Bucks County original Earl’s Prime (a long-running steakhouse that closed last year) has returned anew with the recent opening of Earl’s New American, 2400 Street Road in Peddler’s Village. Led by chef Bill Murphy, this new incarnation of Earl’s blends the rustic charm of the area’s farmhouses with a more polished contemporary look and menu.
Earl’s starters have an elegantly classic feel while working in some lovely turns on familiar dishes. The she-crab bisque ($7) was creamy and light with some pleasantly assertive hints of sherry. The lobster dumplings ($11) were plump and had a nice crunch in the filling thanks to the carrot slaw that complimented the lobster. The crab cakes ($11) let the crabmeat shine without an overabundance of fillers and distractions. The fluke crudo ($11) was assertively bold, making us wonder who really needs the wedge of lemon that accompanies the dish; it has more than enough of a citrus punch without it. The chopped salad ($10) was complex and showed off the bountiful produce of the area with almonds, blue cheese and seasonal vegetables that gave off layers of complimentary flavors.
Oh, and if you happen to saddle up to the bar at Earl’s, the pear tree cocktail is a brisk take on the martini, with a nice balance of orange liqueur and lemon juice.
The entrees at Earl’s really turn on the charm, giving diners the kind of thoughtfully composed dishes one would expect in a such a setting: familiar and refined classics. It’s easy to see why the diver scallops ($28) are one of the house favorites. The scallops are seared to perfection and rest on a bed of local wild mushroom risotto topped with crispy shiitake mushrooms. It’s a pretty flawless dish. The Griggstown Farms fried chicken ($24) had great technique. The chicken itself was super crisp outside and juicy inside. The fingerling potato salad did a nice job backing up the dish, but the maple black pepper sauce was the real star. The glaze of it on the bottom plate seemed like a cruel tease, as we could have done with a whole bowl of the syrupy flavor in which to engulf every available succulent sliver of chicken.
Welcome back, Earl. We like your new look.