Masti – Full of Fun & Fusion at La Mer

My time at Masti, was simply put, one of the best dining experiences I’ve had in Dubai. Tucked in at the extreme South of La Mer and spread across ground plus one level, this colorful spot demands more than just one visit. It’s one of those few impressive places you want to keep going back to, to experience the brilliance they have incorporated in every ounce of drink and food they serve.

From the bright popping upholstery to the ornate chandeliers and everything in between, this place exudes a larger than life appeal. Don’t miss the baroque accessories on their servers, which they carry off so well.

60 seconds of Masti!

Take a look at all the deliciousness we devoured at Masti in this quick 1 minute clip.

Tuna Bhel Tartare

At first glance, I honestly thought this was some kind of “melt-with-the-hot-syrup” dessert (although it would be a little off beat to have to start with). But turned out, it was one of the bestselling cold plates at Masti: Tuna Bhel Tartare.

Definitely very creative, this one deserves full marks for presentation, and it fares quite well on the taste spectrum too. The fishy taste of tuna is cleverly masked under the spicy bhel-style avocado chutney, while the sev garnish along chickpeas, tomatoes and onions gives it a very street chaat appeal.

The sphere covering is made from edible flavorless sugar, which is thankfully not sweet. Tuna Bhel Tartare is one of the dishes I highly recommend at Masti.

Cassava Chaat

Laced with tomato puree and a sweet n sour chutney, the cassava chaat has a nice wholesome bite to it. The tomato crisps added a touch of elegance to the presentation.

Oh My Coconut

Well, it was right there in the name. Which means I had to have this. Bringing together everything coconut – right from Takamaka rum to coconut water and coconut cream, this drink came in a glass covered with coconut shreds. And the white hue gave it such a dreamy look!

Pulled Tandoori Chicken Bao

This one definitely demands a ‘bao’ down. The Pulled Tandoori Chicken Bao is a part of the appetizer menu at Masti and to be honest, so good were they, I could have had these for both starters as well as mains.

A slightly less spicy, albeit extremely juicy version of North Indian Dhaba style tandoori chicken is pulled and sandwiched between grilled Bao buns. Miniature tamarind chutney squeegees perched on top of the bao add a sweet n’ sour kick to the chicken, making them even more lush than they already are.

Although these might be a little messy if you try to eat them with your hands, nonetheless they still make for the perfect bar bites. I can see why these are categorized as one of their favorites!

Stuffed Morels

I can’t possibly express how much I love this dish. I have always been loyal to everything mushrooms and truffle. And somewhere, my taste buds were whole heartedly hoping Chef Prashant would recommend this dish to us. And well, he did.

These Stuffed Morels offer a very rustic risotto style appeal, which falls perfectly in line with the motto of Masti: Global ingredients, Indian influence. Stuffed with a very light and foam textured whipped paneer, these wild mushrooms are elegantly placed over a bed of truffle cream reduction – the whole presentation echoing a snapshot of the woods wherein these fungi exist.

Chef Prashant called these mushrooms a rather rare delicacy. And for his team, it was even more challenging to come up with an Indian inspired dish using morels and truffle. But when creativity strikes, there is no stopping. And you can find the results on Masti’s menu.

My absolute favorite among everything I tried at the restaurant, this is one dish you shouldn’t miss out on, even if you are a hard core meatarian. I know I am going back for this real soon.

Holi!

Well, not really, but since we missed out on celebrating Holi this year, we decided to make up for it by downing a drink of the same name.

Visibly attractive and creative, this cocktail at Masti is categorized under the section ‘Monkey Business’. While I am not sure why that is quite so, what I do know is that this cocktail packs in beautiful flavors of pomegranate, lime and cardamom, topped with fluffy egg white foam and edible paint.

Would you try this drink?

Maharani Cocktail

As stylish as its name, this cocktail came in a petite champagne glass featuring some of the most exquisite ingredients. With an Armagnac base, this drink combined mango puree with hibiscus, topped off with sparkling grape. The edible glass and mango caviar garnish added only more finesse.

Banana Leaf Branzino

Can you guess what’s wrapped up inside?

The Banana Leaf Branzino at Masti taking is inspiration from South Indian cuisine, features a chunky piece of European bass that is steamed inside the banana leaf to give it a very tender, almost melt-in-your-mouth texture.

While I’m not a very big fan of steamed fish, what brought this dish to my feed was the jalapeno garlic rub it was marinated with. I have never eaten fish with jalapeno before, and knowing this one was flavored with two of my favorite spices made me quite curious to try it.

The spiciness of the jalapeno did well in covering up the fishy-ness of this ocean variety. The garnish was a fragrant fennel slaw, it’s crunchiness perfectly balancing out the delicate fish. Try this if you’re a fan of seafood.

Slow Cooked Lamb Croquette

Perfect for mutton lovers, these kofta styled croquettes were enhanced with Kashmiri spices, wasabi and creamed English peas bringing the best of East and West together in every bite. I especially likes the wasabi puree base.

Mains

Let’s take a look at this abundance of good food (also the mains) at Masti. Each creative in its own specialty – we opted for one from ‘of the earth’, one from ‘the reds’ and one from ‘of the sea’ mains. I found the Kheema Popsicle and Saag Paneer Lasagna the most creative of the three.

Our accompaniments included Sun-dried Tomato Flatbread and Indie Veggie Mix with roasted corn, potatoes and greens.

The Reds: Kheema Popsicle

The meaty candy crusted with quinoa was served alongside a green herby dip with an onion slaw. While I was scared the meat might be a little undercooked from inside, it was perfectly done in and out.

Of the Earth: Saag Paneer Lasagna

The lasagna had cottage cheese compressed into lasagna like sheets and layered with saag bhaji vegetables, served over a creamy lime and coconut sauce. I really enjoyed the flavor as much as I loved the color of the red sauce on the plate.

Of the Sea: Sun-dried Tomato Prawns

The Sun-dried Tomato Prawns featured charbroiled juicy pieces of jumbo prawns placed over a bed of swiss lentil chaat and basil leaves. Every bite of these was a delight.

Mahar Mojito

Very classic, but with a twist, this cocktail came with the basics of mint, lime and soda along with a dash of spiced syrup and mango chutney. And well, the end result was simply wow!

Desserts

Mango, Chocolate or Coconut? What’s your favorite? The dessert menu at Masti got us confused between these three. So Chef Prashant Chipkar suggested why not we try them all.

Carrot Coconut Cake

My favorite, without a doubt, was the carrot coconut cake. Glossy carrot creme in broken bundt shapes were accompanied with carrot sponge pieces and topped with lots of coconut snow. Also, the berry sauce on top perfectly cut the sweetness with a sour twist.

Chocolate Delice

What I loved the most about Chocolate Delice was the choco button accents. But the unique part about this dessert was the presence of cumin in its ganache. Quite an innovative choice of ingredient for a dessert, no? Also, the placement on a bed of chocolate soil and popping candy gave it the look of an unearthed treasure.

Mango Chocolate Cheesecake

Mango Chocolate Cheesecake with its white chocolate glory and edible flower garnish imitated a wonderful garden on the plate.

Masti Cocktails & Cuisine

Location: Shop S 29, South, La Mer, Jumeirah 1, Dubai
Contact: 80062784 | 0545834555

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