At Muse, The Old Mediterranean Meets the Old South
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Cuisine Style: Mediterranean
Average Price: $$$
Overall Rating: 4/5
Article updated: February 15, 2020
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
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Muse Restaurant Executive Chef:
Chef Joaquin Bustos
Proprietor:
Beth Anne Crane
The Muse Restaurant and Wine Bar are located in a historic Charleston house in the Ansonborough neighborhood, filled with sophistication and elegance at every turn serving an array of Mediterranean foods and other culinary delights from Italy, France, Spain, and Greece. They have large wine selection with 100 selections by the glass that are available. when visiting to see my daughter and find a place to eat, I decided on Muse, not by the menu, location, or price point, but when doing research I discovered that earlier in that year they had raised $4,500 in a Multiple Sclerosis Fundraiser, which you normally don’t see too often from restaurants. My mother suffered from that horrible disease for many years before passing away, and that fundraiser sold me to book a reservation with them.
Muse Restaurant Menu:
- Salads and Starters
- Mediterranian Entrees
- Sides
- Desserts
I had just returned from Jordan on a holiday enjoying some amazing Levant cuisine with Mediterranean blends, so dining at Muse with there mainly Mediterranean menu fit the theme of what I had already been eating for most of the previous week. If you are an avid traveler, then add Jordan to your list. From the Roman structures in Amman, the Dead Sea, and Christian Holy Sights, to Petra, you will be in for a treat.
You will contemplate, reflect, and you will Muse. Muse to the delight of Mediterranean Cuisine, in the heart of the south. You are surrounded by the influences of the Lowcountry, shrimp and grits, Gullah cuisine, steakhouses, and traditional southern soul foods, then you have Muse. There is an abundance of wonderful places to eat, and Muse can be added to that list. The inside is decorated in a classical almost colonial style, very pleasant to view as you enjoy the wine from their vast selection or a cordial from the bar. The Dining room is on two floors, with an outdoor patio, and a vibrant bar scene even for 5:30 in the evening, where I noticed that it nearly fool, possibly for a happy hour special. The menu has a variety of selections inspired from Napoli and Greek traditional plates, with a feel of warm Tuscan hospitality, while not forgetting a Tapas Spanish influence and a little southern French, especially with the vegetable selections.
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| Muse Restaurant / 2nd Floor - Picture courtesy of Muse |
Wanting to enjoy our meal in several courses, we broke up the starter list and had three separate courses starting with the grilled calamari tossed in olive oil, lemon juice, espelette pepper, and a basil garnie. Calamari is a dish you can find just about anywhere, but it was something my daughter enjoyed, and honestly having the espelette flavor was a nice semi-spicer change that I enjoyed. Espelette pepper is cultivated in the French commune of Espelette, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, traditionally by the Basque people, with similar heat profiles to paprika, with a robust peppery taste especially when roasting or pan searing.
For the second course, staying in the starter section we shared the Merguez Sausage, which is traditionally a North African dish, grilled and stuffed with either mutton or beef; in this case, it was the lamb, then sliced and served over a pool of Greek tzatziki which went perfectly to mellow out the spice from the harrisa (harīsa, from Maghrebi Arabic) with some flat Bread.
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| Muse Restaurant / Merguez sausage with tzatziki |
The third course was a Meze tapas selection of Spanish olives, hummus, cucumber, feta, pepperoncini and baba ghanoush (pureed Aborigine), which was similar to a meze dish I had a few days earlier at the Bourj Al Hamam Restaurant in Amman. Next, I tried the Soup du jour which for our meal, Chef Howard LaFour had prepared a very light Tomato and Basil Soup. For the entrée, my daughter had the tagliatelle bolognese which had a combination of pork, veal, and beef ragù that had a wonderful explosion of flavors, and all tossed together with a house-made ribbon pasta and topped with parmesan cheese.
I decided to go the opposite direction and have the red snapper dish. On the menu it was wahoo; however that was going out of season so they switch it out to this welcomed delight, grilled, then finished in a broiler and served over a saffron aioli, and a roasted vegetable hash. The latest menu modification has the snapper pan-roasted and served with a tarragon garlic citrus sauce, creamed leeks and resting on a bed of fingerling potatoes.
