In the quiet bylanes of Lodhi Colony, you’ll find the modest exterior of Dos by Tres, unassuming and charming. Inside, jazzy numbers and dim lights welcome you, making you feel instantly at ease. Cosy. That was the word which came to mind as I found my table near a muralled corner.
The restaurant is spread over two floors, with contemporary design aesthetics and modern art lining the walls. I chose to sit downstairs admiring the distinct wall sculpture of traditional crockery, an eccentric and vibrant theme that explores the concept of fusion seen throughout the restaurant, including the menu.
The Star Dish
Where Chef and co-founder Jatin Malick’s vision behind the menu of Tres, Lodhi, was to celebrate the rich diversity of Indian ingredients in a fine dining setting, with Dos, both he and co-founder Chef Julia Carmen have chosen to go a different route. At Dos, you sample reimagined flavours in street food, not just from India but around the world, with the menu showcasing a rich selection of flavours inspired by global street food.
For me, the star dish was their superb tenderloin salad with tahini yoghurt and truffle honey. On a bed of rocket leaves, peppers, and crunchy croutons drizzled with green tomato salsa, the thinly sliced tenderloin melts in your mouth with the barbecued nuts, giving a zesty texture that is full of real bite.
What’s More?
Even though I’m a lover of all things non-vegetarian, I loved their grilled asparagus in brie butter, salsa macha, truffle honey, flash fried candy green tomatoes with flour crisp. The buttery asparagus with the tangy candy green tomatoes was a great start to the meal. A close second to the star dish was Mrs B’s favourite Spanish chorizo spaghetti with candy tomato, cream, fresh basil, parmesan and chorizo oil. For any pasta, perfecting the sauce is key, and this spaghetti just got it right.
Other must-haves on the menu are the grilled tiger prawns in citrus chilli butter (definite crowd pleaser) and the Goan chorizo dirty rice. Another uniquely delicious find on the menu was their pizzas with potato-fermented dough crusts. This quirky twist lends a layered texture to one of the world’s most popular street foods and makes you take note of every bite as if sampling a new invention.
Drinks Menu
The cocktails at Dos are fun and summery, with a good mix of gin and tequila-based drinks lining the menu, all of which are the creative genius of regional manager and mixologist Jitender Sharma. Each drink on their cocktail menu is paired perfectly with a signature snack. I chose the PentHouse Panda with gin, pandan, citrus and in-house spice orange syrup to start with. Sipping on the refreshing drink paired with the crunchy and spicy cassava chips with siracha cheese ketchup was a combination I didn’t know I needed.
Another knockout pairing was the Smirking Cacao with Guntur chilli glazed crispy chicken wings. Every sip of the dark rum-laced concoction with vanilla liqueur and spiced vermouth paired with a bite of the crispy chicken wings was a match made in cocktail heaven.
Vibe Check
The restaurant’s overall ambience is cosy and chill, and the incredibly grooving tunes thrown by the DJ add to the mood and complement the food. Open between 12 pm and 1 am, Dos by Tres, with its artsy decor and casual atmosphere, is a fun date place, great for weekend night outs and late weeknight drinks.
