Something shiny, something new

1 The Rockpool and The Salon is one of the more recent ‘acts’ of DIFC’s The Guild to open – helmed by EatX founder, Tom Arnel. The section known as The Salon is meant to pay homage to the grill rooms of New York and Europe. The open kitchen is a sight to behold: you can watch the chefs, an arm’s length away, creating culinary magic. One of the many items to come out of the red brick woodfire oven and grill is the wood-fired sourdough flatbread topped with mushroom and truffle. Earthy notes married with freshly baked sourdough give a hearty start to the meal, while the 180g USDA Prime striploin steak is cooked to medium perfection. Pair this with the Canadian lobster mac and Manchego cheese; it’s definitely a larger portion than expected but a fabulous complement to the meat. Go for a relaxed, yet indulgent, meal.

2 Another feather in the St. Regis Gardens’ cap is Italian concept Signor Sassi. Packed to the rafters even on a Monday night, the intimate Art Deco space is a tribute to Italian design and culture. With the food, table-side ‘performances’ charm diners. The breasaola della Valtellina with shaved Parmesan & rocket salad is rolled and cut with a flourish in front of you, with the crispy Parmesan adding unexpected texture to an otherwise smooth dish. Similarly, the deliciously plump king prawns in chilli butter sauce are deshelled elegantly before being served on your plate. We would also recommend the home-made tortellini alla panna with veal ham – elegant little parcels swimming in cream satiate any remnants of hunger you might be feeling at this point. Leave place for dessert: either the traditional tiramisu or its tart counterpart, the Amalfi lemon delice.

3 Perched on the rooftop St. Regis Gardens, Trèsind Studio is not new but its ‘Rising India’ menu certainly is. Diving deeper into India’s biodiversity, this menu traverses four regions: the Thar desert, Deccan plateau, coastal plains, and northern plains and Himalayan mountains. While signature dishes (even though chef Himanshu Saini is loath to use that term) like the kebab scarpetta and the Onam sadya remain, the new tasting menu is a sensory experience that elevates its predecessor. The missi roti with nopales curry (Thar desert), for example, is complex in its flavours and eaten in one bite, has a slight smoky finish. The tender coconut kushiyaki, smoked Nilgiri spices, yuzu rasam (Deccan plateau) is a revelation – it’s a great example of how ingredients can be reimagined. And the puran poli, tapioca grits, ‘aamti’ sour lentil broth (coastal plains) can evoke feelings of nostalgia with the jaggery impossibly encased in the delicate dumpling that’s swimming in broth.