Renowned Chef Brings New Restaurant Concept To The Table In Bucks

NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP, PA — Renowned Delaware Valley Chef Joe Brown opened his newest restaurant on Wednesday at the former Sycamore Grill in Newtown.

Mélange on Sycamore “is bringing together the soulful warmth of Southern Louisiana cooking and the bold sophistication of Italian cuisine” at 255 North Sycamore Street.

Mélange on Sycamore is Brown’s latest restaurant concept, having built a reputation for his culinary expertise over the past 48 years at multiple restaurants in South New Jersey.

“We’re excited to be here. Although the wait was long, the return will be well worth it,” promises Brown, who’s excited to start cooking after an extensive renovation project and approvals process. “We’re here for the community. We’re ready to open up, show people what we do, and welcome everybody.”

After a soft opening Tuesday night for invited guests, Chef Brown is now inviting the public to step inside and experience a place “where every dish tells a story, every guest is family, and every moment is filled with flavor.”

The interior of the new 100-seat restaurant is done in a striking black-and-white motif, with jazzy, Louisiana-inspired murals adding a note of sophistication and movement to the dining experience.

The front dining area at Melange on Sycamore showing off the black and white motif. (Jeff Werner/Patch)

The new 20-seat bar. (Jeff Werner/Patch)

A Sycamore tree etched in glass speaks to the name and the location of the new restaurant and provides a view between the main dining room area and the restaurant’s brand new 20 seat bar.

Much of the interior work was done by Newtown Borough resident Bernie Sauer and his construction company, BCS Builders.

“People can expect a jazzy, upscale, casual, classy, white tablecloth atmosphere,” said Brown. “The food is a reflection of a mixture of Louisiana and Italian. A lot of people hear Louisiana and think spicy. We call it aggressively seasoned. It’s Cajun creole, northern and southern Italian, with fresh pastas and fresh fish. Everything is prepared to order. You can expect great service. Great food. And great cocktails.”

House specialties include a crabmeat cheesecake, made with Creole cream cheese, folded with jumbo lump crabmeat and seasonings, and baked in a pecan crust, smothered with onions, mushrooms, and a light cream sauce. It’s served as an entree for lunch and an appetizer for dinner.

“We also have two different versions of fried oysters, one with a horseradish Dijon mustard reduction sauce and then, of course, oysters on a half-shell,” said Brown.

An assortment of dishes at Melange on Sycamore. The crabmeat cheesecake is front and center. (Courtesy of Melange)

An assortment of specialty cocktails on the menu at Melange.

Louisiana and Italian-inspired dishes.

The menu also features Brown’s twist on red beans and rice. He makes it using a sautéed breast of chicken simmered with Andouille sausage, bacon, peaches to cool down the spice, green peppers, onions, chipotle, Cajun seasoning and garlic served with mini-cheese biscuits and sour cream.

“It’s a great dish. Very homey,” said Brown. “It makes people feel like they are at home. And my food speaks like that. It makes you feel like someone took time to think about the flavors that match up well with the wine and the spirits at the bar.”

Other entrees include duck gumbo, seafood jambalaya, shrimp and grits, filet mignon, roast rack of lamb, grilled barramundi, and pan-seared scallops with corn maque choux.

The word Mélange means mixture and is a reflection of Brown’s upbringing in Willingboro, New Jersey, his mother’s Southern cooking, and visits to New Orleans where he experienced that city’s famous Creole cooking.

As a boy and young man growing up in New Jersey, he was exposed to a mixture of cultures and was surrounded by all types of food experiences.

“In my neighborhood, you could go around one corner and have matzah ball soup, go around another corner and have spaghetti and meatballs and go down the street and have fried chicken and collard greens. That’s how I was raised - a mixed culture of everybody just enjoying a good time.”

Melange on Sycamore Street in Newtown.

Outside seating will be available in front and in back of the restaurant on Sycamore Street. (Jeff Werner/Patch)

That’s what he’s bringing to Mélange on Sycamore.

“I have a love for food,” said Brown. “And I love to see the smiles on people’s faces when they are enjoying a great meal that’s prepared with love.”

Chef Brown has owned and operated multiple restaurants, appeared on national television, authored cookbooks, and mentored the next generation of chefs over his nearly 50 years in the culinary business.

He is also the author of two books - “Joe Brown’s Mélange Cafe Cookbook” and “Mélange - The Story, The Recipes, The Faith.”

This week, Mélange on Sycamore will only be open for dinner service.

Regular hours will begin next week when the restaurant will be open Tuesday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Melange is closed on Monday.

For information and to make reservations, call 215-968-6326. Reservations may also be made through OpenTable.