Muriel’s Jackson Square Restaurant, 801 Chartres Street
Gourmet Dining on Jackson Square

Muriel’s, a well known restaurant, is probably the easiest place in New Orleans to find .Everyone, no matter where they are headed, eventually passes through Jackson Square to watch the locals perform. It is a lively and interesting place to view local art, consult a fortune teller or watch various entertainers. Muriels is right on the corner and it is a great place to stop for either lunch or dinner.

Muriels first opened its doors in 2001 after an extensive renovation of the original home owned by Julien Poydras. The interior of the restaurant is reminiscent of what had once been an elegant private home in the heart of the French Quarter.

We chose Muriels for dinner on our second night in New Orleans. It was within walking distance of our hotel, the historic Soniat House, and we had heard excellent things about the restaurant from people we had met throughout the day. Our activity for the day had been visiting plantations near the city, so we were ready to relax and be pampered.

The food was classic and contemporary Creole cuisine and featured many seafood entrees which incorporated the local seafood. I could not resist the turtle soup which consisted of a generous portion of farm raised turtle meat in a lovely broth.

The “star” of the meal, for me, was the goat cheese filled crepes topped with fresh Louisiana crawfish in a butter sauce of onion, chardonnay, tomatoes and bell pepper. I do not believe that I have ever had a better appetizer. I was very happy with my choice, although I had been tempted by the pecan encrusted alligator.

Entrees were varied and included meat, seafood, chicken and several vegetarian dishes.
I was intrigued by one item, simply labeled, “puppy drums” and asked our attentive waiter what they might be. He explained that puppy drums were a local whitefish prepared with an assortment of fresh, local ingredients. This sounded good to me and it was. Since we were determined to try as much of the seafood as possible and were drinking an excellent white wine, David had to choose between the Seafood Au Gratin and the Salmon. The Salmon won-out and it was delicious.

Our entrees were fairly light, but we added a few calories with the bread pudding with candied pecans. I am going to try this traditional dessert at home, but I am sure I will not be able to duplicate this excellent, sweet concoction.

Like many New Orleans restaurants and even homes, Muriel’s has a resident ghost or two or three. The Séance Lounge on the second floor was named because the prominent ghost, Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan, resides there most of the time. He occasionally walks through the Séance although no-one has seen defined legs or arms. His image has often been caught on film. A ghost is thought to be a spirit that has not yet “crossed-over.
Mr. Jourdan, who once owned the home wagered it and lost in a poker game. Unable to reconcile his loss he committed suicide the Séance Lounge. He now walks his beloved home forever. Several of the wait-staff assured us that they had seen him and he is friendly. There is another ghost in the Courtyard bar which is friendly but mischievous and likes to throw glasses against the brick wall. No one has seen this apparition and perhaps it is also Mr. Jourdan “letting off steam”.

We did not see any of the ghosts or witness their odd behavior, but we do recommend this historic New Orleans restaurant for its excellent food and great service. And do try the goat cheese crepes, they were outstanding.


Contact Information: Tel: 504-568-1885 or www.muriels.com