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The Main Course: Melodia Grill

 By: Mitch Davis, The Trend

4/20/2009

As a further sign that even the once very rural parts of Montgomery County are becoming gentrified, now comes a fairly sophisticated B.Y.O.B. called Melodia Grill to the Souderton area.

It has already attracted a following and word-of-mouth favorable buzz. I recently received e-mails from two readers and from a fellow congregant, urging me to go there.

The owners are a young Chinese-American couple, Tim and Sequan Lan. Tim, who serves as head chef, graduated culinary schools in Kwangjo, South China and London. Together they beautifully refurbished a 100-year-old house, which took a good year before their June 2008 opening.

The 72-seat, Asian-inspired dining room, white, clothed tables (plastic over linen), red linen napkins and sparkling glass stemware catch the eye.

My L.D.C. (Lovely Dining Companion) and I went for an early dinner on a bright, clear Sunday. The home’s former sunporch, set with six tables for two, was bright with sunlight streaming in the many windows, and was too inviting to pass up.

The ambiance was peaceful and true to the name Melodia. The music of Beethoven and Vivaldi played from the main dining room. Our friendly server explained that most of the ingredients are local and organic, including steaks, veggies and tea.

The chef makes three soups, which are changed daily. We shared the crab and lobster bisque, a large bowl of rich, creamy soup well laden with small chunks of seafood that only needed a touch of salt and pepper to enliven.

We shared the four appetizers combination ($13 for two) that allowed us to sample the excellent signature handmade spring rolls filled with succulent shrimp, scallop and crab, served with Thai dipping sauce; the island coconut jumbo shrimp crusted with shredded, toasted coconut and served with an overly sweet pina colada dip; Rhythm Rondure Chicken, delicious batter-dipped chicken tenders coated with Thai chili sauce; and the Minuet Money Bags, little, (too small really) crispy pouches of shrimp and veggies with duck sauce.

Each element was attractively presented on small, white, square porcelain dishes that filled the center of the table.

If ordered separately (in perhaps larger sizes), it would cost over $30, making the combo for two a good bargain.

While these starters were all Asian, most of the pasta dishes and main entrées are decidedly not, with two exceptions.

Who could resist a dish named, “Steak Asian Noodle Crescendo($19)?” Its four petite black angus filets were tender and tasty, and the Asian noodles tossed in an apple-ginger-red-wine sauce were very good. The other Asian entrée is Melodia’s General Tso’s Chicken ($18).

Our other entrée was Viennese Empress Tilapia ($21), two filets pan seared in buerre blanc (white wine and butter sauce) overly heaped with panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) obscuring the crabmeat topping, and drying up the buerre blanc, so I asked for more on the side.

The tilapia filets were especially delicious as was the brightly colored mix of lightly sautéed vegetables.

Unexpectedly, the dinner menu also features baby back ribs in four different styles and sauces.

The extensive lunch menu offers a variety of salads, sandwiches, wraps and platters that cost $6 to $15. Everything is made to order, so dietary restrictions can be accommodated.

Overall Rating: mmm 3/4 (out of 5 m’s) for a culinary oasis in the far suburbs. To contact Mitch Davis, e-mail him at: MdavisMainCourse@aol.com

 

Souderton's Melodia Grill - A Symphony in Unpretentious Fine Dining

By: Frank D. Quattrone - Ticket

10/07/2008

Melodia Grill, the exciting new restaurant that opened on Souderton's Broad Street less than six months ago, has put a fresh spin on the term "harmonious dining."

With three chefs adroitly blending three discretely different world cuisines, a knowledgeable, outgoing wait staff and a décor that features warm, inviting earth tones, gorgeous silken florals and a soft classical music backdrop, Melodia Grill offers a distinctive, memorable dining experience you won't soon find elsewhere - certainly not in the northern reaches of Montgomery County.

Offering contemporary American and Asian cuisine with a welcome dollop of Italian, Melodia Grill was inspired by the lovely, enterprising Sequan Lan, who believes that great food and fine music make an unbeatable combination.

"Music has such an impact on people," she said, during our recent visit, "especially classical, and especially Mozart. Music stimulates fine emotions, enhances the appetite and makes you happy. Dining should never be stressful. It should help you."

So her plan was to create a pleasant dining environment accentuating all that is healthy and upbeat for her guests' enjoyment. Echoing Sequan's sentiments, General Manager Steven Grotewold, who has worked in various restaurants in Doylestown and State College, said, "Organic harmony is our theme.
"Our colors [apricot, rust and gold] are warm, appetizing and happy," he continued. "Everything is made fresh here. We use 100 percent organic fruits and vegetables; all our beef, poultry and pork are 100 percent natural; we use no transfat oil; all items are made and rolled to order. We even use Seattle's Best, an organic and Fair Trade coffee, and use bread made by Bakers on Broad right here in Souderton."

Even the artwork reflects Sequan's passion for music. The lovely red prints on the wall representing each of the "Four Seasons" as envisioned by Baroque Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi, were painted by Sequan's sister, Flurry Berry.

