Musi Byob

Perhaps it was the $5 brussels sprouts perfection we had at @doubleknot_phl just 2 hours prior, but I was a little underwhelmed by this meal that included a $16 brussels sprouts dish (with half the amount of brussels sprouts, drowned in an overly rich nutty cream sauce)... until dessert came along. The desserts were the stars of the meal for me; both were classics made better with the addition of some unusual ingredients. The carrot cake was fluffy and moist, with smoked (with verbena?) cream cheese frosting sandwiched between the two layers; and the nutty hazelnuts and sour-sweet kumquats added layers of dimensionality. The pavlova had beautiful saffron undertones, layered with nuttiness from the pistachio, tart from the blueberries and a brightness from the mint. If @cadencerestaurant was all about the acid, Musi is all about nuts. Every dish had an abundance of earthy flavors from the nuts (I love it). The scallop crudo was also one of the best crudos I've ever had, with its diverse mix of uplifting citruses. My only complaint was that the portions were small for the price; I didn't feel fed. I get it that it's gourmet ingredients, and we're paying for sustainable farming, labor intensive cooking techniques, etc. but I'm not quite sure the balance was quite met in a few of the dishes. That said, I loved that the chef made an effort to come out of the kitchen to chat (at length!) with all the guests. I would love to see this restaurant succeed. 1. Carrot cake, brown butter glaze, hazelnuts, and kumquats 2. Scallop crudo, multiple citruses, 2019 Harvest Enzo Olio Nuovo (with Pemba Cloves from Zanibar Islands, Tanzania, and toasted Wild Icelandic Kelp from Burlap & Barrel) 3. Seared brussel sprouts, fish sauce caramel, pistachio butter 4. Castelfranco radicchio, Cantabrian boquerones, walnuts & cheese (pulled pomelo & smoked pimenton. Copious amounts of 4-year old pecorino) 5. Maitakes & oyster mushroom, dead man's fingers seaweed, seaweed butter (finished with a nasturtium and daikon mignonette. Curly cress.) 6. Kashmiri saffron pavlova & preserved summer fruit (furthermore: pistachios, olio nuovo, & citrus)

Remarkably chill and visible kitchen, great service, pretty darn exciting food - but really it's the attitude of the chef and his insistence on a relationship to the ingredients that makes Musi such a special addition to Philly. It helps that the 7ish course dinner is simultaneously "homey", masterfully flavored and inspried. My taste buds left happy, and each person seemed incredibly content. Thanks for making my partner's birthday a success.

The menu was exciting. We ordered 4 different plates and each surprised us with just how perfect they were. You can truly tell they prepare each item with care and love. The food is just incredible. I cant wait to go back again, and this time with a good bottle of wine.

Fight for this reservation and reserve again! Musi enamels its locally sourced food with subtle explosions of Mediterranean notes--lemon, fennel, poppy--and high end cooking techniques. Overall, an amazing umami feast, and extremely sustainable to boot.

Excellent food and staff that makes you feel at home. Their Monday "Eat Like a Chef" dinner is creative and delicious. They're knowledgeable about the sources of their food and regularly have collaborations with other chefs and breweries in the city. Highly recommended.