If you live in Dubai and are fond of fusion Indian food, you’ve definitely tried or heard of Tresind at Nassima Royal Hotel. And in case you haven’t, this modern contemporary restaurant is all about Indian ingredients with progressive culinary techniques.

Reopened in August after a 3-month sabbatical, the revamped version is completely different from the old one. You may wonder what’s new? Well, what’s not! Gorgeous interiors with pops of colors and bright blue hues give the space a fresh, vibrant vibe. The service is excellent and the staff is well-informed about every dish. Ask them anything – be it the process of coming up with the dish, the ingredients, the thought behind it – they know it all! But that’s not all! They have a new menu too and it’s to die for! Featuring some old classics and lots of new dishes, their new menu is one that is sure to take your attention away from everything else. Prepare yourself for a gastronomic experience par excellence with fascinating live demos, attractive plating, flavor-packed dishes and desserts. It promises a truly mesmerizing multi-sensory culinary experience.

My husband and I recently visited the revamped version and our experience was beyond fabulous. We started off at the bar where we met Tobias Carvalho, the Bar Supervisor at Tresind. Speak to him for five minutes, and you’ll know that he’s full of heart-warming stories. He not only served us the most awesome cocktails but also took us through the story behind each one which made the whole experience a lot more enjoyable. #FunFact: It took them 3 months to come up with the new bar menu.

1) Signature old fashioned cocktail called Touch of Phoenix. Made with Woodford reserve, smoked date syrup and aromatic bitters. What’s interesting was not only the presentation of this drink but also the fact that the ice-cube inside was customized with a Tresind stamp on it.

2) Thirsty Bird – Made with hendricks, benedictine, apricot liquer, homemade spice syrup, dehydrated raspberry and served in the most adorable way ever. Also, they have completely switched from plastic to paper straws that are environment friendly.

3) Sailor’s Tattoo – This drink came with a sheet of paper consisting of a chocolate roll and some chocolate powder. Oh and it was all completely edible – even the paper. The cocktail was made with Sailor Jerry, homemade clove, cinnamon syrup and chocolate bitter.

Coming to the food, almost every dish is prepared live on your table. The chef patiently explains each ingredient and the thought behind using it in a particular dish, which makes one thing absolutely clear – Tresind is not just about good food, it’s about a fantastic gastronomical experience.

We started our meal with a palate cleanser consisting of detox water and berry sorbet. Just before our starters arrived, our server placed a huge jar of aromatic smoke on our table that was meant to refresh our senses. It was fragrant and refreshing – set the perfect tone for the night. And then began our ginormous feast.

– Bento box: This bento box like dish consisted of Indian classics with a Tresind twist – pani puri sorbet, fried okra with salsa, aam papad focaccia and curd rice wrapped like a sushi. We knew we were in for a gastronomic treat.

-Butter garlic prawns: Freshly prepared on our table, these butter garlic prawns were unlike your regular ones. They were flavorful, juicy and absolutely delicious.

-Cedar wood smoked tandoori chicken with pineapple carpaccio: Tender, spicy and tasty meat that worked perfectly well with pineapple. Also, it was such a delight to watch them whip this up on the table.

-Keema dosa: This was a seekh kebab wrapped in a dosa pinched with some gun powder masala. Simple yet such a flavor-packed, comforting dish.

-Wagyu satay: Rich, flavor-packed, aromatic and so good looking – would you be able to say no? I was drooling the minute this Wagyu satay, peanut salan dish appeared on my table.

After finishing our appetizers, it was time for palate cleanser no.2. As we saw a ‘lemon tree’ with smoke approaching, we were curious to see what was in store. Yuzu and raspberry sorbet surely worked as a perfect cleanser and we were all set to welcome new tastes for the upcoming course.

– Mains: The Lobster thermidor and Bengali Kosha Mangsho with green pea puffed bread were good but the Chettinad chicken curry with Thai black rice appam was outstanding.

We always leave the best for the last, don’t we? The dessert spread was breathtaking. They demonstrated one dessert live on our table (which btw is good for 3-4 people) and then trolley-ed an entire spread of lip-smacking fusion desserts like hazelnut rabdi and the works to our table. We were obviously too stuffed to try anything from the dessert cart but they all looked fabulous. But, let me tell you more about the Ghevar inspired dessert that was prepared on our table.

Imagine this: chopped lychees, angoori rasgullas and saffron-infused rabdi all placed together in a white chocolate tart. Then, to balance the sweetness, they placed a raspberry sorbet on top so every bite was packed with perfectly balanced flavors. This entire dessert was then sprinkled with strawberry and pistachio dust and finally finished off with a rose dipped in liquid nitrogen. This was undoubtedly the highlight of our meal and it tasted just as awesome as it looked.

All in all, we had a great time at Tresind. We also realized that no matter what drama they do at the dinner table or how vibrant they make the space – there’s absolutely nothing that can take your attention away from the cocktails, food and service.