Trésind Studio is the brainchild of Indian Chef Himanshu Saini and is located on the rooftop of the Nakheel mall in Dubai. The name is a creative interpretation of the French expression “Très Indien”, which means “very Indian”. And that perfectly describes what you can expect at this truly unique restaurant: the most fabulous dishes inspired by traditional Indian street food, presented in an eye-pleasing contemporary style

Location & Interior

Trésind Studio is located on the left side of the rooftop of Nakheel mall in Dubai. Nakheel mall can be found in the heart of Palm Jumeirah and is a retail, dining and entertainment shopping mall which got its name from the Arabic word for date palm trees.

The interior design of the restaurant is sleek, intimate and elegant and there is only place for about twenty guests per service. At the front side of the restaurant, the bar is located. At the opposite side is the open kitchen, which can be seen from every spot in the restaurant. The open kitchen is so prominent, that a visit to Trésind Studio feels like sitting at a chef’s table, independent from which table you get assigned.

The Chef & the team

An important eye catcher during a visit to Trésind Studio, is the open kitchen where chef Himanshu Saini is doing his magic. The roots of the extremely talented Indian chef are in Old Delhi’s Sui Walan district, an area well known for its amazing street food. Saini was born in an agricultural family and was exposed to fresh produce, herbs and flowers since he was a kid. During his youth, he spent a lot of time in the house of his grandparents. It was the tradition to cook three meals per day for the whole family which consisted out of a significant number of people. As there was always a lot of work to be done, every family member had to help and got specific tasks assigned. The young chef would help his mother in the kitchen and step by step he got interested in cooking. It was a logic next step that he joined culinary school in the Banarsidas Chandiwala Institute of Hotel Management & Catering Technology. Once out of school, he immediately got the opportunity to join the kitchen team of Chef Manish Mehrotra in his iconic New Delhi restaurant Indian Accent. What he learned there clearly created the basis of the cooking style he is now applying in Trésind Studio. After Indian Accent chef Himanshu worked in Mumbai’s Masala Library by Jiggs Kalra, before he decided to move to Dubai. When he arrived in the desert state in 2014, he opened Trésind. Four years later, the ambition to go more experimental and to offer his guests a different kind of experience, inspired Saini to open Trésind Studio in 2018.

Gastronomy

Renowned chefs such as Gaggan Anand and Manish Mehrotra have put Indian cuisine on the radar of foodies worldwide. Himanshu Saini is walking in their footsteps and might be the best proof that Indian food rightfully claimed that spot in the contemporary fine dining food scene. A dinner in Trésind Studio is an inspirational journey through the flavors, smells and colors of India and is perfectly illustrating the rich culinary legacy of the country where Saini has his roots. His cooking style can best be described as contemporary, where the best products are prepared in a creative and innovative way while strong focus on Indian roots and tastes is maintained. Products are sourced locally from organic and sustainable farmers in the UAE.

The surprise multi-course tasting menu is a parade of very original dishes prepared with finesse and precision and each bite you take, explodes in your mouth into pure happiness. Before each dish, a map of India is presented on which you are shown from with geographical region the next indulgence originates. You experience the best taste from north, south, east and west. Each dish is surprising, comes with a unique presentation and pleases the eye. Every plate and what is on it, is simply stunning. Saini is paying a meticulous attention to how his creations look. This is culinary art at its very best. But at no single moment, this focus on beauty drives the attention away from what really matters : the taste.

In the meanwhile, the food of Himanshu Saini has also received a Michelin star.

Some of the dishes we tried :

Other dishes from the menu:

Service & Drinks

The dining room philosophy in Trésind Studio is based on the popular Indian phrase “Atithi Devo Bhava’ which means ‘’guest is God”.  The team puts an extreme focus on the guest experience. Service is at all times very attentive and discrete, anticipating to whatever the guests expect. The highly skilled staff is extremely polite and knows each and every detail of the complex dishes that come out of Saini’s kitchen. During our visit, Himanshu also came out of the kitchen to serve several dishes personally. It is a true privilege to hear his personal views behind the dishes and the stories that inspired him to create them. Throughout the dining experience, the service is nicely choreographed. When some dishes are brought out of the kitchen all at the same time, with the lights dimmed, it almost feels like you are catapulted into a show of Cirque du Soleil.

Also the bar is doing an incredible job. It is located at the front of the restaurant and is called Papadom. Italian mixologist Dom Carella is serving mind blowing cocktails that could make some of the best internationally acclaimed mixologists shy.

Trésind Studio has an alcohol license and is offering a pairing which was spot on and totally unique. You can call it at least as surprising as the cooking style of Himanshu. It consisted out of classics such as Laurent-Perrier Champagne – served with one of the dishes, not as appetizer drink – but also out of surprises such as grapefruit infused IPA Elvis Juice from Brewdog, sake from Heavensake and pinnacles such as own creations Black Lime Gin Wine, consisting out of Omami Black Lime, Tanqueray Gin, four different types of salt and Panipuri Masala, or their own perception of Mango Lassi.

Why go?

The main reason to visit Trésind Studio is the mind blowing food of Himanshu Saini. India is a fascinating country and being able to discover it based on its culinary diversity, is a unique experience. We will not advise you to skip the real visit to India and to only explore the country based on its food in Trésind Studio, but we will definitely advise you to put Trésind Studio on your bucket list. Culinary masterpieces are served by a humble and friendly chef and his perfect team and that absolutely makes this restaurant worth a visit. Whether you planned or you did not plan to travel to India…or to Dubai.