One of the buzzwords I foresee bleeding out of ears in 2019 is the term Chef’s Table. I see it being overused and abused. Lucky for us, Tresind Studio will be the league of restaurants using it very rightly and justifiably, and I can personally vouch for how worthwhile and worth-every-penny their Chef’s Table experience is.
I had the pleasure of trying the Chef’s Table experience at Tresind Studio with M, and to say that we were absolutely floored would be a gross understatement. I went in with extremely high expectations, and they were not only entirely met but exceeded.
Tresind Studio is in the deep end of Tresind, and a stark contrast from the newly refurbed modern and trendy Tresind. More brightly lit, and with a sunnier and more vibrant feel, Tresind Studio is a finer and more elegant extension of Tresind, and feels like a completely separate place. Even it’s entrance is camouflaged into one of the walls next to the bar at Tresind.
The 16-course tasting menu was an ode to how far Himanshu Saini has come, and a spin on 16 of Tresind’s consistently best-selling dishes (but it will continue to evolve). I’ve witnessed seeing Himanshu grow, although he never started at the bottom to begin with. What’s heartwarming is that despite truly being one of the best chefs to be reckoned with in Dubai, he’s still a humble guy who makes every guest feel special and important, and the fact that he welcomes feedback shows that he’s a smart, customer-oriented guy who is able to find the fine line between creatively expressing himself and serving up what people will want to eat.
The names of the dishes were just simply the two predominant ingredients/flavors in each dish. It was a little reminiscent of how succinct and mysterious Gaggan’s menus are.
Our exceptional meal went something like this:
We started off with what I can best describe as Pani Puri Bingsu. Imagine all the flavors and textures of Pani Puri, but in a shaved-ice/Bingsu form. It was served into an ice bowl, to keep it from melting, and it was the most refreshing and perfect start to a meal in the desert we live in.
Next up, the cutest little quenelle of freshly churned homemade butter with chili pickle flavored missi roti.
This absolute stunner was a piece of art and all the grandiose did justice to everything it represented. These little tartlets were a take on the iconic Chaat Trolley that became synonymous with Tresind, and I absolutely loved how these tiny little bite-sized canapés were plated in this massive, golden plate. It was very “Dubai” and it was a very symbolic and literal elevation of the presentation.
This take on the mushroom chai was possibly one of the best bites of food I’ve ever had. It was an explosion of absolute bliss in my mouth.
if you’ve been following my posts for a while, you’ll know that the only time I’ll ever eat mutton/lamb and enjoy is when and if it’s on one of Himanshu Shaini’s menus. The course reinforced that.
The palate cleanser was sea buckthorn sorbet. I love this: when chefs and menus feature ingredients unknown to many, and manage to introduce them in not only a palatable but an enjoyable way. Far too often, chef’s try and feed their “creative” egos at the expense of unhappy diners, but that’s never the case at Tresind, where the steak does match the sizzle.
It’s so hard to pick favorites, but this one was definitely one of my favorite courses at Tresind Studio. The most perfect little tenerloin, seared to perfection, topped with crispy discs of potato, and emcompassed in 5 of the most perfectly viscous curries so you could make each bite a little different from the last and have an even harder time deciding which bite was your favorite.. Love it.
Lo and behold, the khichri. A national dish of India containing 20 indigenous ingredients, khichri is the epitome of comfort food to Indians rich and poor alike.
The next stroke of genius was this “pre-dessert”. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that is a thing now, to prepare your palate for dessert, wean you into it, if you may. This was a take on pineapple paisam, which is a South Indian dish, with pineapple carpaccio glazes with pickling spice and filled with coconut custard.
I really enjoyed the Black Forest dessert, because truth be told, Indian desserts just aren’t my cup of tea, and I loved the textures, nuances and even the plating of this one.
The final course was actually 6 courses (!) of petit fours! Trust Himanshu to spoil his diners silly, this guy does not skimp! It was hard to pick a favorite, they were all truly so delightful, but I’ve always had the softest spot for the mango lassi bon bons and the pan flavored chocolates! I think they do paan flavored things so well at Tresind and should always keep them on the menu.
Finally, to bid us adeu, there came a lavish tea trolley. Dozens of options of exotic teas to pick from to digest the extravagant meal. I loved the concept but found it inappropriate to be brewing all varieties in boiling water, and also found the tiny espresso cups to take away from the experience, as tea is best enjoyed in thinner rimmed cups.
All in all, kudos to you, Himanshu, restaurants and chefs have come and gone, but you’ve not only managed to keep things fresh, but have successfully kept Tresind, Carnival by Tresind and now Tresind Studio as one of the top contenders in Dubai’s F&B scene. If Dubai ever became ready for Michelin stars, Himanshu’s restaurants would defintely be in the running, and I’m sure this won’t be the first time he’d be hearing this.
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