Sorry for the lack of posts lately, I've been a little bit behind. I'll try my best to post at least 3 times a week or more, but never less. I know you're all as excited as I am to read my new posts, so I'll get cracking on that asap!
Anyways, a few Wednesdays ago, my friend invited me to lunch with her and some of her co-workers. It was the same friend who invited me to Yeah! Burger (which happens to be RIGHT across the street from Murphy's). Because of her, I'm getting to try out all of these new places that I would've never tried out on my own. Man, if I lived in the VaHi/Midtown area, I think I would go bankrupt from eating out all the time. So many restaurants, so little time.
Let's get started:
♫Murphy's exterior-beautiful black building with gold undertones. Also, there's a wine shop inside, so that's a huge plus for any wine connoisseurs out there.
♫Chicken, Spinach and Bacon Burger pine nut pesto, swiss ($10) & comes with a side item
♫Seasonal strawberry and vanilla creme brulee ($7)
♫Dessert trio ($8): mini bonzo (fudge brownie, cheesecake, dark chocolate mousse and whipped cream), vanilla bean panna cotta with fruits, and tollhouse pie (dark and white chocolate cookie batter, walnuts, oreo crust, vanilla ice cream)
♫FOOD (5/5): The food was simply impeccable. The burger was absolutely fantastic! It's hard to describe without having tried it out for yourself, but all the flavors are present there and the seasoning used was great! Not bland, not salty, but just the perfect balance of spinach and bacon with every bite. I loved how incredibly light it was, probably since it isn't beef, it didn't sit heavy in your stomach. The only thing I didn't really enjoy about this dish (but won't affect my rating) are the pickles (not a pickles fan whatsoever) and the flavorless mixed salad. Instead of the vinaigrette, I asked for ranch, but the waitress said that they didn't have any? Not too sure what restaurant that serves lunch wouldn't have ranch, but it didn't bother me. I'd definitely choose a different side if I could on my next visit. I ordered the strawberry and vanilla creme brulee while two other people from our party ordered the dessert trio, which is a sampling of Murphy's most popular desserts. The creme brulee was already shouting my name, but my friend was kind enough to share with me as long as I shared my dessert with her. So, my dessert was pretty much your standard creme brulee, but with fresh strawberries on the bottom of the dish. The sugary crust was toasted to perfection, the little side of fresh berries helped cleansed the palate, but the real winner here was the presentation of the dessert with the almond tuille spoon. While it tasted like a fortune cookie but much thinner, it was fun eating the actual dessert with that spoon, just be careful not to break the spoon while getting through that crust! Next, was the dessert trio. Having sampled all three, I was really glad I stuck to my light and airy creme brulee. The bonzo, which is composed of a layer of fudge brownie, cheesecake and dark mousse was fantastic! As soon as I took the first bite though, I felt like a complete sugar rush hit me! It was WAY too sweet, but the mousse layer was my favorite-very rich and decadent. Panna cotta doesn't really taste like much to me, but the diced mangoes were a fabulous touch. Lastly, the tollhouse pie, I'd say would have to be my favorite dessert in this trio. Crunch, crispy and served with vanilla ice cream, what part of that doesn't sound yummy? It wasn't overly sweet like the bonzo, and had just the right amount of chocolate-ly flavor without being too overpowering. All in all, a wonderful meal all around the table.
♫SERVICE (2/5): We came around 2 (lunch served till 5PM-AWESOMENESS!) or so on a Wednesday afternoon. By then, I'd imagine the lunch rush would have died down by then. Since it was a beautiful day outside, my friends and I opted to sit on the patio. It's a pretty spacious patio with over 30+ seating (rough estimate). We decided to sit towards the wall, where there's a large fabric couch, good for groups. As soon as we entered the restaurant though, it took a good 5-10 minutes to be seated because there was no one by the hostess stand and no employees could be found anywhere. But we were apologized too, so all was fine. I don't remember the name of our waitress, but she was pretty friendly. As much as I would have loved to give Murphy's a 5/5 rating on service, our waitress rarely came around to refill our drinks, take away our dishes, or even ask how the meal was. And before we could tell he that we wanted to order dessert, she had already brought us our checks. 2 stars for the fact that she was friendly and willing to fix our checks even though it was her mistake. I hope it's better next time though, because the waiter taking care of the table next to us seemed to do a fantastic job servicing his customers.
♫DECOR (5/5): The decor here is lovely and makes for a great casual lunch or dinner date. The patio is beautiful and the wine shop is a cute little addition to the store. They have over a hundred or so different kinds of wines, so you're bound to find something you love. The inside dining room is large as well, broken up into different rooms. Maybe when it's hotter out, we'll sit inside and see if we like it better. It's a little confusing when you walk into the restaurant though. As soon as you walk in, it's a huge wine bar, then a little bakery/dessert shop to its right. Hopefully there are employees there to guide you around.
Overall, while the service wasn't so great, the food and the environment of Murphy's was definitely a hit with me! Very affordable lunch with large portions, it's all about saving and using money wisely. If I'm ever in the area again, I'll definitely come by and try it out again. And rain or shine, I'd highly recommend sitting on the patio area, it's fun people watching.
Thanks for stopping by,
-Sandy
FTC: I was not paid or compensated for this review, all reviews and opinions expressed are my own.
If you'd like to invite Bella Vivere to cover & share your restaurant's media events, tastings or parties, feel free to shoot me an email at bellavivere@gmail.com-Thanks!
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