Weekendin Singapore Dec '14 | Issue 09 | Page 54

WeekendinFEATURE WeekendinFEATURE CELEBRATIONS Located within Grand Hyatt Singapore in a level on its own, mezza9 is a trendy, award-winning contemporary restaurant that offers an impressive range of nine different exciting dining experiences. With much anticipation for this highly acclaimed restaurant, I set foot into the restaurant and the friendly staff promptly attended to me. I was led through the main dining hall that is capable of housing 400 patrons, briefly going past the impressive displays of the show kitchens. The interior of the dining hall is exquisitely simple and classy, while exuding a sense of modernism. When I reached the Christmas event venue, I found myself seated in the wine cellar. In contrast to the temperature of the wine cellar, the ambience was surprisingly warm and cosy. Red candles surrounded by bouquet of flowers lit the room with a perfect comfortable orange glow, which flooded the cellar with an unspeakable homely feeling. Weekendin 52 Mezza9 The appetisers served to us were Waldorf Salad, Baked Oysters “Florentine” and Truffled Egg with Black Winter truffle, Cream Spinach and Chicken Veloute as dressings. Amongst all of the appetisers, the Truffled Egg garnered the most attention and it certainly delivered in terms of the quality of the food. Presented to me was just a simple yet perfectly cooked sunny side up. However, lying beneath this deceivingly simple dish was tremendously meticulous steps which results in its uniquely impressive taste. The egg by itself carries a distinct yet subtle truffle aroma and taste, which will certainly stun any unsuspecting patron. The chef later revealed the mindboggling mystery behind this egg that the eggs were kept in airtight containers filled with rice and truffles for a few days so that the eggs would be gradually infused with truffle aroma. Two soups were later served before the main dishes, namely traditional goulash and the butternut pumpkin soup. The traditional goulash was fantastically executed as the rich beefy flavours invade the mouth with that soothing heat, which would be very much enjoyable during cold weather. Butternut pumpkin soup is a variation of the traditional pumpkin soup in accordance to the chef’s interpretation. This rendition of pumpkin soup is well crafted as the sour taste from the orange piques your appetite while you enjoy the creamy pumpkin soup and the ginger warms your stomach to prepare it for the upcoming main dishes. After the delectable soups, 18-hour Braised Venison Ragout along with Australian Grass Fed Beef Tenderloin “Chateaubriand” and Whole Roasted Turkey were served as main dishes. These dishes in general adheres to the traditional methods of cooking with no special twist to them, giving the meal a very homely touch for such classic Christmas dishes. In particular, the 18-hour braised venison was a very delightful Scottish dish that develops a beautifully earthy sweetness and the texture of the venison is consistently soft and tender. The flavours of the ingredients are wonderfully locked into the venison, endowing the meat with an intense, unforgettable taste. To end the meal on a good note, desserts are definitely indispensible. We were spoilt with an array of mouthwatering desserts, which comprised of the classical Christmas Pudding, Berry Pavlova as well as William’s Pear Sherbet with Caramel Custard and Spiced Red Wine Poached Pear. In particular, William’s pear sherbet left a deep impression. When it was served, almost everyone mistook it for a pear itself. The aesthetics was very pleasing and would certainly pique the interest of an unsuspecting customer. I took the plunge for the “pear”, only to find my spoon digging into the soft sherbet. The pear sherbet was highly refreshing on the palate without being too sweet or alcoholic for my liking. On top of that, the texture of the sherbet was surprisingly smooth and not too grainy with tiny mashed bits of fresh pear hidden within the delicate arrangement of ice. It was a heartwarming and cosy experience to enjoy traditional Christmas dishes with an interesting twist to them without losing the essence of the dish. The quality of food was amazing and what impressed me the most was the thought behind each dish. Mezza9 brings you Christmas dishes from all over Europe right to your platter. Mezza9 | Grand Hyatt Singapore | 10 Scotts Road | Singapore 228211 | T 6732 1234 | mezza9. [email protected] 53 Weekendin