Indian fine-dining restaurant Tresind is an institution of sorts. Unarguably the pioneers in molecular gastronomy in Dubai, Tresind continues to surprise their diners with their sheer creativity that never compromises on taste. Tresind lives true to its French-inspired name; they take inspiration from global cuisines and source global ingredients, but at the heart of it all, their dishes remain true to Indian culinary sensibilities. Très Indian all the way.
Every Ramadan, we really look forward to our Iftar at Tresind. This year, the iftar theme at Tresind was ‘Indian Steakhouse’, a three-course menu that’s priced a very reasonable AED 179 per person.
We broke our fast with what has become Tresind’s signature dates. These are no ordinary dates. They are stuffed with popping candy and wrapped in a clear edible wrapper. The popping sensation takes me back to my childhood every time.
We washed it down with big gulps of fresh orange and pomegranate juice that was squeezed at our table, the glass rims coated with chaat powder.
Watermelon is a fruit that inevitably makes it way to iftar tables across the world. At Tresind, they are glamorized as seedless cubes bedecked with feta.
Then there was the Crispy Okra with Yoghurt Dip. The okra was super crunch, making them go very well with the thickened yogurt dip.
The fourth appetizer was the Penne Papad with Salsa Dip. These almost tasted like Cheetos to us, a clever twist on fusion flavors.
The appetizers round had us pretty full already, and to prep us for the next round, we were served a ‘Mithai’ palate cleanser. How pretty is this iced beauty!
The next course was a meaty lineup of deliciousness, and rightly named the ‘Meat Board’ round. First there was a Tandoori Lamb Chop, a succulent serving of premium lamb marinated in green chili and served with an olive tapenade.
Then came the Katsu Pao Sandwich. The humble Mumbai street-food favorite gets a meaty upgrade with its potato patty being replaced with Japanese katsu and enhanced with a special peanut sauce.
One of my favorite appetizers of the night was the Beef Tikki in Lettuce Wrap. The filling was spiked with jalapeno cheese, and I loved the contrasting freshness of lettuce with the spicy meat.
Love kebabs? There were two varieties served in the ‘Meat Board’ round. First came the skewered Charcoal Chicken Kebab, marinated in a special lemon aioli. The petit size makes it look so photogenic, and the chicken itself has a melt in the mouth texture I absolutely loved.
Then there was the Homemade Chicken Sausage Sheekh Kebab served with bell pepper masala. Yet another ‘melt in the mouth’ experience, and the combination of bell pepper and minced chicken was lip-smacking good.
And yes, this wasn’t even the main course yet! The lineup of mains included a number of Indian Iftar favorites including Tresind’s Bamboo Biryani. You can choose between chicken or goat. I went with chicken. The long-grained rice is beautifully fragrant, and the chicken succulently soft.
Next, Chef Zeeshan of Tresind wheeled in the Nihari trolley. Nihari is a traditional Indian meat stew, slow cooked with marrow. At Tresind, the Nihari is slow cooked for 8 hours straight in a traditional clay pot. The Nihari is topped with condiments including ginger juliennes, fresh coriander and green chili. This soulfully flavorful bowl took me back to the authentic streets of Delhi. I scooped it clean with the hot Butter Naans that were served on the side.
Another one of my favorites from the main course was the Tenderloin Wagyu Steak served in a pool of very spicy tandoori jus and spicy harissa. The presentation was stunning as was the succulent meat and heat of that fiery sauce.
We were also served Butter Pepper Garlic Prawns. These was stir-fried at our table with much gusto, with fresh vegetables added in. The prawns were plump, juicy and flavorful and I only wish I had some appetite left to do these justice. You really get fed well at Tresind!
We moved on to the desserts round and started with the Textures of Mango dessert. This dessert features mango in not one but 9 different textures. From sorbet to sauce, dehydrated to fresh fruit, this delightfully fruity treat has your taste-buds guessing with each spoonful.
The night ended with some serious culinary drama as the Tresind Deconstructed Baklava was assembled at our table. This stunning dessert includes fresh pistachio ice-cream as well as pistachio barfi, and adding to the drama, a fresh red rose is freeze-dried on the spot and its petals are liberally sprinkled all over the plate. This dessert is a must-try for pistachio lovers.
Overall, Tresind lived up to our anticipation. The iftar was an absolutely spectacular showmanship of flavors. The service here is immaculate, and the amount of food you end up eating is sinful. Can’t wait for my next Tresind adventure!
The Tezzy Files 