A mix of Moroccan grandmother's soul, Japanese styles, the restaurant is truly a 'Mess' - review

The kanji, pronounced kai-sho-ku, stands for two things:

The first is “mess” – Disorder. Clutter. Chaos.

The second is “to sit down together and dine.”

Stav Mesner, 24, houses both of those entities in his being and harnesses them in many ways for his new, long-awaited Tel Aviv Izakaya restaurant, Mess.

A fusion of a Moroccan grandmother’s soul (specifically, Mesner’s, who has helped him throughout his journey), and an unadulterated love for Japanese form, flair, and aesthetics, the restaurant is indeed, a mess. But it’s a very exciting mess.

Part of a Tel Aviv restaurant opening renaissance

Mess is part of a Tel Aviv restaurant opening renaissance, where more than 10 new fascinating conceptual joints have opened their doors around the city. Each has taken a big gamble in an age where uncertainty looms, and it is far easier for a restaurant to shut down than it is to remain open.

Mess a is slick, well-designed restaurant (despite its limited space), in the ever-so-trendy Kerem HaTeimanim (Yemenite Quarter) right off the Carmel Market. 

Mesner, who has been practicing his craft since the age of 13, and business partner, mixologist, Gal, have set up various pop-ups and even a homemade cocktail syrup business called LaShaker.

As expected, the restaurant is still in its experimentation phase. Its menu is varied depending on the availability of fresh ingredients which Mesner arranges into his trademark dynamic dishes. His main incentive is to harmoniously fuse Moroccan and Japanese dishes, and for the most part, he succeeds.

Their signature dish was Hreimeh Gyoza, comprising expertly crafted homemade dumplings filled with Mesner’s grandmother’s very own spicy fish recipe, with a tuile of cornflour and saffron. This was served with their two sauces – rice wine vinegar and Junmai Daiginjo which comes from Mt. Fuji, and the house sauce, made from Koji soy, Mirin with alcohol, and Szechuan oil.

The white sashimi was my personal favorite – an incredibly fresh and intense tarragon on a bed of chili oil and matbucha, accompanied by New Zealand kiwi, ginger pickled with plums, and lemon caviar (or finger lime).

Impressive dishes

MESNER’S IMPRESSIVE kitchen knife skills were apparent in the tuna sashimi with pickled cucumbers and radish, fried basil chips, and tbileh (the green paste you find on some hummus) made with habanero. The Spanish Melon Tataki which had been marinated for hours with the house sauce, was gorgeously paired with pink sabres (cactus fruit). Although it had a nice sear on it, it would have benefited from being chilled instead of being served lukewarm.

The rest of the dishes, like the mushroom gyoza, a spicy tuna mixed with matbucha, and a Rashad and grape salad, could have been improved upon but show promise. The dishes I’m excited to try in the future are Kagoshima Tartar, Matcha Malabi, and Ramen, all of which Mesner is planning on offering during the winter months, along with other specials inspired by his love of the anime Naruto.

The cocktail menu has been carefully considered and planned by folks who know what they’re doing. This shows in the Karai, based on Tequila marinated in incredibly flavorsome Szechuan, with Mezcal, blood orange liqueur, shishito pepper syrup, with a salt and umami MSG mixture on the rim. 

The dessert, an 85% dark chocolate Heston Mousse was another stroke of genius, with the star of the show being the homemade olive oil and shishito salt crumble, which could be a topping for any award-winning dish, dessert or no dessert.

With an outstanding two-man show, a stylish urban design filled with comic book-themed art, a soothing lo-fi soundtrack, and an incredible zero-waste concept, we’re looking at one of the most exciting newcomers to the scene. With some refinement and polish, Mess could really “come here to stay.” 

Mess

33 Yom Tov St., Tel Aviv

Hours: Sun-Thu, noon to midnight; Friday, noon until 6 p.m., Saturday, 7 p.m. to midnight.

054-424-6277 

Not kosher.

The writer was a guest of the restaurant.