Mezza 4 1/2

The back of the dessert menu features Pierre Hermé scratching his head wondering: “Hmmm, foie gras with creme brulee? I dunno… think they might go for it?”

We had a good dinner in the company of good friends on Thursday at the Grand Hyatt’s Mezza9 despite some disappointments which I am compelled to talk about.

Because I care about the state of the service industry in Singapore.

We were looking forward to sampling the desserts of a celebrated chef, Pierre Hermé, who was in town for the World Gourmet Summit.

After ordering just enough entrees from the main menu so as to save space for dessert, we stopped a very busy looking waitress and asked to order a portion of each dessert in the dessert menu.

She didn’t explain what each of the desserts were, which I thought was ok, because the menu did describe them in some detail. But when the desserts were served, the serving staff did not explain which dessert was which.

Which I still thought was ok, because then we’d have a bit of fun figuring out which dessert was which. We had to do this also because the photos on the dessert menu didn’t match the text. (We figured this out because we knew what a macaroon looked like).

But then, and only then, did the waiting staff tell us that the dessert we were all most looking forward to – the creme brulee with foie gras – had been sold out.

This is not on, fellas. You could’ve told us earlier. We could’ve ordered something else to quell our rising disappointment. We could’ve rioted and chucked you in your wood-fired oven. Lucky thing some of the other desserts were quite good. Pierre Hermé saved your collective skins, some of which, by the way, are either due for a good scrub or there’s something wrong with your laundry contractor’s detergent. Some of the aroma of which we caught several whiffs are definitely not from the yakitori grill.

Get it together, restaurant manager. Mezza 4 1/2.

Desserts minus one

revelation: puff pastry with tomato, mascarpone, pieces of black olives, olive oil and strawberry compote

My favourite: tarte mogador: shortcrust pastry, passionfruit and milk chocolate ganache, roasted pineapple and flourless chocolate cake.

Mezza9
Grand Hyatt Singapore
10 Scotts Road,
Singapore 228211 (map)
Tel: +65 6738 1234