"But most importantly," said Sequan, "my husband and I wanted to pay attention to people's dietary needs. So some items on the menu are wheat- and gluten-free, and some prefer vegan items, so we are flexible as we can be to satisfy our customers."

Sequan's husband, Tim Lan, is the restaurant's co-owner and its very capable Asian executive chef. Trained in fashion design and architecture as well as the culinary arts (which he studied in his native China), Tim is also extremely skilled in the building trades. He has successfully transformed Melodia Grill's 100-year-old building into a warm and sophisticated showplace that offers affordable fine dining without pretension.

Tim's family has owned restaurants in China, in England and in the U.S., so he is no stranger to the business.

To help him and Sequan realize their concept, he brought in two more chefs - Stephen Keesler, who has studied the culinary arts in Italy and worked extensively in fine-dining restaurants with acclaimed chefs such as Rae's Daniel Stern, concentrates on the Italian touches, while Jennifer Amato, whose resume includes several country clubs and downtown restaurants, is the "American contemporary" and catering chef.

In addition to preparing the Asian dishes, Tim Lan is also the pastry chef. But as you might expect from consummate professionals such as these, each chef is capable of handling all of the restaurant's culinary needs and can spell each other as the needs arise.

Keesler says, " Most of what I do is simple, but if I can't do it by hand, I don't want to do it." So you can expect freshly made pastas at Melodia Grill, something you rarely experience even in Italian restaurants!

G.M. Grotewold says, "Our chefs are extremely dedicated and passionate, and they all love to work from scratch."

Amato, whose family hails from Sicily, says, "I love complicated dishes that don't seem possible. But I love the challenge. And I love working with Tim and Steve. But we don't our dishes to be so extremely different that they wouldn't be accessible to the local community. We just want to bring them great and memorable food at a reasonable price."

A superb example would be the Symphonie Fantastique Appetizer Sampler ( 5.99). Named after Berlioz's master work, this filling starter, exquisitely plated by Chef Amato, includes what the menu calls a "fantastic arrangement" of Musical Island Coconut Shrimp (crispy jumbo shrimp skewers coated in a golden, shredded coconut crust, served with Piña Colada dipping sauce ( 0.99 by itself); Minuet Money Bags (miniature pouches of shrimp and vegetables, wrapped in crispy wontons and tied with fresh Asian greens, accompanied with sweet duck sauce ($8.99 by itself); Vegetable Tempura, spears of tender organic veggies coated with tempura breading, fried golden brown and served with a trio of sweet, savory dipping sauces, ($9.99); and Rhythm Rondure Chicken, tender, batter-dipped chicken breast pieces, tossed in spicy Thai chili sauce ($8.99).

At Melodia Grill, even the salads are curtain-raisers, like the Melodia Garden Cascade ($9.99), an artful array of organic baby greens, embellished with fresh Roma tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, white strips of enoki mushrooms and micro greens, topped with house-made "cusabi" dressing (a blend of cucumbers, ranch dressing and a touch of wasabi), flowing down a crispy cornucopia tortilla; and Mediterranean Pesto Chicken ( 5.99), marinated chicken breast, basted with Chef Keesler's fresh, house-made pesto, served on a bed of balsamic spinach, complemented with roasted red peppers, Kalamata olives and toasted pine nuts, served with mozzarella intertwined with charred Roma bruschetta.

A specialty of the house is American Barbecue Baby Back Ribs (half rack, 6.99; full rack, 5.99), each served with a distinctly different BBQ sauce, such as "Carolina Golden" (a combination of mustard, molasses and cayenne), "Caribbean Dry Rub" (marinated in house jerky seasoning, accented with hints of rum, cloves and Scotch Bonnet peppers), and "Florida Citrus Ginger" (a light, fresh citrus sauce, complemented by ginger zest with a hint of honey and brown sugar).
Gourmet pastas range from the vegetarian Butternut Squash Gnocchi ( 7.99), made with roasted pumpkin, toasted pine nuts, fried sage and brown butter) and Steak Asian Noodle Crescendo (0.99), petite country premium gold certified Black Angus beef, served on top of sesame cold noodles tossed in apple ginger sauce with a hint of red wine, to Seafood Pasta Medley (7.99), black and white orzo pasta with fresh crab meat, sea scallops and jumbo shrimp, tossed in a lemon garlic sauce and flamed with white wine, finished with a petite lobster tail and complemented with charred Roma bruschetta.

Other intriguing entrees include wheat- and gluten-free Meso American Apple Chicken ( 9.99), pan-seared chicken breast with charred sweet corn and tomatoes with hints of apple essence, served with sautéed beans and a vegetable quinoa; Sonatina Scallops with Pine Nuts in Oyster Sauce (3.99); Wild Mushroom Risotto ( 8.99), finished with Parmesan cheese and white truffle oil; and the spectacular Capriccioso Crab Terrine (5.99), layers of crab, roasted fennel, artichokes, carrots, colored peppers, Roma tomatoes and jasmine rice, topped with micro greens and decorated with infused oils.