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| Muse Restaurant / Red snapper |
By the time we were finished, we could not find room for dessert, but the menu looked great especially the ricotta cheesecake or the dark chocolate torte with a strawberry rhubarb sauce, but I settled for some French Press Coffee instead. To show the diversity of people that have heard about Muse by word of mouth referral, seated near us was a couple who lived in Columbia, South Carolina but had worked throughout Africa and the Middle East and were on their way to Savannah the following day. Another group of two older ladies who had been traveling, and it was their first visit to the city. The service staff at Muse is very professional and well dressed. They are well educated with the menu and open to a variety of selections to offer the customer. As we left the Proprietor, Beth Anne Crane thanked us and asked us questions about the service and the meal, so it was a professional ending to wonderful adventure through the Mediterranean.
Dessert:
We did not have dessert on this visit.
Butcheck out some of these wonderful selections from Wine Dine and Play:
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other Noteworthy Mediterranean Cuisine Articles and Restaurants similar to Muse Restaurant:
Mediterranean cuisine represents the foods and methods of preparation by people of the Mediterranean Basin region, primarily to the Southern European countries of Portuguese, Spanish, Provençal French, Italian, Sicilian, Greek, Cretan, and can include elements of North African and The Fertile Crescent. These areas include Moroccan, Algerian, Tunisian, Israeli, Turkish-Ottoman, and Syrian cuisines.
Castile Restaurant Med-Latin and tapas café with 360 views at the Hotel Zamora, in St. Pete Beach, Florida
Chill Restaurant and Bar New American cuisine, tapas, and exotic cocktails in St. Pete Beach, Florida
Ecco Restaurant Seasonally inspired European fare at the Atlanta Hartsfield Airport, Atlanta, Georgia
Iberian Rooster Colonial Portuguese fusion with tapas restaurant in St Petersburg, Florida
O’Bistro A casual style bistro focusing on the Mediterranean and New American Cuisine with a small eclectic flair in St Petersburg, Florida
Rioja Creatively presented high-energy Mediterranean fare in Denver, Colorado
Table 9 Stylish modern Spanish and global cuisine at the Hilton Dubai Creek in Deira Dubai, UAE
The Garlic An old-world approach to Italian with Mediterranean classics in New Smyrna Beach, Florida
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Bistro w/Southern & Lowcountry cuisine
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High-end elegant steakhouse with sustainable seafood
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A refined upscale take on traditional southern cooking
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Final notes, review basics, and observations:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Scores are detailed in the chart below
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings for Muse Restaurant
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
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10
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9.5
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0.5
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Food quality
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7.5
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6.5
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1
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Plate presentation
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8.5
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7.5
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1
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Customer service
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8.5
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6
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2.5
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Alcohol and other beverages
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10
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8.5
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1.5
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Total regular points awarded
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44.5
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38
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6.5
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Total percentage Before Bonus
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0.853932584269663
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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1
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0.0224719101123595
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Total percentage with the bonus for the final star rating
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0.876404494382022
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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4
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
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4 of 5 Stars:
88% Rating with a 1 point “wow” bonus
An Outstanding Dining Experience
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Corkage fees:
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This Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge $25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant-style:
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Conservative dining
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Cuisine Style:
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Mediterranean
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Local, Organic, Pescatarian, Sustainable, Vegan Options, Vegetarian
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Reservations:
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Not Required, But Recommended
Walk-Ins:
Accepted
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Dress code:
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Smart casual to Conservative attire
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Experiences:
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A place for foodies, Contemporary, Trendy, Romantic, Great bar, Great outdoor dining, Good for special occasions, Beautiful décor, Classy, Upscale, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Muse Restaurant has a private lot or street meter parking
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Low
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Smoking:
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Muse Restaurant is a non-smoking restaurant with a non-smoking patio
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Patio or terrace:
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Yes
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricy)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
|
Price
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$$$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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££
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$$$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€€€
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Muse Restaurant and Wine Bar:
82 Society Street
Charleston, South Carolina
29401
Charleston, South Carolina
29401
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1 843 577-1102
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Online reservations
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Email Contact:
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
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Dinner: Mon-Sun
5:00 pm - 2:00 am
Happy Hour: Sun-Thur
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
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Social Media
And
Accolades for
Muse Restaurant: | |
****
The world's best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
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Classy American Fare
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Other Muse Restaurant Pictures:
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| Muse Restaurant / dessert |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
