Muse Kitchen settling in nicely at Lorn

Just over the Belmore Bridge, near Maitland, the community feel and village vibe of Lorn finally has the dining experience it deserves. Muse Kitchen: Lorn. Owned and operated by the same award-winning team from Muse Kitchen: Hunter Valley; consisting of restaurateur Megan Rhoades-Brown, with head chef Joshua Gregory, Muse Kitchen: Lorn is the type of café/restaurant/brasserie this village has been waiting for. “We opened this restaurant to be very much a place for the neighbourhood,” Rhoades-Brown says. “It’s different to our restaurant in the Hunter Valley, because, there, you’re catering mostly to tourists, whereas here, in Lorn, it’s much more of a community feel, where everyone knows everyone.” The Muse Kitchen: Lorn aesthetic really fits within the village green vibe of the suburb it’s situated in. The black and white, and soft grey tones allow for the fresh food colours to really stand out, while complementing the decorative detail of the dining room; Elegant French provincial; of Chateau de Chambres wall clocks, porcelain horse heads, clay jugs, fresh flowers and dried floral wreaths. Fine and refined. “The initial idea was to offer something that was unique and local to this area, and a little different to what we do out in the Valley, while maintaining the same level of standard and professionalism that Muse Kitchen is known for,” Gregory says. Open for coffee, breakfast and lunch five days a week, serving an all-day menu, with a special dinner service on Saturday nights, Muse Kitchen: Lorn has been embraced by the neighbourhood and surrounding suburbs, thanks to the classic French bistro-inspired menu written by Gregory. The breakfast menu features plenty of familiar favourites, presented with a rustic French twist. There’s plenty of eggs; benedict, royale, poached and fried, as an accompaniment to smashed peas and avocado, or mixed in amongst an omelette of forest mushroom, served with crème fraiche and pepper sauce. The croque monsieur drips with gooey gruyere cheese and a Dijon béchamel. The savoury mince soaked in sherry is one of the heartier meals on the menu, and comes highly recommended. So too, the bisque and spanner crab, from Fraser Island. The coffee is roasted by Newcastle’s own Darks coffee roasters. “I like the idea of being able to come in for a coffee during the week, sit outside and have breakfast, then come back on Saturday night for dinner and get the same level of quality, no matter what time of day,” Gregory says. Lunch dishes include lighter offerings of quiche Lorraine, Hiramasa kingfish, roast cauliflower, harissa and fried chickpeas, for a tasty vegetarian option. Bigger mains include, succulent slipper lobster, classic confit duck, and crumbed steak with country gravy. “The menu, both here in Lorn, and in the Hunter Valley, is the same offering we’ve always strived for. Hyper-seasonal, hyper-local, trying to find the best ingredients we can get our hands on, so that you don’t have to do too much in the kitchen to let the flavours shine,” Gregory says. By day or by night, the food is refined yet approachable and accompanied by a comprehensive drinks offering, including a mouth-watering wine list, curated by restaurant manager, Ralf Gulikers. From the fun of Dirt Candy to the class of Lake’s Folly, plus Henschke, Vasse Felix, Louis Roederer, and more, you’re unlikely to still be thirsty having dined at Muse Kitchen: Lorn. Be it tea or coffee, plates or glasses, dine-in or takeaway, everything is served by a relaxed yet attentive team who are dedicated to upholding Rhoades-Brown’s renowned high standard of hospitality. “I want people to feel like they’re being taken care of, that’s very important to me,” Rhoades-Brown says. “If you’re being looked after, you can relax and concentrate on enjoying the moment, the food, and the company you’re with.” IN THE NEWS: Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: