If you have visited Trèsind in Dubai, then a trip to their new venture Carnival by Trèsind is mandatory. Not only will you be amazed with the magic of this culinary journey but you will go back home with a happy heart and some revived childhood memories. Chef Himanshu Saini has pushed boundaries and truly redefined Indian Cuisine. I was overwhelmed when I got a chance to experience their 15 course tasting menu before the official opening of the restaurant. I highly recommend this place where timeless recipes are celebrated and reinvented with a modern twist
Name: Carnival by Trèsind
Location: Burj Daman Building, DIFC
Cuisine: Post modern Indian Cuisine
Ideal for: A theatrical Indian culinary experience
The Tasting Menu:
Happy Halloween: Pumpkin Kulcha
You don’t have to be a big pumpkin fan to love this one. It’s soft, flavourful and so delicious.
Makhan Phal: Served in a rustic black dish and made of cacao butter hive, avocado and lime cream with fancy smoke all over, this will just melt in your mouth.
La Tomatino beverage soup: What looks like a champagne bottle is actually a cold tomato essence with a cheese bread stick. It tastes just like a tomato shorba and the cheesy stick is crisp and so good.
Life is short eat dessert first: Firstly, a round of applause for the folks who’ve named the dishes.. And who wouldn’t love Jalebi in their chaat?! You will definitely wipe every bit off your plate.
Florets: Cauliflower florets served with chilli and coconut chutney, more like a cauliflower pakora but in a whole new way.
Malai Baraf: Presented in an ice shot glass was the coolest palate cleanser ever. The litchi granita mixed with raspberry rose water and fresh milk will just leave you wanting for more.
Games of Corns: It’s the name of the dish that intrigued me. In an unpside down tin was a hidden piece of corn curd and coconut cutlet topped with goji berry chutney and kewpie mayo. This was one of my favourite dishes that night.
Vada Pav Service: Talk about thinking out of the box! I was simply amazed when Chef Rahul came upto our table wearing the construction worker hat and a tin box. The Classic vegetarian snack of the Mumbai mill workers was served in the most authentic way. Made right then and there, was a spicy and mouth watering Vada Pav on my plate.
Orange: If you were an 80’s kid from India you would definitely know the significance of this orange and Kashmiri saffron popsicle in your life. It’s something you will totally relish.
Gol Hatti: For the mains it was Chandni chowk’s famous palak chole that made it to our table. Served in a clay pot along with steamed kulcha and carrot pickle salad this was mind blowing.
Dal Phulka: Ever thought of drinking dal from a coffee cup? A great example of a simple dish and a unique idea! This was topped with fresh truffle ghee, cumin coco and served with a crisp phulka cookie. I suggest eat it while its hot!
Mutton dressed as lamb: Mutton galouti chop sitting on a lamb nihari gravy served fermented dough bread. So rich and flavourful!
Go Bananas: A reinvention of the classic Banoffee Pie. We were served a delicious toffee panacotta along with an ilaichi banana ice cream.
Utterly Butterly: Hands down the most tender meat I’ve ever tried. This sliced Wagyu tenderloin was served with amul better and a cheese toast. This was eaten even before I could take a picture.
The Betels: The perfect substitute to the original paan, a Betel Leaf  ‘sweet paan’ macaroon.
Kappi: Presented like a South Indian filter coffee was a dollop of coffee sitting in a cup of chocolate beans along with caramelised lotus seeds. How creative!
Palate Changer: Probably the highlight of the meal. You have to go there and try it out for yourself. This miracle Berry with a slice of lemon was phenomenal!
Experience
– The interiors are a treat to the eyes. The entire metallic look is classy, eclectic and modern as compared to its counterpart Trèsind. Attention was paid to the tiniest detail. The washroom had a fun graffiti and the cutlery totally matched the concept. They also have red and green balloons to differentiate between the veg and non veg customers.
-The entire place is so theatrical that we were even welcomed with bubbles. Not only did the food look good but it was so scrumptious and artistic.
-I was glad to hear that the tasting menu will actually be a part of the main menu. These dishes are a must try: Mutton dressed as lamb, gol hatti, game of corns, jalebi chaat, malai barf and the miracle berry palate cleanser.
-It is definitely the only place where I loved each and every mocktail that was served. The Banta Soda reminded me of the Mumbai street side Kala Khatta drink. The crazy frog and scary friend were equally great.
-The entire experience was worthy of an applaud and extremely different from Trèsind.
Service:
A happy staff is always a pleasant sight. Loved how each and every dish was explained in detail.
Contact: 042759071/ www.carnivalbytresind.com
I was amazed at how the street concotions were transformed into something so innovative. If you ask me the best part about the entire experience, well, I left with a happy and content heart, I guess that’s all that matters.
