In among the glass and steel jungle that is Bandra Kurla Complex nestles a special sanctuary of culinary expertise. Trèsind Mumbai; a meeting point for innovation and Indian traditions where Head Chef, Safaraz Ahmed and Corporate Chef, Himanshu Saini have worked their magic on the menu. Degustation menus are still few and far between in India, but Trèsind offers them unapologetically. With 14 courses, the extensive menu embodies their experiences and travels while showcasing a unique vision for the future of Indian food. With winter finally upon us, they’ve unveiled some new additions to the menu to celebrate some seasonal favourites from around the country.
Right: Chef Sarfaraz Ahmed
The decor reflects this revamp with more natural tones and elements that extend from the crockery to the cocktails. But though they’re pushing boundaries and reinventing conceptual dining, the menu isn’t modern for the sake of being modern. And even while my meal begins in a cloud of lavender-scented dry ice fumes, I learn quickly that theatricality is not the core of this experience. Molecular gastronomy has its place in the kitchen, but at Trèsind, there’s a more grounded concept at play. Chef Sarfaraz speaks earnestly about how underrated he feels Indian food has been on a global level and why he believes the complexity of the cuisine is its crowning glory. “Everyone these days is talking about using acidity to balance dishes, but we in India have been doing that for centuries,” he says. “Pickles have always been a part of every meal we just didn’t think of them in terms of ‘acids’”. You’ll see that almost every dish on this menu has some form of pickle involved.”
The meal kicks off with a single Pani Puri atop a tiny clay matka. The Arugula ‘Pani’ designed to complement the sweet poached pears and the tang of the feta cream. This dish was inspired by Chef Saini’s love for street food and his desire to showcase the potential of chaat which it does with ease. The next few dishes are a confluence of world flavours. A trio of South Indian Pachadis served in a cone and then an earthy Butternut Squash Raviolo atop a sage pesto and crisp palak patta.
A dish that is quite literally the star of the show and one of the new additions in honour of Mumbai’s monsoon favourite is up next, the Corn 65. A star-shaped biscuit, inspired by Kerala’s achappam is piped full of an airy corn butter flavoured with spices inspired by the 65 spices of the dish. Crunchy and light, it combines a variety of textures and flavours in a deceptively simple-looking package.
The Raw Banana Varuval bursts with freshness and continues that earthy winter vibe. The Prawn and Asparagus salad looks and feels a lot different from any salad you’d expect. Served with a rich but mellow sauce – a Zeera Aloo Espuma – and a cup of soothing Tomato Rasam to sip alongside, it contrasts the bite of the asparagus and fresh prawns with warm, nourishing flavours, perfect for winter.
Moving into the more elaborate appetisers, the chef shares his take on a Meghalayan favourite with a Chicken Khasi Curry made with black sesame and offset with a Sorrento Lemon aioli and black lime, an ingredient that Chef Sarfaraz is really enjoying inventing with at the moment. The next dish takes you back to his childhood in Shimla, where during Ramazan he remembers eating Nalli Nihari every morning with his family. He’s reimagined the dish with slow-cooked lamb served inside a flaky khari biscuit and served in a Nihari curry. It’s a perfect balance of spices that hero each element and allows the tender meat to shine.
Like an elaborate Broadway show, a meal at Trèsind is carefully choreographed, and the next course is a much-needed palate cleanser before we take on the main course in the form of a Khandvi Ice Cream, pickled papaya and chilli. They’ve made this eclectic idea work beautifully in their favour with a sweet-savoury-spicy balance that leaves you ready for more.
No winter in the north is complete without sarson ka saag, and here they’ve reworked the classic to emulate the iconic comfort food. The Saag Ghost is served alongside a corn waffle to echo the traditional makki ki roti as well as a gud ki chutney with fragrant whole spices and churned white butter. Everything about this dish has the essence of a homecooked meal while playing with gourmet textures.
The final savoury dish on the menu is their famous Khichdis of India. Starting off with a base of humble khichdi, they proceed to add 20 ingredients inspired by different states of India. Things like saffron, green apples, kasundi, sesame seeds, chenna – all unlikely choices that seamlessly work together in harmony to make every bite a unique experience.
I was born without a sweet tooth, but the Textures of Milk with malai burrata, dehydrated milk crisp and yakult ice cream definitely got me on board with the dessert menu. The Palang Tod with its sticky, sweet warm milk crumble balanced by a sharp date and walnut ice-cream was another reminder of how winter is being echoed in this new menu.
As you round out the meal with an explosion of coffee decoction that bursts forth from its milk chocolate shell, you’re left with a better understanding of the vision here. In an age of minimalism, this is a maximalist culmination of centuries of Indian food culture. The team at Trèsind celebrates seasonality alongside tradition and the winter menu honours regional favourites with a modern twist.