Part 3 of 3.
In the Swedish tradition of “Fika” where the hustle and bustle of daily routine is paused for the enjoyment of warm cake and coffee, we too had our “Fika” moment on the top floor of Zén, where we were ushered to after finishing our meal on level two.
Once my friend Tim and I were settled into a sofa in the chic, stylish space—honestly, this floor looked like something straight out of the pages of Wallpaper magazine—Beverage Manager Aaron pushed over an overachiever of a tea trolley to serve Tim the final drink in his non-alcoholic pairing. Head Chef Tristin then appeared, bearing a piping hot Pineapple Tarte Tartine. Its dizzyingly fragrant aroma had me thinking instantly of our local pineapple tarts. Taste-wise, despite a crispy and flaky base, I felt it wasn’t far from them either. Zén’s version did come lavished with a black miso glaze which gave it a sexy look and a savoury edge.
What took us by complete surprise though was how after we had eaten only half of it, a brand new Pineapple Tarte Tartine was brought out as a replacement. But even in my gobsmacked state, I was only too eager to dig in for seconds. Because when it’s eaten fresh from the oven, the scrumptiousness was at its peak.