Conceptualized and created by well-known (and rather controversial) Italian restaurateur Paolo Roberto Rella, TRE is an Italian fine-dining restaurant located in Nassima Hotel (Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai).

TRE is ‘three’ in Italian, and the restaurant gets its name from the fact that it is divided into 3 separate levels, and spans from the 49th to the 51st floor. The first (or rather, 49th floor) is the dining area for foodies. It has a more casual restaurant vibe allowing for families and friends to socialize over great food and spectacular views of Dubai. It is the only floor at TRE where children are allowed.

The 50th floor is a lounge bar, complete with a resident DJ and an impressive array of Mediterranean-inspired tapas. The 51st floor is a sound-proofed cigar lounge with live jazz performances and soft rock.

The three floors are uniquely different, and yet they blend together with the spectacular Dubai views. The city looks magnificent from up here!

 

3rd of January is a special date for us. We celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary this week! I was looking for the perfect dinner date venue for our little celebration, and it couldn’t get better than TRE.

We booked a dinner table on the 49th floor. Upon entering, the dim yet dramatic caramelized lighting took me by surprise. It was warm and welcoming, yet chic and sophisticated like the interiors itself. The tables are laid with spotless white linen, classy crystal candelabra line a few tables, and a magnificently sparkly Murano chandelier takes precedence over a private corner of the restaurant.

We had a table by the window, and the twinkling lights of this vibrant city added to the chic glamor of the ambience.

While we skimmed through the TRE menu, we were offered a complimentary bread basket and a trio of dips that match the Italian flag. The dips include a very fresh parsley-lime concoction, a creamy mascarpone and Philadelphia cheese mix, and a fragrant chili-infused olive oil.

From the bread basket, I enjoyed the freshly baked, fluffy-soft focaccia bread the best. The bread platter includes bread sticks which make scooping up all the delicious dips all the more easier.

 

Notice the deep, dark glasses of wine on the side? This is an Italian wine by Bologna Rosso, and is exclusive to TRE. The wine is deep, full-bodied and soulfully fruity.

 

For appetizers, I went for TRE’s Beef Carpaccio. This is a generously large serving of very finely sliced organic US Angus beef, and is topped with fresh rocket leaves and an abundance of fresh parmesan shavings. The dish has been enhanced with the zesty freshness of a lemon oil dressing, and I love the crystalline spark of saltiness from the rock salt.

 

Hubby ordered TRE’s Fungi. This is a thick brown, earthy mushroom soup. Warm, hearty and comforting for a cold winter’s day, yet elevated to fine-dining status with the substitution of croutons with crispy chicken.

 

For our mains, I went for TRE’s Pollo. This is a simple yet flavorful dish featuring a serving of lightly roasted chicken sitting on a bed of velvety smooth potato mash. An assortment of suveed vegetables is served on the side, and goes on to add colour and a touch of rustic panache to the plate.

Hubby tried TRE’s Merluzzo. It came to the table sealed in a plastic package, and was snipped open before us. Merluzzo is Italian cod. A fillet of cod is cooked in a light tomato broth, along with a mix of vegetables and other seafoods. The ingredients are put together in a plastic package and steam-cooked. The end result is a beautifully healthy medley of flavours. The light tomato broth is seeped with seafood goodness, and I loved sponging it up with the focaccia bread.

 

Throughout our meal at TRE, we were given five-star service. The staff are very attentive, and manage to do this without being intrusive.

In Dubai, we have a plethora of fine-dining restaurants that have the backing of renowned chefs or celebrities, yet what sets TRE apart is the Roberto Rella backing. Roberto Rella is not a chef, yet he arguably holds celebrity status given his 15 years long stint in Dubai as an Italian restaurateur. For Roberto, great food is only a part of the equation. He believes people have many other options for that, but it is the ambience and high quality service that will turn guests into regulars.

I read an interesting story about Roberto Rella in TimeOut magazine (March 2015 issue):

“…this is the man who started his career in his early 20s, catching the eye of Elton John in a three Michelin star restaurant, for simply bringing him something to blow his nose on. Sounds simple enough, no? But in the heat of the moment, Roberto recalls, front of house staff at Milan restaurant Gualtiero Marchesi flummoxed over the choice of bringing Elton John either the very finest Egyptian linen, or toilet paper to wipe his nose on. While they debated, Roberto’s response was swift and simple: to race to his car and bring back the box of tissues in there. ‘Elton John said to me, “you’re a good young man, you saved my nose” because he was waiting ten minutes for a tissue, while they decided what to bring him,’ Roberto laughs. Hearing the man talk, seeing him in action; there is something refreshingly vintage in his attitude to restaurant customers, and it represents restaurant hospitality in a pure form.”

TRE is a personification of Roberto Rella’s passion for excellence.

The staff were informed we were celebrating our wedding anniversary, and they surprised us with this beautiful dessert platter featuring a deliciously wobbly, smooth Chocolate Panna Cotta, served with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice-cream and a salted caramel crumble.

 

We also tried TRE’s Torta al Limone. This is a very zesty lemon tart served with an icy lemon sorbet, and sprinkled with pretty pink meringue on the side.

We ended our anniversary dinner with warm cups of latte, taking in the majestic views of this glorious city.

 

And just look at what we were sent by the Chef to go with our cups of coffee; a whole platter of sweets made in-house!

 

I really liked the salted caramel toffee, but my favorite was the salted macadamia nuts coated in dark chocolate. I guess I have an inclination towards salty-sweet!

Our TRE experience was a memorable one. The chic ambience at TRE is perfect for a date night (and an anniversary celebration!),  and we plan to be back sans toddler to explore the top two levels.

Looking for a romantic dating spot with spectacular city views? TRE should definitely be on your radar. TRE is located in Nassima Hotel (Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai). Call 04 404 7700 for table reservations.