Eat Out: Tresind revisited
The popular restaurant has undergone a makeover, with a new and improved menu to feast on
Fine dining is never just about the food, is it? The style, the substance and, of course, the service, all tie up neatly into a gourmet indulgence, topped with a big red bow.
It was with this checklist in mind that we took a gander at Tresind 2.0 — or at least that’s how we interpret it following its exhaustive summer transformation.
The Nassima Royal Hotel restaurant, which pioneered the molecular gastronomy Tsunami that swept across the Indian fine dining scene in Dubai, has infused new life into its lush interiors, along with revamping its menu to dish out culinary marvels under the talented eye of Chef Himanshu Saini.
A newly introduced lounge invites patrons to sink into its plush leather chairs, with warm hues of browns, blues and abstract prints giving it a trendy, yet comfortable vibe.
The menu has undergone a change as well, and while we do have a bone to pick with some firm favourites not making the cut, there are still culinary delights abound in the new avatar so come with an appetite.
We started out with a Gujarati farsan tray, complete with delicacies such as the chilled dhokla gazpacho soup, a fafda taco, khichiya muesli and a khandvi gelato. Yes, we were scratching our heads too when the platter was brought out to the table, but a few short minutes later, the gelato was a distant memory, while my partner dug into the tacos crumbly bits with both hands.
I can’t say that I was a big fan of the gazpacho, but perhaps that has more to do with my affection for hot soup. Tresind does create a kicker of a broth with its Bhaji Minestrone, the restaurant’s own take of the popular Mumbai street food, Pav Bhaji.
Although, this time around we didn’t reach for the thick soup, coupled with its crispy chilli cheese toasties, but rather were tickled by a serving of the Amouse Bouchemille.
Another delicacy on the menu that needed a two-minute instruction from our server saw a tray of melt-in-your mouth zataar focaccia bites, along with deconstructed pani puri and crispy fried okra.
It was clear by now that Tresind had actively moved away from the gimmicks provided by the trusty liquid nitrogen and was going old school with its reimagined menu of staple delights.
As meal after meal made its way to the table, we soon lost count of the dishes and their deconstructed identities. However, we were particularly partial to the avocado galouti kebab, nestled on a tortilla paratha and topped with a dash of sour cream and tomato salsa.
My partner, who opted for the tandoori tiger prawns and the Amritsari softshell crab, held on to her starter until dessert, as she returned for multiple servings in between courses; it was that good, she says.
The star of the night, though, was the morel lababdar, seasoned with truffle oil tadka and served with a lotus crisp. The mushroom curry was a creamy work of wonder, each forkful almost bursting with flavours and spices. It will certainly appeal to the vegetarians out there, however, the carnivores should not give this one a miss either.
For mains, my dining partner dug in to her kadhai lobster, simmering in a thick curry, with stir-fried snow peas, asparagus and peppers that she labelled her best seafood dish till date.
If you aren’t ready to be rolled out by this point, then do keep an appetite for dessert with the inspired ghewar, topped with crispy rose petals, with sides of angoori rasmalai, raspberry sorbet. The portion is large enough to make you weep with joy.
Fans of Tresind, who have been regular patrons of the restaurant, will find plenty of new delights to whet their appetites, but if you are a true connoisseur, do wait it out until the place opens its special studio, complete with a chef’s table and a feast to indulge in.