The parmesan chicken steak is a mix of guilty creaminess and stuffed meat.
The cheese that covers the stuffed chicken breast is a dominating presence on the plate, and requires a relatively empty stomach to savour properly.
And it is just one among the many succulent delights to be had at the ongoing steak and tapas festival at the Mezzo Resto-Bar in Hotel Avenue Regent.
Despite actively trying to focus more on the steak than the cheese, we find our forks inadvertently reaching over to scoop up more of it. Combined with some light fruit juice it is easy to sit back, soak in the atmosphere, and munch away while watching guests amble in and out of the adjacent lobby.
But we are getting ahead of ourselves, it is a steak and tapas festival after all, and one would be remiss to dive straight into the main course without helping oneself to some starters (as inviting as the former prospect may seem).
The barbecue chicken winglets that preceded the steak made a neat row on the small plate they came in, and create quite an impact when consumed, their small size notwithstanding; the chicken easily coming off and the tangy sauce making its presence felt, sometimes to the point of overpowering the chicken.
Mezzo also offers a complimentary glass of wine, a perfect accompaniment to steady dining and good conversation, as evidenced by the number of couples that slowly start to filter in around us. And there is plenty to pick from too. If the tangy chicken winglets are not to your liking, the popular bacon wrapped prunes, chicken satay with peanut sauce and tuna croquets are ready to step in and sate the appetite, with vegetarians having the option of picking spicy mushrooms with cashew nuts.
According to Chef Benny K.V, who joins us as we take a breather, the popular favourites from the menu are the bacon wrapped beef steak and steak with red wine reduction, though diners have more options such as roast pork ribs with herb sauce and Brazilian fish.
Mezzo is populated by small groups sitting and having quiet conversations by the time we take our leave, the ambience quiet as the tune of Daniel Bedingfield’s ‘If You’re Not The One’ plays across the room. But with good food, wine and conversation, we wouldn’t have it any other way.
