Consider yourself a connoisseur of desserts? Then this is the perfect dining experience for you.
There are certain rules that separate the dessert connoisseur from the rest of the world.
For starters, they realise that dessert goes into a separate stomach. In fact, it’s possible they even have a separate stomach to accommodate treats, as they always have room for more, as long as it’s laced with cream and sugar.
Secondly, they well know that the final course is the best part of any meal. It’s the cherry, on the cream, on the proverbial cake that’s worth waiting for, and now that the cake is here it seems silly to only eat the cherry… pass me that fork.
And thirdly, they read the menu backwards. They must always, always choose dessert first and work backwards from there.
For all these reasons, this self-confessed and unashamed dessert connoisseur made a pilgrimage to Sydney’s Messina Creative Department, drawn by the promise of sweet, sweet Valhalla.
Headed up by Messina founder Nick Palumbo, head chef Donato Toce, and chief creative Remi Talbot, the Creative Department’s seven-course degustation is a movable feast of culinary delight, designed to excite and confuse the senses.
Seasonally prepared menus play on the boundaries between sweet and savoury, expectation and reality, and are visibly influenced by Remi’s time working in Denmark, France and Japan.
A step beyond your everyday dining experience, this truly is an education into the modern rules of dessert. Here are five things you can expect from your visit to the Messina Creative Department.
Expect the unexpected
From the moment you begin your trip down the rabbit hole, be sure to keep an open mind. With offerings like granita of purple basil, beetroot and cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, there is little room for expectation from plate to palette.
In fact, it’s the Creative Department’s promise that nothing will taste as it looks. According to the website:
“The menu flirts with savoury and dances with the unexpected. It tests the relationship between what you see and what you taste and will challenge your palate and f*ck with your mind.”
Desserteurs be warned: it may look like an innocent granita, but chances are it will taste like a salad and pack a hearty punch.
Everything is edible (almost)
Walking the line between possibility and the utterly absurd, the Creative Department team pull out all stops to make sure you have the ultimate ’kid in a candy store‘ experience.
Inclusions such as edible egg shells and sea fennel add to the dramatic impact of the evening — taking this far beyond any gelato-in-cone experience you may have expected at the neighbouring Darlinghurst flagship store.
Fusion is not a bad thing
French-born chef Remi’s diverse experience adds a unique flair of fusion to the seven-course menu. Of particular note is the creative chief’s time working in Tokyo alongside Zaiyu Hasegawa, the chef who runs the Michelin-starred Den restaurant.
Flavour pairings such as lemon and sansho pepper with liquorice and blood lime showcase the surprising, yet delightful, fusion of Italy meets Japan.
Seasonal produce tastes better
Perhaps most impressively of all, local, seasonal produce is the absolute star of the Creative Department’s ever-changing menu. With local suppliers from across Sydney and regional New South Wales — and beyond — chefs Donato and Remi have masterfully woven together fresh flavours to showcase some stellar produce.
Seasonal highlights may include pine oil sorbet with green almond, sea fennel and green herb granita — a dish that can only be served for a very short period of time due to the seasonality of green almonds and their tendency to ripen within a two-week period.
Other local produce highlights may include honey, organic goats milk, and preserved black figs.
Dessert can be savoury
Ever wondered what horseradish gelato might taste like? Or how about pickled turnips with berries? Wonder no more! The delightfully deceptive flavour combinations here prove that desserts need not be overly sweet to pack flavour.
Paired drinks and liquids enhance the flavour of each of the seven courses, further delivering on the Department’s promise that, “It borders on dessert but the brave might call this a meal.”
If this has got your tastebuds tingling, it’s only just the beginning. Your visit to the Messina Creative Department is sure to be as bespoke as its seasonally changing menu.
After all, meals may come and go – but dessert is forever.
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