Carnival by Tresind
When one hears of “Carnival by Tresind”, there is an immediate expectation of a superior dining experience considering the mention of the renowned “Tresind” within the name. The “Carnival” refers to the celebration of Indian cuisine’s timeless recipes, heritage and culture that is apparent throughout the dining experience at this venue. Carnival by Tresind applies the use of molecular gastronomy to combine unique flavours, textures and aesthetics to make their guests’ experience unique.
Reservation:
We strongly recommend making a reservation well in advance. We were actually informed by the restaurant manager that they are usually booked out for the weekend early in the week!
Parking:
The restaurant is located within the Burj Daman Tower and a valet service is offered for a few restaurants including Carnival in front of the main entrance. Make sure you do not forget to get the ticket stamped by the restaurant!
Greeting & Seating:
Very rarely have I entered a venue where there is a long queue to the reception area. The popularity of the restaurant was clearly evident. Within a few minutes however, we were on our way to our table.
Knowledge & Service of the waiter(s):
The waiters were impeccable in their awareness of the menu and were willing and able to answer all our questions. Our bartender was a master of his profession and was very pleasant.
Our Order:
We decided to have the Chef’s Non vegetarian tasting menu so that we could spend less time making decisions on our order and more time enjoying the venue. The restaurant also recommends the Chef’s tasting menu as they feature the highlights from the a la carte menu.
The tasting menu was extensive and included the following:
MakhanPhal –White chocolate hive, avocado and lime puree
SitaPhal – Sweet and sour pumpkin dabeli
Dal Phulka – Yellow lentil cappuccino, phulka cookie, fresh truffle ghee and cumin cocoa
Life is short eat dessert first – Jalebi chaat, yogurt mousse, potato and chickpea
Pullinji – South Indian ginger prawns, palm sugar caramel and curry leaf crisp
VadaPav Service – Classic vegetarian snack of Mumbai mill workers
MalaiBaraf– Litchi granite, raspberry rose water and condensed milk (Palette cleanser)
Chicken Biryani Bibinbap (not on the tasting menu)
Mutton dressed as lamb – mutton galouti chop, lamb jus nihari and fermented dough bread.
CartaFarta – Steamed seabass en papillote, Malabar style bouillabaisse and lemon rice
Chaatwala – Guava parfait, strawberry chaat masala and caramelized boondi
Go Banana (not on the tasting menu either)
As for the drinks, based on our preferences, the bartender was kind enough to provide his recommendations, which we both relished.
Food quality & taste:
The pullinji, the sitaphal, and the mutton dressed as lamb are all a definite must-have. The dal phulka is presented as a cappuccino with a cookie offering a refreshing approach to the dish. The life is short, eat dessert first was very innovative as it provided a variety of textures within each bite. Overall the food at Carnival is very distinctive. Everything is well presented, and the chef has used molecular gastronomy to combine foods and flavors that one may not dream of pairing together, however the outcome, for most part, is incredible. For some of the dishes, it look me a few minutes to decide if I liked it or not because my taste buds were deciphering the mix of the sweet and savory but I appreciated a majority of them. The VadaPav service is a live preparation by the server who was dressed as a builder. It is served in a baguette instead of the traditional Pav, however I would have probably just preferred the Pav. All the portions are generous and by the end of the evening I left extremely well fed and satisfied with my meal.
Courtesy extended during the meal:
Our courses came in quick succession but fortunately the servers soon realized that they were outpacing us and offered to slow down. It was commendable that they picked up on it themselves. The service overall was phenomenal with the entire team making a conscious effort throughout the dining experience to ensure that we were comfortable.
Ambiance:
In spite of being a weeknight, the restaurant was full. The ambiance is lively and bustling but also quiet enough to enjoy some quality conversation. The decor maintains a subtle elegance that allows one to be at ease.
Price:
Carnival by Tresind is definitely in the higher price bracket but for good reason given the elaborate dining experience, ambiance & quality of service.
Overall would you return?
Carnival by Tresind is a must try for all and therefore I would definitely recommend it to anyone who has not yet visited. I would surely return to try out more dishes to pick out my favourites for future visits. Definitely one for special occasions!
As they have a private dining area, I would also consider hosting an event at this venue in the future.
Chef's Recommendations:
The chef recommends the tasting menus that have specially been prepared to include all the highlights featured on the a la carte menu.