If you're looking to dine in a chic restaurant which offers top-quality cuisine alongside delicious drinks, the address is Tres. The Capital's gourmands will vouch for culinary maverick Julia Carmen DeSa and Jatin Mallick. At the height of its popularity and fame, Tres New Delhi took a brief sabbatical, but it's back with a new summer menu featuring stellar international cuisine.
In this new avatar of Tres, the new Lodhi Colony restaurant evokes a feeling of excitement at first glance and sets the mood for what is to come. In keeping with their fresh take on international cuisine, the space follows a cosy palette of greys, browns and green complete with lime green swivel chairs by a Danish furniture company, BoConcept, that work as a pop contrast to the charcoal grey walls.
The 14-feet long dining bar and private dining room for eight are perfect for celebrations or special nights when the regular seating just won’t do. There is outdoor seating as well that remains air conditioned year round. But perhaps the star of the space is the show kitchen.
This cold kitchen is the hub of desserts and is equipped with a Theromix, ice-cream maker, top-of-the-line ovens and dehydrators so you can watch as the chefs whip up Tiramisu or the eternal favourite-warm milk chocolate brownie with caramelised banana mousse hazelnut sable, white chocolate and hazelnut soup. The staff uniforms also adhere to the design ethos and are styled by Lecoanet Hemant, the eponymous label founded by Frenchman Didier Lecoanet and Indo-German Hemant Sagar.
Chef Julia Carmen Desa has a vast repertoire of work that has inspired many chefs who consider her their mentor. She is a firm favourite amongst Delhi’s influencers for her culinary prowess, along with Chef Jatin Mallick whose global outlook towards food influences the menu at Tres. The duo works their magic in the kitchen and out, and is often seen outside the kitchen doors interacting with guests, many of who are already loyalists.
Food takes centre stage with the spotlight on local seasonal ingredients. The menu highlights the best dishes by the duo with a smattering of old favourites joined by modern comfort foods and innovative dishes all the while maintaining the delicate balance of flavours.
Try the beautifully plated Shallot TarteTatin where the savoury soft goat cheese is offset by a preserved walnut and apple compote and beetroot gel, the classic Spanish Porchetta, a tender and moist Pork dish cooked for 24 hours roasted with winter kale and sweet potato, tender farm grazed Icelandic lamb Chops served with spiced colocasia, charred pakchoi and bell pepper infused lamb reduction or an aromatic Fennel Floss and Jalapeno Crusted Seabass.
Vegetarian offerings include some interesting and flavoursome combinations such as Braised Moringa with oat curry granola, green romesco, whipped feta and pickled mustard seed, Home and Handmade Herb Laminated Pasta with cauliflower rice, candy tomatoes, butternut squash puree and crumbled goat cheese and favourite of every patron Baked Artichoke Hearts accompanied with tomato jam, honey mustard and herbed persillade crust that just melt in the mouth. Each dish has a visual appeal and is plated so that every garnish is 100 per cent edible and every nuance of the dish is handcrafted in the kitchen, right from the stocks to the sauces. The menu is updated seasonally.
So while you might not find white asparagus on the menu, you will find locally grown spinach, indigenous bhindi and winter carrots. The duo believes that the true mark of a Chef lies in how he lends his talent and expertise to make ingredients shine. Their commitment to excellence extends to the kitchen as well-Josper Grills, top-notch equipment and all the cooking is done on induction plates to reduce heat radiations in the air-conditioned back kitchen.
This philosophy is also evident at the bar-all bitters and syrups are made in-house. World-renowned mixologist Kim Hassarud of Liquid Architecture worked on the bar menu with the team and each cocktail has a different flavour based on key ingredients like Lodi G & Tseasoned with house-made lemongrass cordial and strawberry galangal bitters, the Revivify, where Yerba Mate, a rich antioxidant is infused with refreshing mint, lemongrass, red apple and balanced beautifully with cloves and cinnamon or Burning Pineapple Margarita infused with flavours of red chillies and fresh pineapple.
"Tres continues to create an experience with unwavering dedication, right from our produce, to the final dish and onto how impeccably it is served to you in the elegant ambience of our sophisticated decor. We are now, bolder, livelier and elegant every step of the way," chime in the chefs behind Tres.