An assortment of Mezzanine dishes including chicken satay and smoked roast pork belly. [Photo provided to Shanghai Star]

The Hawaiian Black Lava Salt served on the side is the icing on the cake, especially for those who might be bored by the original flavor of the meat. The crispy salt, which is scrubbed off volcanic mountain after the splashing sea water evaporates, not only adds a stronger flavor, but also an interestingly crunchy texture to the meat.

The cod fillet is forgettable, despite the flavorful onions on top. Or perhaps the fish was outshone by the truffle mushroom risotto on the side, the best risotto on the Bund, if not in Shanghai. Luckily, the risotto can be ordered by itself, for a lower price and larger portion.

For dessert, the vodka chocolate lava cake tastes as intoxicating as it sounds or looks, in the aquarium-like glass bowl topped with champagne vanilla flavored gelato. Diners can choose which flavor they want from restaurant's large selection of homemade ice cream.

While not much can go wrong with molten centered chocolate and vodka, the flavor of the alcohol is rather subtle, if not insignificant. But the three-milliliter liquor injected into the cake with a needle does help balance the sweetness of the cake, making it inviting enough to clean the plate.

If you go

Museo Address: Room1, 4th Floor, 5 the Bund, 20 Guangdong Road, Huangpu district （外滩五号 上海市黄浦区广东路20号4楼1室）

Tel: 021-6333-0626

200-250 yuan per head for weekday lunch and 400-500 yuan for dinner and weekends, plus 10-percent service charge. The price doesn't include the cost of the use of canvas and paints at its Art Jam.