Sadly, we ended up having to leave. It was surprising how a new restaurant runs out of two different fish on a Sat night, especially when you have a small menu to begin with. They did comp our drinks so props for that and our server was very nice. I may still consider coming back on a future trip.
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April 2019 by Michael C.
I've been twice. Once for the Dedo menu with friends and family, another time with my wife and 2 year old. The staff is amazing, food is top notch and cocktails are on point. I wish I could go more often. Both visits were great experiences.
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April 2019 by Matt D.
FANTASTIC!! Defi is a fantastic experience all the way around. Locally sourced food, handcrafted cocktails made right in front of you, friendly and knowledgeable staff and comfortable atmosphere. I would recommend the 4 or 6 course Defi menu - the chefs work with you to get an idea of what you like and then work there magic. Nothing else like it in Syracuse!
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January 2019 by Don M.
Defi is an interesting dining environment that features a small(ish) dining room and an expansive rail with seating that overlooks the open kitchen. The menu is small with enough variety to suit, seasonal and made from scratch. Our group enjoyed a charcuterie board that was ample enough for four and a great value. We moved on the Long Island Monkfish with beet risotto - both were great. There's a terrific craft cocktail menu that features recognizable favorites with a Defi twist. (If you've been to Galley Holding Co. you'll recognize the mixologist.) One suggestion when serving guests in the dining room- serving over the knee-wall from the kitchen is clunky; buyer beware...the tip is included in your final check.
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December 2018 by Stacy M.
SO GOOD!! If you haven't been here, go! It's not only delicious but the experience is memorable! Don't wait for a special occasion (or go for a special one) whichever it is, just go and try this much needed restaurant in Syracuse!! Well Done Defi!!
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December 2018 by Dan K.
If you're going to splurge in Syracuse, this is the place to do it. Défi is the definition of culinary arts. If you are feeling adventurous, they offer a custom four-course meal that is tailored to your adventure level (1 being plain boiled chicken and 10 being seared fish head etc.) My dad and I did the four course meal and had a lot of fun with the surprises that came out. However I must say that my wife ordered the main course sea scallops, which was definitely the best dish of the night, and wasn't part of the custom experience (it was also a third of the price). She described it as devine. The desserts we got were really cool and unique - sweet celery root purée with chocolate wine cookies. I'm not saying don't do the custom meals, but the main dishes were certainly very high caliber.
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November 2018 by Heather F.
We tried this restaurant today for the first time. We went with a party of 6 and had the tasting menu with pairings. We were not disappointed! Creative menu with local wine pairings, and attentive staff. None of the 3 couples have had such a dining experience like this in Syracuse. Two of the six have had an experience like this, in Quebec. We were impressed, to say the least. Will come back as soon as we can!
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September 2018 by Richard V.
First choice when you enter Defi is whether to sit at the bar or in a small dining room. Most diners chose the dining room, mistake. My wife and I enjoyed the bar and interaction with both Chef's Nick and Cody as they prepared our food in their open kitchen concept. Second choice ala carte or four course or six course menus. Four or six course definitely. The Chef will ask how adventuresome you would like to be based on a scale of 1 - 10. Boiled chicken to offal meats (brains, heart, etc.) Then Nick and Cody will plot a menu for you. I enjoyed the wine paring with my four courses. Cody, previously a sommelier, did a great job with pairings and even switched it up with a cocktail with one of my courses. The Duck Breast with a Caipirinha cocktail. They have some very interesting spirits from regional distilleries. The bartender is committed to his profession and mixes a very nice cocktail. All the food was prepared properly and flavors were layered nicely. The service was excellent. They work as a team, server, bartender, and steward and as such they divide the 20% service charge that will be applied to the bill. The décor of the restaurant was tastefully done with framed kitchen utensils, comfortable bar stools, and appropriate lighting. If you consider yourself a "foodie" or just adventuresome Devi is a restaurant you need to visit. Last choice is how soon do you go back?!
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August 2018 by Charles M.
I'm a chef and I own farm-to-table restaurants in NYC. Found myself in Syracuse unexpectedly for an overnight (courtesy of JetBlue and pretend thunderstorms) and was looking for a real meal of NYC quality. Somehow, luckily, I stumbled upon Défi, and I am so glad I did, and with them only ten weeks in. The food is creative and elevated without being pretentious. The freshness of the ingredients is obvious before you even take a bite, and when you do take a bite (probably like me, you wait a minute to admire the incredible presentation), the freshness and locality of the ingredients is forefront. I had the smoked watermelon salad (served in a small glass bowl filled with smoke), the foie gras (perfectly cooked and buried in a delicious slaw) and perfectly seared jumbo diver scallops. Go. Especially if you live in Syracuse, you deserve to try cuisine so fresh and expertly prepared. The staff is kind and accommodating. The wine list is excellent with many local selections available as well. I plan on returning next time I am in Syracuse and I wish them all the luck in the world - not that they'll need it with food as good as theirs.
