A meal is worth the time and money, if it retains fond memories even after a long time. I came back from a short trip in Dubai, and it has been almost two months, however the flavours, presentation and service standards are still fresh in my mind. This meal also reinforced my belief that age is just a number. Given the right opportunity and talent, there are many a cases where young gems have made a mark and how. Sachin Tendulkar became a star at the age of 16 that too at a time when much older players were the order of the day, similarly I see many chefs shining out in today’s evolving gourmet industry. Vikas Khanna, Kunal Kapur, Gaggan Anand are the ones who have already made their name, while I see some great talent in upcoming chefs like Tanveer Kwatra, Himanshu Saini and many others.
Yes, the entire build up of this story is to showcase the experience I had at Tresind at Dubai which is led by Chef Himanshu Saini, who has worked earlier with Indian Accent (The finest restaurant in India) and was at the helm of affairs at Farzi Cafe that got rave reviews from all food writers including yours truly.
I can keep going on and on sharing praises of the meal but it is time to see some of the dishes I sampled.
Deconstructed pani puri is our amuse bouche made with normal spherification. Eating gol gappa in a firangi land too can be very satisfying, and I realise it after eating this. We see the chef trying to make some art on his tray with saunth, curd and coriander chutney. This is the Tresind version of chaat trolley. The chef mixes it with frozen dhokla and liquid nitrogen, some palak patta, pomegranates and couple of other items. What we get is the perfect balance of sweet and savory cold chaat. The flavour is as good as the presentation which excites the patron to wait for the chaat to be served.
Indian meal has normally been devoid of artful presentation; not here.
The soup is also as interesting. The wild mushrooms are dried, and mixed with hot water and the dried truffle oil looks like milk powder, giving the whole thing an appeal of a chai. I look at my friend in appreciation of the experience that we were getting and he symbolically thanked me for getting him here. Actually we were short on time, and we planned a trip to the restaurant as a last minute decision, and so far it was turning out to be a wise one.
Next is the salad that looks like a small forest. The crisp black rice, avocado, bhel and tuna mixed with micro greens and small balsamic caviar (another piece of molecular gastronomy) was only whetting our appetite for more. Himanshu Saini also thanked his mentor Chef Manish Mehrotra for this dish in his menu. Surprisingly I have never had this at Indian Accent.
The hunter’s raan is some perfectly cooked mutton served with vinaigrette onion with a portion size that is enough for two. The idea to serve it on a wooden platter with a lamp and an axe on the side makes it very visually appealing. If I have to tick every element, the chutney served along, compliments the raan really well.
Of all the outstanding dishes so far, one dish that I can safely say I have had at Indian Accent and I find better here is the Duck Khurchan in chilly hoisin. Not only does it have a depth of detailing for presentation, this dish even though inspired from Indian Accent, manages to improve on the overall taste. This Indian version of Peking Duck is something one must not miss if ever visiting Tresind.
Pan seared scallop is served with peanut salan and smokey bell pepper. And the Wagyu beef is served with freshly made chutney of garlic and dry coriander made in volcanic lava stone mortar pestle called molka jet. I am pretty full but the chef gets some local flavourful fish Hamour which is wrapped in potato strings and served in mustard curry. If I could finish the dish even though I was done with my lunch and just wanted to taste a dessert, you can get the idea of how good it would have been.
The desserts are another selection of art. Be it be the makhan malai with patissa on edges and dusting of 24 carat gold, or the shredded baklava with orange blossom honey or even the deconstructed black forest cake made with the dhoda barfi, I felt like exactly how Alice in the Wonderland would have felt. It also made me proud that a young Indian Chef is making the modern Indian cuisine so popular across the border. All I can say is that if in Dubai, do try Tresind, and mark my words, Himanshu is one chef who will set new benchmarks for others to follow.
Ratings (Out of 5)
Food: 5.0 | Service: 5.0 | Ambience: 4.0 | Overall: 4.5
Meal for Two: AED 700 | Credit Card: Yes | Wheel Chair Friendly: Yes |Alcohol: Yes
Chef Tasting menu cost: AED 365 for Non Veg + AED 200 for wine pairing.
Address: Tresind Trade Centre Area, Dubai, UAE address, Level 2, Nassima Royal Hotel, Sheikh Zayad Road, Trade Centre Area, Dubai | Phone: 04 4489523
Makes me wanna go take a dekho… 🙂