Chef's Table Dinner at Commander's Palace in New Orleans

 

 

The night before we boarded The Rock Boat, since we were in New Orleans, my wife, Sheryl, and I had dinner at Commander's Palace. Since 1880, Commander's Palace has been a New Orleans landmark known for the award-winning quality of its food. The history of this famous restaurant offers a glimpse into New Orleans' antebellum past. A quiet revolution bubbles inside the aqua blue fantasy like Victorian architecture - inventive modern New Orleans cooking coexists with Haute Creole. ^{source: CommandersPalace.com}

My old college roommate, Tim Barrios, and his wife, Marie, joined us. Actually, Tim was the astute one who, 9 months ago, made the reservations at The Chef's Table. The Chef's Table is what it sounds like. You eat at a table inside the kitchen, where the Chef brings each course and describes it. Each course is accompanied by a different wine.

#	PIC	Course	Wine
1a.		Chicharrones (homemade pork rinds)	Malvasia di Casorzo, Naufragar
1b.		Ponchatoula Strawberry Salad with St. -André
2.		Stone Crab Claws and Commander's Turtle Soup	Brut "Commander's Cuvée," Iron Horse
3.		Shrimp & Tasso Pinchos and Truffled Mushroom Gnocchi	Riesling Spatlese "Oberemmler Hutte," von Hovel
4.		Escargot and Crawfish Bordelaise	"I'Alba" (Carignane), Jean-Louis Tribouley
5.		Foie Gras "du Monde"	Moscatel Soleado "Colosia," J.C. Gutierrez
6.		Les Coups des Milieu: "Leap Over" Cocktail
7.		Sliced Veal Loin with Chévre Grits	Pinot Noir, Burn Cottage Vineyard
8.	I did not remember to take a picture until it was too late.	Black Angus Filet Mignon with Yukon Gold Potatoes	Barolo "Big d' Big," Rocche dei Manzone
9.		A Selection of Artisanal Cheeses	Cabernet Sauvignon "Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard," Bacio Divino
10a.		The Dessert Bomb Soufflé - Creole Bread Pudding Soufflé with warm whiskey cream. Frozen - Vanilla bean ice cream with a Bocage honey tuile, whipped Chantilly cream, pecans & praline syrup. Cake - House made Creole cream cheesecake with a honey graham crust, chocolate lattice, and sticky caramel sauce. Pie - Warm pecan pie and vanilla bean ice cream with melted chocolate, candied pecans & Fleur de Sel caramel sauce. Custard - French créme brulée with scorched local sugarcane and a Dixie Crystal fleur de lis. Chocolate - A tasting of imported Swiss dark, white, and milk chocolates with salted chocolate fudge ice cream, roasted pecans & a chocolate fudge brownie.	Black Muscat "Elysium," Quady
10b.	Our waiter's name was Argyle - like the socks.	Flambé - Bananas Foster - a tableside flambé of bananas with Caribbean rum, brown sugar, banana liqueur & vanilla bean ice cream

Food appreciation is alive in the kitchen (lab).