As expected in a trendy neighborhood like Ari, Muse Garden dishes up a muddle of cuisines (a bit of pasta, bit of Japanese, bit of Isaan) in a cute setting. With vintage floor tiles, wooden furniture, colorful pillows, and eclectic tablecloths, it does at least feel cozy. But no amount of ambience can quite make up for the oddball fusion food. Just from the names, it is clear dishes here are balancing acts that would challenge even a seasoned chef—let alone a random gang of cooks. The result is that exciting-sounding recipes like laab moo tonkatsu (spicy salad with breaded pork cutlet, B130) aren’t that exciting once they arrive at your table. In this particular case, the pork cutlet is crispy but that’s achieved by drying out the interior as well. Or how about some mayonnaise and wasabi dressing on that grilled seabass (B220)? Why not, if the fish weren’t overcooked and the flavors surprisingly bland despite the Japanese condiment. On closer inspection, the menu isn’t even all that revolutionary. Salmon and wasabi make regular appearances to promise pizazz—but never deliver. The salmon chae numpla wasabi (salmon sashimi with spicy wasabi sauce B180) is spicy, but not enough to mask its less-than-fresh quality. Nor is the khao naa salmon pad prik kee noo suan (rice with stir-fried salmon with chili and garlic, B120) anywhere near the sum of its parts: it just ends up tasting salty. Before you write Muse Garden off, consider the B80 Thai set lunch, and think of it as a neighborhood S&P, a potential life-saver for families in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, it isn’t much more.
Open daily Sun-Fri 11am-2pm and 5pm-10pm. Corkage (spirits) B150 and (wine) B200. BB