Muriel's location is almost too good. It's on Jackson Square, the center of New Orleans since its earliest days, a few feet from St. Louis Cathedral. With second-flood balconies overlooking the park and the river, there is no better place for an immersion in the New Orleans spirit. Indeed, at least one spirit haunts the hallways and staircases of Muriel's antique building. A little voodoo here, a little bawdiness there, and distinctive Creole and Cajun cooking filling the atmosphere with its flavors and aromas. The place almost seems touristy, but it has a large local following that keeps the flavors right and the prices attractive. The emphasis is on seafood, prepared with virtually zero use of the deep-fryer.
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Soft-shell crab in season (warmer months).[/caption]
In an environment so distinctly Old New Orleans that it could be used as a movie set, Muriel's rings all the Creole bells. But its kitchen turns out food that more resembles the work of a jazzy gourmet bistro with a native clientele, not the touristy fare you'd expect from an historic location like this. Even the prices seemed tuned to the local trade.
The New Orleans Muriel's is the third and only surviving member of a small chain of mostly West Coast restaurants opened by a dot-com zillionaire. He brought in as partner Rick Gratia, an alumnus of the Brennan family restaurants and his own family's West End seafood house. Muriel's opened just before 9/11, but despite that struggle and the one after Katrina, Muriel's was a hit from the beginning. Its building went up in the early 1800s, later to become famous as a pasta factory during the years when the French Quarter was really more Italian. For 25 years it was an outlet of the Chart House chain.
Muriel's feels like an ancient restaurant. In fact, it's a relative newcomer. Even lifetime Orleanians find the place authentic, particularly the upstairs rooms, illuminated almost entirely by real candles in the chandeliers. To get up there, you pass a table set with a meal and wine for the building's resident ghost (ask), then climb stairs to the accompaniment of monastic music. A balcony wrapping around the restaurant upstairs adds further to a near-perfect old New Orleans environment.
Muriel's runs many seasonal special menus celebrating the arrival of such things as blue crabs, crawfish, and Creole tomatoes. Even when none of that is on, the three-course table d'hote menu is always seasonal and a great value at $40. They also hold frequent wine dinners. Sunday brunch is one of the better ones. The house-label wine is unexpectedly excellent.
| Attitude | 1 |
|---|---|
| Environment | 2 |
| Hipness | 1 |
| Local Color | 3 |
| Service | 1 |
| Value | 2 |
| Wine | 2 |
