Crescent Jewell – Riverside

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A few years ago, I was introduced to the Cajun / Creole wonder known as gumbo.  Unfortunately, I didn’t know of any restaurants around here that served it. I have now found a few places, one of which is Crescent Jewell, a Cajun / Creole restaurant in downtown Riverside.

Crescent Jewell serves a darker gumbo made with andouille sausage, chicken and shrimp. The gumbo is rich and flavorful, but compared to the sausage-filled picture of gumbo on the restaurant’s website, mine was a little light on the protein both times I ordered it. It tastes good, though.

My wife tried the Pasta Jambalaya, which is made with andouille sausage, chicken, shrimp, penne pasta and a Creole tomato sauce.  This stuff is good. Unlike the gumbo, there was quite a bit of shrimp, chicken and sausage.  Order some garlic bread along with the jambalaya and you’ve got a great meal.

Our family has tried other items including Fried Shrimp, Red Beans and Rice with andouille sausage, and Shrimp Creole.  Crescent Jewell also makes Beignets that are served warm with powdered sugar.  There are many other dishes on the menu that we haven’t tried yet.

Crescent Jewell is definitely worth a try, especially if you like Cajun / Creole food.  Although I haven’t been here at night during the lounge hours, Crescent Jewell has a full bar and holds many special events including comedy nights and live music.  Check with the restaurant to keep up with the hours and event schedule.