A Ramadan feast fit for a king at Tresind
Even though it has just been ten odd days, I have already decided on the best iftar this month. When it comes to delivering quality cuisine with exceptional hospitality, it’s difficult to match up to Tresind.
Everything they do – from their most creative plates to their traditional specialties – is a work of culinary art which only few can totally ace.
My love for the experience at Tresind goes beyond writing reviews or rating their food. Everyone who appreciates good food and hospitality knows that Tresind is the best at whatever they do. So being invited for a sampling of their iftar menu alongside their signature dishes was truly an honor.
Their sit-down buffet, as they proudly term it, the iftar menu at Tresind starts with an Amuse Bouche. Presented very creatively in a fenced palate, it consists of iftar classics with a modernist Indian twist.
We start off with candied dates that come stuffed with popping sugar. One bite and you can hear and feel the sugary crunch on your tastebuds.
Japanese meets Middle East in the steamed Zaatar spiced edamame.
We then move on to another Indian classic – saffron infused almond flavored milk. Commonly known as Kesar Badam doodh, this cool drink is served in miniature bottles, and is sure to lift you up in an instant.
I was highly impressed with the last two dishes on this platter.
The molecular version of crudités was made with cucumber foam, served with baby carrots and lettuce on crunchy papdi pieces.
And finally the most creative of them all were the meat fruits which featured tropical kumquats stuffed with chicken liver pâté.
Looks filling, doesn’t it? But these were just pre-starters to an absolutely extravagant iftar journey. There’s still more than two weeks to go, so book your Ramadan feast at Tresind now. Priced at AED 200 per person, their iftar is totally worth it.
Also a part of the Amuse Bouche, the distinguished Paneer Coco Salad of the day featured a bold combination of spicy Paneer Tikka and creamy Burrata. Now what could be better than my favorite restaurant serving my favorite cheese?! This arty salad was combined with cherry tomatoes, peppers, green olives and pine nuts. So much goodness in one bowl, isn’t it? But it doesn’t end there. To make it look all the more enterprising, the salad was served in a lava stone bowl, resembling an ancient mortar. The lovely leafy garnish gave the salad a garden-fresh look.
And of course, the Ramadan classic fruit salad with fruits that cool you down after a summer’s day fast.
Even the simplest things look beautiful with the Tresind touch. The Ramadan drink at Tresind was a refreshing concoction of orange juice infused with blackberries and blueberries. What’s more interesting, is this juice was brought in a decanter styled carafe which was placed over dry ice in a mini chest. A treasure of sorts, definitely! The juice was poured over a twig of rosemary into beautiful lantern shaped glasses with a jute handle. The soothing aroma of rosemary added a whole new essence to this drink.
Here’s how the Ramadan drink was brought to the table!
Here’s how the Ramadan drink was served in lantern-esque glasses!
Now that’s some chaat, isn’t it? The chaat trolley at Tresind was all about sweet and spicy flavors, and giving a conventional Gujarati classic a contemporary twist.
The Deconstructed Dhokla started with a dash of sweet tamarind sauce, mint and coriander chutney, sweet yogurt and a unique chaat masala gel. Papdi and Palak Patta Fry came in next, followed by a second round of all the sauces. The frozen dhokla fried in liquid nitrogen was placed on top of the heap and was rehydrated with the classic reporting of curry leaf and mustard water. After the tadka, all the ingredients were broken down. You could hear the delectable crunchiness of the dhokla and spinach fritters shine through. This was garnished with pomegranate seeds and lemon vermicelli, and since we wanted this freezing chaat extra hot, it was topped with a mix of Japanese spices with chaat masala and red chili powder.
Absolutely creative, undoubtedly delicious and picture perfect.
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One of the most delicious selection of sides I’ve ever come across in a buffet, the Ramadan menu at Tresind offers the following:
Chicken keema spiced with green chillies
Creamy mushrooms featuring black and button variety
Melt in your mouth lamb kofta balls topped with green chutney
Fluffy freshly baked bread that’s slightly glazed with butter
Roadside favorite tempura chili pakoda
Classic corn on the cob with red chilli dust
Crumbly and buttery burnt butter couscous
The chicken keema, lamb kofta and creamy mushrooms were my favorite out of the lot. Keema was tender and spicy, thanks to the green chilies. The creamy mushrooms offered the creamiest, comfort-food styled flavor. Lamb koftas were the best I’ve eaten so far since the beggining of time. Tempura chili pakodas had an interesting spicy kick, so if you are a spicy food lover like me, those are for you. The soft bread made the perfect accompaniment to the keema and mushrooms.
