Muse

Since Muse went from being a bar to a restaurant that serves a bar-worthy menu of drinks, it has been more successful. And now that chef Anderson Ho of ex-Le Papillon has come on board it should do even better. His elegant cooking complements the graceful setting and the classy, colonial museum ambiance. Our visit was certainly very enjoyable. The service was pleasant, and the food was delicious. Our lunch set ($28 for two courses; $32 for three) comprised starters of prawn salad with tomato jelly and citrus dressing; and a potato and leek soup; followed by very good mains of beef and mushroom risotto, and pan fried sea bass; and a lovely hazelnut parfait for dessert. We had to have the drinks for which this establishment is famous, and our mocktails of lychee and mint ($9) and bananas and berries ($8) were tasty enough, but could have gone easier on the ice. As with all museum restaurants, location is a bit of a challenge—walk-through museum traffic is low, and if you’re not coming to visit the museum why would you come?—but we hope people will make the effort to come because it is worth it.