Meso Modern Mediterranean — Restaurant in San Jose

I am writing this review to disclose my awful experience with Meso. This is a direct copy of a message that I emailed to Meso in regards to my experience dining with them. Personally identifying details have been removed.

My partner and I scheduled a reservation at Meso two weeks in advance for a birthday dinner. We arrived early and were seated. We chose to order falafel bites, a wagyu beef shish kebab, and a single lamb shank tagine and a za’atar crusted halibut. We also ordered two drinks: a fresa margarita and a pineapple frizz.

My partner has a severe allergy to nuts and dairy, and this was disclosed to our waiter, who then repeatedly assured us that he would make sure the kitchen staff handling our meal would know. Our first two small dishes arrived, and we consumed them with no issue. Our drinks also arrived shortly after, and we drank them with no issue. Upon receiving the single lamb shank tagine and the za’atar crusted halibut, my partner and I shared our meals, as per our waiter's recommendation for meals to be shared in a family style way. My partner immediately began feeling the effects of an allergic reaction. Her face began to swell and hives began to grow inside her mouth and throat, and she began to feel nauseous. We stopped eating immediately and set our plates to the side almost completely untouched aside from the 1 or 2 spoonfuls we shared with each other.

We then called our waiter over and informed him that we had an allergic reaction. His first response was to assure us that there was no allergen in our food and that he would check in with the kitchen staff. After about five minutes, he came back and told us again that there was no allergen in the food, and that he would call the manager over. The manager came to our table and did not disclose his name to us. At this time, the manager told us that the kitchen was very conscious about allergies and that there was no allergen in our food. Regardless of whatever practice that Meso chooses to employ, the fact remains that my partner had an allergic reaction to the food that we were served. We did not handle any previous silverware used in our small plates, and only used the new silverware that arrived in accompaniment with our respective meals. To my disappointment, the manager was less than empathetic and argued with my partner and I that there was no allergen in our food and refused to address my partner’s growing discomfort.

To my partner and I, it felt as if the manager was more intent on covering his bases rather than making sure my partner was okay. While we spoke to the manager, my partner had an extremely audible rattle in her throat as she attempted to speak through the hives, yet the manager only kept on repeating that there were no allergens in the food that we were served. There was no attempt on the manager’s part to offer any sort of help alleviate her symptoms; no water, and no questions asking if they could do anything to help my partner as her symptoms got worse and worse. In an effort to leave quickly, I asked for the bill.

The manager returned with the bill, and I was extremely disappointed to see that he had charged us full price for the two large plates we purchased, despite us only eating 1 or 2 bites of the meal. I told the manager that this was not okay, and that I was not willing to pay full price for a meal that my partner and I were unable to eat. He then returned and offered us 50% off the entire bill, which I also refused. I informed him again that I was not going to pay for a meal that I did not eat, and he finally returned and gave us a bill that had removed the charge for both the large plates, but he had rescinded the initial 50% off that had initially been applied. Upon seeing that he was more interested in charging us for as much money as possible rather than addressing how awful our dining experience was, I paid the bill and left.

My partner spent the rest of the night nauseous and struggling to breathe through her allergic reaction and all the manager wanted to do was pad his bottom line. Do...

It was a Saturday night, and we had made reservations earlier in the week for a party of 8. Our group was seated at the stunnning long table adjacent to the bar. The brass hanging perforated lamps, and the furniture are very fitting for the restaurant. The menu is tantalizing, and the waitress commented that everything was intended to be shared across the table. Suffice to say, it is a beautiful restaurant. However, the food is a far stretch from where it should be.

1. Smoked eggplant: while good, I would have expected to have more eggplant pureed in the dip. The pita is phenomenal - densely spongy and delightfully warm. However, it is a bit odd that they only give you a single pita bread for the entire bowl of baba ganoush.
2. Hummus and crispy lamb: the crispy lamb bits on top really brings the hummus from a ho-hum average to sligthly better than average. Again, it was accompanied by a lone pita bread.
3. Crispy brussel sprouts: the edges are crisp and slightly burnt, making it a table favorite. However there was no charred scallion with feta, as was indicated on the menu. In the end, it really isn't any different from the brussel sprouts I've made at home.
4. Charred halloumi: I confess I am a huge fan of halloumi, so I did enjoy this dish. It has a well balanced char and tartness from the preserved lemons.
5. Harissa seared octopus: The octopus legs are masterfully cooked, but I would have chosen slightly larger legs to improve the ratio between the slightly crusty exterior and the delicately softened interior. The confit potatoes, kale, and herbed labneh were lackluster and too heavy to be paired with the ocopus.
6. Sauteed prawns: In my opinion, it was in poor choice to use such a heavily flavored sauce for the prawns. I could tell from the texture the prawns were well cooked, but all I could really taste is the sauce, and none of the natural sweetness from the prawns.
7. Meso's roasted chicken: The chicken was a disappointment. It was surprisingly a bit dry and very ordinary. I would have recommended that they apply the rub underneath the skin of the chicken rather than on the exterior.
8. Baharat crusted New York: While the steak was indeed medium rare per our request, it lacks a beefy richness. I would definitely not recommend it.
9. Double Lamk Shank Tagine: While the lamb is wonderfully gelatinous and tender, I would have expected a bolder flavor considering how dark the exterior of the lamb is. The couscous is done well and blends well with what I assume is the drippings from the lamb, but again it is very ordinary.
10. Pear & Medjool dates: The pear and medjool dates are packaged into spanakopita-like triangles, and soaked in honey. While I could not taste the pear, the phyllo is razor thin and delicately crisp. I would recommend this over the rose water mousse
11. Rose water mousse: Had the mousse tasted of rose water, I would have enjoyed this tremendously. It is still a delicious chocolate mousse on top of a crisp paine de gene, generously coated in a chocolate shell, and quite good.

While I did not personally order any of the drinks, a few friends had commented that the mixed drinks were quite sweet. A friend had even asked the waitress to take it back and to replace it with another, which was equally eye wateringly sugary. Our bill reflected both the drinks, and we had to notify the waitress of the error.

When the bill arrived, there was a curious entry labeled "surcharge."I asked the waitress what it was, to which she responded with a "I dont know. Let me ask my manager." She returned saying the surcharge was related to a new living wages mandate in california. I am 100% in support of living wages for those working in the restaurant industry, but it would have been better if management had clearly informed patrons and educate their waitstaff about the nature of this surchage. Other establishments have this information clearly written.

The ambience of Meso is inviting, comfortable, and an excellent venue for small to large groups. However, we were ultimately disappointed...

Extremely Disappointing Experience - chef NEEDS to be changed!

We were genuinely excited to try Meso, as we’re huge fans of Mediterranean cuisine, and the fact that it’s halal was an added bonus. Based on the ambiance and the menu, our expectations were high. Unfortunately, what followed was the worst dining experience we've had during our month-long trip to the Bay Area. We ordered several dishes to get a good sampling of the menu, including: Lamb Shank Tagine, Wagyu Shish Kabab, Beef and Lamb Meatballs, Spiced Lamb Flatbread, Feta Brined Chicken and Zaatar Crusted Halibut To our absolute shock, every single dish was completely devoid of seasoning. I repeat: not one dish had a proper amount of salt-or any flavor at all. It honestly felt like the kitchen forgot the concept of seasoning altogether. It's one thing if one dish is under-seasoned, but for every item on the table to taste bland and flat? That points to serious issues in the kitchen. The meatballs were the worst offenders-dry, oddly sour (bordering on spoiled), and almost inedible. I’ve had better meatballs made by my 4-year-old at home. The feta-brined chicken was just as bad-dry, lifeless, and completely flavorless. If it was brined in feta, we couldn’t taste it at all. The shish kababs were overcooked and rubbery, resembling unseasoned skewers. Even the lamb shank, while tender, was again lacking in any seasoning or depth. We resorted to asking for extra salt and pepper just to make the food remotely edible-but even that couldn’t save it. The halibut was equally unimpressive. The only redeeming dish was the spiced lamb flatbread, which we started with. It gave us hope that the meal would be great, but sadly, it was the peak of the experience;everything went downhill from there. What added to our disappointment was the service. Despite having a reservation, no one greeted us at the entrance. The hostess continued her conversation with other staff until we had to interrupt and ask to be seated. Even though we arrived on time, we were still made to wait 10 minutes. During the meal, the server never once asked how the food was, not even when we barely touched our dishes and asked for takeout boxes. In any reputable “fine dining” establishment, it’s basic courtesy to check in with guests, especially when food is left untouched. I was ready to provide honest feedback, but no one cared enough to ask. I felt genuinely upset for spending a considerable amount of money on food that was not just underwhelming-but unacceptable. Unless there is a serious overhaul in the kitchen-starting with a new chef-I don’t see how this place can continue to operate. Every single dish we had was a disaster, and from what we observed, other diners were also struggling to finish their food and opting to take it home. I’ve written many reviews before, but never one like this. That’s how bad this experience was. This was hands down one of the worst dining experience I’ve...