Brandywine Valley Restaurants. Wilmington, DE Restaurants, Chadds Ford Restaurants, Kennett Square Restaurants, West Chester, PA Restaurants

On the Restaurant Scene

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MUSE

We heard about MUSE, a farm-to-table BYOB bistro in Oxford, after getting an email asking to list them on our restaurant by cuisine directory. Technically, Oxford is pushing the edge of the Brandywine Valley envelope, but we subscribe and practice the maxim that people will go the extra mile for a good restaurant. Location is important to any business, but people will seek out good food wherever and whenever it is being served. That said, the question we asked was “Is the drive to Oxford worth it?”

So, we set out on the 26 minute trek, according to Google Maps, to find out. It had been years since we had been in Oxford, a town named after Oxford, UK, which does not resmemble its namesake in any way we could see. The town is not exactly quaint, but it has its charms. The air is clean and 25 cents will buy you an hours worth of metered parking on the street. (Parking is free after 6PM).

Finding MUSE was not a problem. Take PA10 exit off Rt. 1, turn right and drive into the center of Oxford. Turn left at Market Street and if you failed to straighten your wheels you would run right into the restaurant.

MUSE, is smallish with tables for about 50… the atmosphere is urban mod and the staff is welcoming and attentive. Our wine was uncorked and glasses provided and we selected from a well crafted Early Spring menu. We ordered a small Beet Salad (Red beets, golden beets, mixed greens, black spanish radish, watermelon radish, goat cheese, honey roasted walnuts, blood orange vinaigrette) to share, Pan Seared Sea Scallops (Sea scallops, wilted arugula, citrus vinaigrette, roasted fennel oil) as our appetizers and for entrées… Lobster Ravioli (Fresh lobster meat, ricotta cheese, fresh herbs, chipotle crab sauce, parmesan cheese) and Filet Mignon( 8oz. filet grilled, portabella mushrooms, sour cream-chive mashed yukon potatoes). The salad was fabulous; well prepared and presented and fresh. The ingredients were masterfully combined and the flavors literally exploded. We were glad we ordered the small portion. It was more than enough for the two of us. The scallops were perfectly cooked, fresh and flavorful as were our entrees.

Our dinner service included an Amuse Bouche and a serving of lemon sourbet to cleanse our palettes between appetizer and entrée. For desserts we had a flavored creme broulee and locally sourced vanilla ice cream with coffee.

Was the drive worth it? Absolutely. Michael Hall, half of the husband and wife (Shannon) team behind MUSE told us they are drawing from Jennersville, Lincoln University and from Kennett Square and Chadds Ford on the weekends as word HAS spread since opening in October 2011. We think as more and more people “discover” MUSE, Chadds Ford will seem closer and closer to Oxford.

MUSE is open Weds through Saturday for lunch and dinner. Reservations are recommended on weekends – 610.998.1308 – and can be made through Open Table. 5/17/2012

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