Remarkably cooked, the wagyu beef steak at Tresind is nothing short of an accolade. For a not-so-fond-of-steak person like me, this dish came across as a delicious surprise. Medium well done, the beef was sliced thin which took away the hassle of cutting the steak. Moreover, it was crusty around the edges and tender in the middle. I am often worried about eating a raw piece of meat, but this succulently cooked steak was not chewy and went against all my myths.
The beef is served with a chutney that starts with parsley and mint and is flavored with coriander seeds, garlic and lemon. Ground in a Mexican volcanic rock pestle, this chutney offers a spicy accompaniment to the steak.
Take a look at how the making of the chutney on my Insta-blog or Facebook Page. Don’t forget to follow and like!
Adding a Moroccan twist to their Indian cuisine, the iftar menu at Tresind also includes a choice of tajine. Our roasted chicken taking was tender and juicy and came neatly served with babycorn, baby carrots and more.
The biryani at Tresind is nothing less than a classic. We sampled the baby chicken and tiger prawns variety and trust me, the flavors of the meat infused with all spices leave a delectable mark on your tastebuds. Both, the baby chicken and the tiger prawns were cooked to tender perfection.
The biryani was served with a dough cover on top alongside a creamy tempered raita. The Ramadan menu also offers biryani in lamb shank, wagyu tenderloin, venison and fillet o fish varieties, so you can choose your favorite.
A fine sampler from the curries selection of the Ramadan menu at Tresind, the laal maas classic features tender venison meat cooked in a rich gravy. Tresind adds a creative crispy papad garnish to complete the look. The curries are served with a naan bread basket.
Before I start talking about this dish, let me tell you, this was the first time I ever tried Nihari in my life! And now I’m wondering why I didn’t do so any sooner.
Another variety from the curries selection of the Ramadan menu at Tresind, the Lamb Nihari features a large piece of leg covered with edible silver foil amidst the rich and creamy gravy. The meat is tender and the Nihari is spiced to perfection.
Other varieties include butter chicken, Goan beef, Malabar prawns and red mullet rasam. The curries are served with a naan bread basket.
Much like the khandvi sorbet I had the last time I lunched at Tresind, this Mithai Sorbet is what I would call Tresind’s take on the classic Ras Malai. Made with caramelized condensed milk, this creamilicious pre-dessert fills you with a mouthful of sweet and scrumptious delight.
And not to miss the wooden bowl presentation that I’m so much in love with.
No one does deconstructed like Tresind. It is known. This masterpiece dessert, like everything else on their menu, is a theatrical marvel and a sweet indulgence. The crowd pleaser Deconstructed Black Forest Cake starts with layers of chocolate soil, chocolate sponge cake and their Indian twist – dodha barfi. This is followed by oodles of caramel sauce and topped with whipped cream foam that’s fried in liquid nitrogen. Hot chocolate sauce comes in next, along with chocolate flakes, red currants and more caramel goodness. The deconstructed version of this classic is finally garnished with chocolate dust and icing sugar.
It’s wonderful to see so much chocolate go into the creation of this dessert. Even if you don’t like chocolate, I strongly recommend trying this. And if you are a chocolate lover, there’s no way you should miss out on this distinctively gratifying creation.
Take a look at how the deconstructed Black Forest Cake was made on my Insta-blog or Facebook Page. Don’t forget to follow and like!
The exclusive Ramadan Mithai platter at Tresind features a selection of signature sweet meats. From the classic gulab jamun, kaju roll and dodha barfi, to the contemporary jalebi churros and solidified rabri, they all make a sugar coated cameo here. Just right for a sweet ending.
Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, well, it did.
Tresind is all about surprises, so it’s only fair that our expansive meal ended with one too. Going up a notch with the presentation of their paan cotton candy, Tresind placed these delectable sweet clouds in a miniature bus alongside decorative flowers. What’s more, a concealed battery operated bulb lit up the flowers to give it an aesthetically impressive finish.
There’s still more than two weeks to go, so book your Ramadan feast at Tresind now. Priced at AED 200 per person, their iftar is totally worth it.
