Trèsind Mumbai: Modern Indian Fine Dining Done Right
The Cost -$84 per person
The Atmosphere – Trèsind Mumbai feels formal but relaxed. When I walked in, the first thing I noticed was how clean, elegant and minimal everything felt. Dim lighting, nothing on the walls, and a beautiful green tiled bar that adds just the right amount of color. The seating is very comfortable, which I appreciated right away knowing this would be a long tasting menu.
The Trèsind concept started in Dubai and later expanded internationally, with Mumbai becoming one of its key locations. The restaurant only offers a tasting menu that presents modern interpretations of Indian cuisine. The experience starts with a frozen smoke bomb at the table. It’s not food, just ice that explodes and immediately sets a playful tone with a beautiful aroma that gets your palette ready for a culinary adventure. It’s a fun way to begin and lets you know this meal will have a bit of theater. Reservations are required and credit cards are accepted.
The Order – A 14-course tasting menu.
The Fantastic – The strongest dishes of the night were the ones I kept thinking about long after they were finished. The lobster course was easily the standout for me. The chili glazed lobster was served on top of an okonomiyaki style pancake made with cabbage and tempura, with a curry made from lobster shells alongside. The portion was generous for a tasting menu. The lobster had beautiful spice and a slight char, the curry was rich and deeply flavored, and the pancake underneath helped ground everything so the dish never felt too heavy. Every bite worked, and it was a real delight to eat.
The khichdi was just as memorable, and honestly one of the most surprising dishes of the night. The lentil based dish was prepared tableside, and I watched twenty ingredients, one from each state of India, being added one by one. There was saffron, apple, pumpkin seeds, curry leaves, black pepper, mustard, ginger, chilies, butter, and ghee among others. Watching it come together made it feel special, but the real magic was in the eating. It was warm, soft, and incredibly comforting, with little moments of sweetness, spice, and crunch throughout. I never thought a lentil dish could taste this good. One of the top dishes of the night, without question.
The Great – A large part of the menu landed here which shows a lot of consistency and for lack of a better word, greatness. The meal started with a pani puri filled with duck and semolina, served as a single bite. I ate it all at once and it burst with flavor. Tangy, slightly sweet, a little spicy, and very Indian in the way all the flavors hit my tongue at the same time, but done in a more refined, high end way.
That was followed by a kohlrabi taco filled with slow cooked Bengali style chicken, topped with potato crepes and smoky aioli. I rolled it up and ate it in a couple of bites. It was flavorful and fun and kept the street food theme going in an elevated way.
The chicken bharta tart really stood out for its texture. The shell was very thin and crisp, almost delicate yet sturdy, and inside was a creamy chicken curry that was absolutely delicious. Rich, comforting, and very well done.
The duck and waffle course was another highlight for me. The waffle came with curry infused honey drizzled on top, and then I placed the duck over it. The duck was tender and lightly spiced, and that curry honey was incredible. The flavors lingered in my mouth even after the dish was finished. It was also a surprisingly generous portion for a tasting menu.
There was a lighter moment with the butter poached prawn and asparagus salad. It came with a clarified tomato broth inspired by rasam, served in a small glass on the side. The asparagus was cooked perfectly, the prawn tasted clean and fresh, and sipping the broth after each bite really brought the dish together. It felt soft, elegant, and very enjoyable.
The savory courses continued with a mutton curry poured at the table. The curry was aromatic and deeply spiced, and the meat was tender and full of flavor. The roti was good, though more refined and thicker than a street style roti, which I personally prefer, but the curry itself was excellent and left a pleasant tingling sensation that stayed with me.
Desserts kept things strong. A banana filled tart paired with dark chocolate ice cream was rich and satisfying, with great balance between sweetness and bitterness. The caramel milk semifreddo that followed was lighter, fluffy, and smooth, topped with a rose cookie and goji berries that added crunch and contrast. A Coffee filled chocolate stone ended the meal, cracking open and releasing liquid coffee into your mouth, which was a fun and perfect way to finish.
The Good – The remaining dishes were enjoyable, but they weren’t the ones I’ll remember most from the night. A chicken meatball made with Parmesan and served in a Kashmiri yakhni style yogurt curry was well prepared, but it felt mild compared to the bolder dishes that came before it. There was nothing wrong with it, it just didn’t stand out.
A tomato based chaat shot with chickpeas and strawberry was very nicely presented and meant to be mixed and eaten like a shot. The strawberry added sweetness and freshness, which you don’t often get in street chaat, but here it felt slightly distracting. Interesting, but not fully convincing.
The Verdict - Trèsind Mumbai delivers a well paced tasting menu with several dishes that truly stand out. Not every course hits the same level, but the strongest ones, especially the lobster and the khichdi, are excellent and memorable. If you enjoy tasting menus and want to experience modern Indian cooking in a refined but playful setting, I think Trèsind is absolutely worth doing and at the price point, it’s one of the best value tasting menus in the world.
Trèsind Mumbai
Ground Floor Inspire BKC E, G Block BKC, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra East, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400051