If you’ve ever had the pleasure of dining at Tresind, chances are that this maestro of molecular gastronomy will be the first to come in mind when asked to name your absolute favorite fine-dining Indian restaurant in Dubai. I recently raved about their brand new Summer 2016 menu (read all about it by clicking here), and was back last week to try out their lineup for Ramadan.

For Ramadan 2016, Tresind Dubai minimizes on the molecular gastronomic drama they are known for, and takes a more traditional route. Having said that, each and every dish is still given a signature Tresind twist and we were in for some very interesting, enticing treats.

To break fast, we were presented the Tresind Amuse Bouche tray.

Taking cues with the call to Maghrib, I popped a date into my mouth and had a delightful surprise. These Date Candies are stuffed with nuts and… popping candy! There was a burst of theatre in my mouth, and it took me back to my adolescence.

The adorable little vintage-style bottles on the side are Saffron Milk, an Indian classic.

The next thing I reached out for in the tray was the Steamed Edamame with Zaatar, an unlikely fusion of Japan and the Levant. I’ve never thought of having edamame beans for Iftar before, but these proved to be an addictive snack.

Next we get a taste of France. Crudites anyone? This is not your usual platter of salad sticks and dip, at Tresind the Crudites are made more compact by stuffing kumquats with a delectable liver pate.

The traditional Indian Kachumber salad (a toss up of cucumber, cabbage and tomatoes) gets a Modernist makeover, and is presented here as a light, flavorful foam. A few salad leaves are topped as garnish, a make-believe vegetable garden if you will. I enjoyed having the lettuce leaves dipped in the foam, absolutely refreshing.

 

We also had a pretty little jar of freshly cut fruit, a welcome addition to an Iftar table.

 

Pakoras (aka Indian deep-fried fritters) is a must-have on an Indian Iftar menu. At Tresind, they serve up these deliciously moreish Rajasthani Chili Pakoras complete with drizzles of tamarind chutney.

 

On a lighter note, they also serve corn on the cob, sprinkled with a flavourful chaat masala.

 

How adorably cute are these miniature Lamb Koftas, topped with a fresh tangy-sweet coriander chutney?!

 

My husband loves mushrooms, and pretty much had this whole bowlful of buttered mushrooms to himself.

 

We also forked into a flavorfully delicious Chicken Tikka Masala, as an appetiser. Love how its served in a traditional Mexican Chimichurri, almost justifies having this popular curry as a snack 🙂

 

Yet another bold and flavourful starter was this bowl of Curried Chickpeas #omnomnom

 

Roohafza, the rose flavoured drink mix of the Indian subcontinent, probably covers most of its annual revenues during the holy month of Ramadan. It is by far the most popular Iftar drink among Muslims of the Indian subcontinent. At Tresind, the very talented mixologist John Sherine vamps up the humble glass of Roohafza with the addition of basil seeds and pistachio.

 

After breaking fast, Muslims head off for the Maghrib prayer. Tresind offers a prayer room for ladies in the Nassima hotel lobby, and a mosque for both genders is just a few minutes’ walk away.

The Iftar main-course at Tresind is an elaborate affair. Here is a look at all the delicacies we got to try:

 

 

 

 

Halfway through our main-course, John Sherine came back to our table with this very rich, naughty treat. This is a melted white chocolate parfait garnished with a generous downpour of mixed nuts. A calorie-laden sip that is far too delicious to put down.

 

The Tresind Iftar Dessert Platter is an assortment of some of the best-loved Indian sweets. This colourfully gorgeous platter makes me feel like a child in a candy shop. Where do I start? There’s a portion of deliciously sweet Gulab Jamun, a few pieces of sticky hot Jalebi, and a few cubes of Kalakand and a Pista Barfi. The look is complete with 24 karat gold sparkle.

 

Tresind, the maestro of Modernist Indian fine-dining, does an excellent job at preserving the timeless flavours of a traditional Iftar table, yet manages to add its very own innovative touch to each and every dish. A meal at Tresind is always nothing short of memorable, and I am super excited to see what the group has in store for us with their brand new opening, Carnival by Tresind, a ‘post modern’ take on Indian cuisine (expected to open post-Eid this summer!).