Hard not to notice the musical notes infusing the menu. Look for them also decorating the perimeter of some of your desserts, which include Raspberry White Chocolate Cheese Brûlée ($5.95), Caramel Apple Granny ($5.50), the signature Choc'late Lovin' Spoon Cake ($5.95, a giant mouthful of chocolate pudding between two layers of dark, moist chocolate-drenched chocolate cake), and specials like Semifreddo with Chocolate Covered Strawberries and, because his guests announced they were lactose-intolerant, Chef Keesler's exquisite "premiere" rendition of Sugar-Poached Apple and Red Wine Poached Pear "Rosa."
To stimulate the appetite, Melodia Grill presents each table with complimentary Asian Sesame Cold Noodles, or marinated lo mein noodles served with pickled Asian vegetables, with a mild undercurrent of sweet jalapenos; and "to aid in digestion," says Grotewold, "we offer everyone Asian organic tea at the end of every meal."

Melodia Grill also makes available a wide array of Tazo premium hot teas (presented in a handsome wooden box), as well as Tazo premium freshly brewed ice teas, Ghirardelli premium hot cocoa and specialty coffees, either at your table or in the restaurant's charming coffee shop.

The restaurant, which favors the produce of local farms and purveyors, also offers weekly lunch and dinner specials (including an Asian Traditional Lunch - like Shrimp & Scallop Kabobs, 3.99) in a menu that changes seasonally, and will cater on or off the premises.

Sequan Lan said that she and her husband chose the main street of Souderton as their location because of the proximity of so many banks and insurance companies, indicating a strong and stable community that they wished to serve well with their wonderful menu and décor.

Plus, there is plenty of free parking around the back, as well as at nearby Souderton Area High School and at the shopping center across the street.

They welcome their guests' suggestions and critiques of what they do, offering anyone who fills out a comment card a complimentary Chocolate Avalanche Sundae with his or her next dinner purchase.
 
Melodia Grill is a refreshingly different international restaurant in the heartland of the county that presents an altogether harmonious dining experience. Don't miss it!

©Montgomery Newspapers 2009
 

 

Melodia brings music, fine dining to Souderton

By: Dan Sokil, The Reporter

5/17/2008

Near the busy intersection of Broad Street and County Line Road is one of Souderton's best-kept secrets.

And the owners want their secret out in the open.

"We basically wanted to create a fine dining experience, but one where people feel comfortable, not only with the atmosphere but with the service and food, too,"  said Sequan Lan, co-owner with husband Tim Lan of the new Melodia Grill.

Their restaurant, which officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 30, offers a variety of Asian and American foods, provided by Tim Lan and Chef William Durphy.

"We've always enjoyed food, both having good food and cooking for our big family," said Tim Lan, who attended culinary schools in China and England.

His baking skills are evident in the fresh breakfast muffins, pastries and cookies available at Melodia's coffee bar, where you can pick one up with a cup of Seattle's Best right inside the main entrance.

And according to Durphy, Tim Lan is an expert with the wok, too.

"Tim can take a traditional Asian meal and put his own individual flair to it, that's what makes this place so special," Durphy said.

He takes his flair and presents things his way. "I've been in the business for 33 years, and I've never had the opportunity to work with a wok before, so it'll be fun for me, I'm looking forward to it," he said.

And Sequan Lan, with help from her sister who is an interior designer, has been paying special attention to the restaurant's atmosphere, making sure that good music helps to complement the food.

In fact, artwork depicting the names and excerpts from Vivaldi's Four Seasons concertos decorate the main dining room.

We play mostly classical music, mainly Mozart and Vivaldi, because they composed with 16 beats per measure, which is a tempo that makes people feel very relaxed while they listen to it, Sequan Lan said.

Feedback from customers has been overwhelmingly positive so far, said Sequan Lan, as customers enjoy the quality dining and atmosphere but are always surprised by the prices.

"People are always telling me that our quality is way up here," said Sequan Lan, raising one hand to eye level and another lower, "but our prices are down here, and so far, mostly by word of mouth, we have been doing very well."

Melodia's menu which uses 0 percent transfat oil and 100 percent fresh vegetables, features everything from pizza, wraps and salads, to Dunphy's Angus Beef burgers and ribs, to Tim's specialties of Seafood Concerto, crab cakes and General Tsao's Chicken.

"We have all sorts of different foods: ribs, Asian foods, Spanish, Italian, things that people can afford and an atmosphere they can't resist," said Sequan Lan.

For now, the Lans are planning a grand opening ceremony sometime in the next month, and the couple is working to incorporate feedback from comment cards into their services.

"We're always looking for suggestions, like if things are too spicy or not spicy enough, too sweet or not, because it's all about what they want, not what I want," Sequan Lan said.

And the local staff are enjoying the multicultural Melodia experience, too.

"I'm an artist with a platter, and this is an amazing opportunity. We do a wonderful fusion of old and new foods, East and West, Asian and American foods here," said sous chef Jenny James.

"And it's a nice place to have a cup of coffee and a couple of cookies too," Tim Lan said.

 

664 East Broad Street, Souderton PA 18964    (215) 721-4000