MUSEO Restaurant: introduces a new Mezzanine 'Dine in a Cup' Menu

3pm on a Saturday afternoon and the reflective glow off the calm waters in the quay area bathes the darkened arenas of Museo in a mysterious yet somber lighting. The mum squeals and lets off a sigh of disapproval, fueled by memories of discomfort from having to endure those chic sofa-like seating during a recent wedding banquet. I made a mental note then skimmed past those dubious looking couches in search of more comfortable grounds; seeking solace in a pain-splattered high grounds of the restaurant which offered a birds eye view of the establishment.

On the table, a newly minted mezzanine 'dine-in-a-cup' menu featuring some of their signature dishes in cup-sized portions; enabling diners to enjoy a larger range of the eclectic cuisine on offer. 

I'm always one who's picky when it comes to choosing food; and trust me when I tell you that the extensive selection at Museo does not aid the process. Thank goodness for the host who cleverly pegged a couple, no wait, too many new dishes for us to dive into.

With a whole torrent of food struggles to face and a hazy memory; I'm diving into my personal favorite dishes of the lot. The creme de la cream and the stuff that I would insist you order when the mulling gets too overbearing.

The Barbequed Squid ($12) had all the things I wanted and none of the things I didn't. It was moist, still succulent from its time on the grill; muscular but not tough; long on deep,rounded flavors from the chilli and peppers incorporated into the sauce. Piquing my interest is the Lavender Prawns ($14) which introduces the unlikely combination of prawn and lavender, the luxurious mayo bridging the gap between the soap derivant and crustacean. 

Another triumphant dish is the Smoked Roast Pork Belly ($12) - impeccably prepared, crisp skinned, unctuous centers; this was beautiful savored on its own or eaten with accompanying hot sauce and German mustard. Or, you could start and end with the BBQ Beef Short Rib ($18); despite it being the priciest dish on the menu; the bowlful is glorious; served with green chilli pesto, edamame and caramelized macadamia; the meltingly tender protein with such robust flavor snuck in between the joints stole my heart immediately.

Soft Shell Chilli Crab ($14) introduced hunky masses of soft shell crab lightly doused in a sweet and savoury tomato chilli sauce. This one had crunch but lacked the depth to draw references to as a chilli crab dish. I expected great things from the Crispy Baby Octopus ($13) smothered in salted egg butter sauce, an fad that seems to have limitless potential in its culinary revolution; but the flavor seemed to have leaked elsewhere. The salted egg sauce, thin and barely reminiscent of a typical zi-char dish condiment. 

For a walk on the lighter side, make a move for the Smoked Salmon Roulade ($12) or the Foie Gras Terrine ($14); the former performing acrobatics on the palate with a hodgepodge of flavors from the red tobiko and honey mustard dressing squeezed over snow pea sprouts and chuka wakama (seaweed), cherry tomato salad. Not a dish to be overlooked as the inclusion of seaweed introduces some exciting vibes to the conventional salmon and cream cheese combo. 

Those with a penchant for embarking on crazy adventures will come to appreciate the Crispy Frog Leg ($16) or the Chicken Liver Bacon Roll ($12). I'm not entirely convinced that I would order these two again, but for diners who have particular preference for the proteins mentioned; these will come across as quite a treat. The frog legs, so plump beyond belief that they can be almost mistaken for chicken drumlets, tossed with balsamic glaze, garlic and lime oil; they make for a moreish snack, best accompanied with a cold beer.

If you're set on making up a set of 4 for a complete MUSEO experience, do make sure to pull up at the Pasta and Rice section as well. The Squid ink Mushroom risotto ($8) providing particularly fleeting moments of joy with a handsome mound of moist and perfectly cooked black grains covered with drippings of salted egg cream sauce to soften its crustacean broth roots. The Cold Pasta ($11) I tried was also an immaculate affair that didn't quite look the part, but pulled out the stops in terms of flavor. The harmonious combination of olive oil, garlic, parsley and chilli padi singing a happy tune when tossed thru the angel hair pasta perforated with tons of crab meat.

When at MUSEO, desserts are a must. And special attention have been showered on this ordinary pairings to allow them to shine even through the limitations of being showcased in reflective bowl vessels. The Vodka Chocolate Lava Cake ($13) surprises with its delightful flavor and temperature contrast. A rich chocolate cake filled with a vodka ganache centre (too mild even for a novice's tastebuds) is served with vanilla ice cream. If you're a sucker for theatrics, the Frozen Pistachio Nougat in Chocolate Ball ($17) would be up your alley; a thin walled chocolate ball encapsulating pistachio nougat and cake bits caving in when met with the fiery acts of warm hot butterscotch sauce poured over the top. 

Sure, MUSEO might not have the same chillax vibes of the joints lining the pavement along the Quayside Isle, but what it delivers is an unspoken sophistication with innovative dishes to boot. Did we mention that the place mats essentially double up as coloring books as well; with colored markers in the spectrum of a rainbow sporting the table tops; waiting doesn't have to be boring!

MUSEO Restaurant

Quayside Isle Sentosa Cove

31 Ocean Way

#01-22

Sentosa Cove

S(098375)

t: 6734 8066

w: http://mu-se-o.com/splash/

Operating Hours:

Sunday -Thursday: 11 30am - 10pm

Fri - Sat: 11 30am - 1am