Located right next to the beautiful Theatre de Celestins is this restaurant that I find even more beautiful--for its food, people and atmosphere--than the unmissable theater beside it.
They have a large selection of wines, showcased all across a large wall which you can leisurely peruse. Their food is primarily a selection of Corsican and Italian charcuterie, cheeses and pâté en croûte. I tried most of these.
The Corsican charcuterie I tried, a saucisson figatelle, prisuttu and, I believe, coppa, were exceptional. The prisuttu possesses a really wonderful blend of firm and soft meat and is richly flavorful. The figatelle might be my favorite, being the richest and heartiest. Its inside is densely soft and the skin just slightly chewy.
Their pâté en croûte, which looks particularly good in Yelp photos, is particularly good. I have a strong preference for foie gras in pâté en croûte, which is totally absent from theirs, however, this is one of the best pâté en croûte without foie gras I've had. There is an apricot inside for a hint of sweetness for the center bite. And the crust is fairly substantial.
My favorite is their smoked salmon, the best smoked salmon I've ever had. It is luxuriously, almost impossibly, tender, really creamy and perfectly seasoned. I had a tough time deciding whether eat it plain or with the tarama I happened to have. It's a wonderful dilemma. I believe this is a must try.
Besides the beauty of the food, you'll notice the beauty of the place as you nestle in to the varied seating options, looking more like a living space, or walk around perusing their offerings (they offer takeout). It is a thoughtfully designed space, looking and feeling naturally cozy and authentically warm, which is made ever believably so by the staff. The owner, Romain (as I don't speak French, I hope I spelled your name right!), and Marie (shamefully I forgot to ask for your name, but the receipt says you're Marie) embody the warmth of the place. They were so welcoming and sweet, I found myself almost as fond as them as I am of their smoked salmon. As much as I love food, there is something that is even more dear to me: kindness. It can be something grand and sustained or something brief and seemingly trivial, like our interactions with shop staff. Maybe I'm too sensitive and make too much of trivial things, but Romain and Marie made this a highlight of my stay in Lyon. I walk out of their shop always in better spirits.
When I return to Lyon some day, Muraato will be a place I return to regularly, for the food, and for the people.
(Romain, enjoy your upcoming vacation in Chicago! Marie, thank you for the bag; I travel throughout most of the year, so I'll be a walking advertisement, happily, for Muraato wherever I go.) read more
