Many residents of Chester County have had the opportunity to visit the DMV location in the Lincoln Court Shopping Center on Lancaster Avenue in Malvern. Perhaps the best thing that can be said about this Soviet-era requirement is that my trip there led me to discover the small "Dixie Picnic" restaurant in the same plaza.
On the web site, owner and chef Tracey Deschaine notes that "Somehow, food just used to taste so much better. Dixie Picnic celebrates the tradition of food that starts with quality ingredients, made from scratch, and served fresh on the premises. We have searched out artisan food products to enhance and define our menu and our food philosophy. We use local fresh produce and products whenever possible, and if we have to we spend a little more to make your food special, well, we think you’re worth it! Utilizing “back to basic” recipes and techniques may take a little more time and effort, but the results are superior, more flavorful baked goods, breads, box lunches, homecooked dinners, and breakfast too!"
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Recently, we were in the neighborhood at breakfast time and grabbed the opportunity to sample the menu. Dixie Picnic seems to be half bakery and half restaurant, selling "upcakes" which are cupcakes, flipped over and iced on top and the sides.
For breakfast, we ordered coffee, one sticky bun (hot from the oven!) and one Burrito Breakfast, which is applewood smoked bacon, scrambled eggs, colby jack cheese, black beans and tomatoes in a soft tortilla, served with roasted corn salsa.
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The sticky bun was excruciatingly fresh, warm, doughy, and generously loaded with sticky pecans. Probably the second best I have had, second only to the decadent buns at Fritz's in Bucks County (Croydon and Langhorne).The burrito was similarly fresh, richly flavored, and balanced. Sometimes burrito wraps can just be an overload of good ingredients that don't mesh, but this was close to perfect.
The coffee was rich, the service was a delight, and we didn't even try an upcake. But for sure, we will be back. Right now, it would be my top choice for breakfast, or perhaps tied with the Olive Branch on Gay Street in West Chester. This is exactly the kind of place that exemplifies what a dining experience should be - run by someone who knows good food and prepares it with care.
![Dixie Picnic on Urbanspoon]()
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On the web site, owner and chef Tracey Deschaine notes that "Somehow, food just used to taste so much better. Dixie Picnic celebrates the tradition of food that starts with quality ingredients, made from scratch, and served fresh on the premises. We have searched out artisan food products to enhance and define our menu and our food philosophy. We use local fresh produce and products whenever possible, and if we have to we spend a little more to make your food special, well, we think you’re worth it! Utilizing “back to basic” recipes and techniques may take a little more time and effort, but the results are superior, more flavorful baked goods, breads, box lunches, homecooked dinners, and breakfast too!"
Recently, we were in the neighborhood at breakfast time and grabbed the opportunity to sample the menu. Dixie Picnic seems to be half bakery and half restaurant, selling "upcakes" which are cupcakes, flipped over and iced on top and the sides.
 |
| Upcakes |
For breakfast, we ordered coffee, one sticky bun (hot from the oven!) and one Burrito Breakfast, which is applewood smoked bacon, scrambled eggs, colby jack cheese, black beans and tomatoes in a soft tortilla, served with roasted corn salsa.
The sticky bun was excruciatingly fresh, warm, doughy, and generously loaded with sticky pecans. Probably the second best I have had, second only to the decadent buns at Fritz's in Bucks County (Croydon and Langhorne).The burrito was similarly fresh, richly flavored, and balanced. Sometimes burrito wraps can just be an overload of good ingredients that don't mesh, but this was close to perfect.
The coffee was rich, the service was a delight, and we didn't even try an upcake. But for sure, we will be back. Right now, it would be my top choice for breakfast, or perhaps tied with the Olive Branch on Gay Street in West Chester. This is exactly the kind of place that exemplifies what a dining experience should be - run by someone who knows good food and prepares it with care.
