Last Updated on February 12, 2019 by hungryoungwoman

After the success of Tresind and the modern Carnival by Tresind, Himanshu Saini brings to us, Tresind Studio. The first compact, modern Indian restaurant in the world that can only seat 20 people at once.

Yes, it might come as a surprise to some, but such concepts exist around the world. Most of them owned by Chefs whose restaurants are on the list of the World’s 50 Best. As the first of such concepts in the UAE, will Tresind Studio impress?

Like its sister restaurant, Carnival by Tresind, this one also aims to change menus frequently so the customer always retains an element of surprise. We were invited to try their Chapter 1 – The Journey.

The customer is taken through an experience that lasts roughly 2 hours delivered by Chef Himanshu explaining the 16 courses throughout.

To all those who are unfamiliar, or confused like how I initially was, Tresind Studio is a part of Tresind. The entrance is the same, but you’ll have to walk inside the restaurant to another door that leads to Tresind Studio. It sort of gives us a feeling of a “privileged member” to be allowed into the compact restaurant.

I arrive at 8 PM and see the restaurant half full and Chef Himanshu Saini nowhere to be seen. Unfortunately for me, I visited on the evening of BBC Good Food Middle East Awards where Himanshu was awarded Best Indian Restaurant, Curry, and Dining Experience (fortunate for him though!) which was why we found him missing.

The Chef present, however, guided us through the courses well, stopping to explain details about the dishes when asked.

What does Tresind Studio offer?

I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise for most of you reading, but I’ll run you through some of my favorite courses and why I thought they stood out.

• Mushroom + Truffle – Looking at social media, I think most of the previous guests will agree with me on this one. The dish is a well-made ravioli that contains a savory broth with notes of truffle. How they fill the liquid inside the delicate layer is beyond me, but Chef Himanshu has clearly outdone himself with this.

This also reminds me of the Mushroom Cappucino we tried in Carnival by Tresind (a must order actually!) but the flavors of mushroom and truffle usually work so well that it was bound to be a sure success anyway.

• Watermelon + Prawn – If I have to pick the winning dish, it would be the Watermelon Rasam. Rasam is traditionally from South India (where I hail from) and is a tangy gravy that is served with rice. It is made with tamarind, tomato, and spices.

I was happy to see rasam presented in a unique way, by adding watermelon to it. Very bold attempt indeed. The fruit bursts in the mouth cutting through the spice and adding a hint of sweetness. The prawns just add to the experience and this tops all the courses we have at Tresind Studio. Very innovative of Chef Himanshu for coming up with this!

• Wagyu + Curry – How many times have you visited an Indian restaurant and were confused to pick one of their many, many curries? Tresind Studio tries to serve a taste of 5 different curries along with a piece of tender wagyu beef.

The curries are strikingly unique in their tastes and make for a captivating plate. Among the biryani, tomato, spinach, chili, and rosemary, I prefer rosemary for its fragrant flavor and subtleness. Also, rosemary isn’t commonly used in Indian cuisine so I found that taking influence from Western food.

Who is Tresind Studio for:

In my opinion, if you have no knowledge of Indian food or have only tried Indian food from most of the restaurants situated in New Dubai, then I would definitely NOT recommend Tresind Studio to you. I would instead ask you to try Tresind and savor how good Indian food actually tastes.

You MUST visit Tresind Studio if you are well-versed in Indian food and know how exactly it tastes to be able to appreciate changes they have made to authentic recipes of the country.

When can you visit Tresind Studio? 

Due to the steep price point, an experience to Tresind Studio will most likely be reserved for special occasions. I would suggest making your birthday or anniversary reservation here as it truly is a unique affair.

Tresind Studio is priced at AED 425 for Vegetarian and AED 500 for Non-Vegetarian menu of 16 courses each. 

If we’re going back to Tresind Studio: As always a fan of Himanshu Saini, I cannot wait to see what’s in store for this concept in the future. I will surely be visiting once they have completed this season.

Also, an avid follower of shows like Chef’s Table where they display the ins and outs of some of the best restaurants in the world, I only hope Tresind gets as much recognition and Dubai is one day able to compete with other countries of the world in terms of dining experiences.

Have you visited Tresind Studio? Or, any of its sister restaurants? Let me know your experience.

Until then, happy eating! xx