New Orleans cooking is like jazz. The world is fascinated by the possibilities that can result when good jazz musicians sit together and “make music”. So it is with cooking. When people who care deeply about food use the ingredients and techniques of the entire history of New Orleans cooking, the possibilities are endless. That is the credo of Commander’s Palace, the restaurant the Brennan family has nurtured for many decades and is now known as one of our nations’ best.
Commanders Palace takes its name from the restaurant’s first owner, Emile Commander, who opened the business in the early 1880s and the restaurant has operated continuously under several owners and in 1969 it was purchased by the New Orleans based culinary family, the Brennan’s, whose members have been very active in New Orlean’s civic affairs.
Commanders Palace operates in an old Victorian mansion at the corner of Washington Ave, and Coliseum St. in New Orlean’s fashionable Garden District. Its head Chefs have included Paul Prudhomme, Emeril Lagasse, Jamie Shannon, and now Tory McPhail to name a few who have helped to enhance the fame of New Orleans’ cuisine. Now under the watchful eye of co-proprietors Ti Adelaide Martin and Lally Brennan, the Brennan family’s dedication to perfection has never wavered. Commander’s still creates the leading-edge of Haute Creole cuisine and is considered by many reviewers to be the best restaurant in a city filled with great restaurants.
All across the U.S., Millennials have resurrected the cocktail (although in New Orleans, cocktails never actually left the scene). At the bar, adjacent to Commander’s Palace kitchen, you may watch as the bartenders vigorously shake a Ramos Gin Fizz or you will appreciate their attention to the proper balance of tequila, limoncello, and bitters in their famous Tequila Mockingbird II. Cheers to the cocktail, they are fun and happily back in style.
The Commander’s brunch serves the following cocktails: The Fuzzy Bunny – An elevated mimosa with fresh carrot juice and orange juice topped with sparkling wine. Their Classic Bloody Mary – An award-winning, housemade Bloody Mary mix, spiked tableside with “ice block” vodka. Fresh Sangria Wine – fruit liqueur, spices, berries, local citrus & fresh herbs. The Crescent City Cooler – Guava rum, freshly squeezed lime, bitters and ginger ale, a warm weather refresher you won’t soon forget.
Other drinks patrons love at Commander’s New Orleans’ Brandy Milk Punch, Mint Julip, Plantation Porch Punch, Florida Margarita, Cosmopolitan, and Sazerac.
My Meal at Commanders Palace.
(Jack Atkinson – Editor / ARTS&FOOD)
The only thing that would have made this meal at Commanders Palace better would have been to share it with my wife, whom I begged to come to New Orleans with me, but alas she had conflicts. It was a great meal. If you go to NOLA you must Uber over to Commander’s Palace in the Garden District – truly one of the best restaurants in the USA.
À la Carte Desserts:
Commander’s Bread Pudding Soufflé All the richness of Creole bread pudding whipped up into a light soufflé ~ Finished tableside with warm whiskey cream (Must be ordered 20 minutes in advance & is an additional charge for a complete meal)
Dessert du Jour Seasonal inspirations from the Commander’s Palace pastry shop (Must be ordered 20 minutes in advance)
House-made Ice Cream or Sorbet A daily selection of seasonal fruit sorbet or old fashioned ice cream
Bananas Foster Flambé (For Two) A tableside flambé of bananas with Caribbean rum, brown sugar, banana liqueur & vanilla bean ice cream (Not available as part of a complete meal)
Lally’s Praline Parfait Hand-crafted vanilla ice cream layered in an old fashioned parfait glass with candied pecans and sticky praline syrup ~ Lally Brennan’s favorite dessert
Southern Style Pecan Pie à la Mode Vanilla & sugarcane infused custard pie with roasted New Roads pecans ~Served with house-spun vanilla bean ice cream
Creole Cream Cheese Cheesecake House made Creole cream cheese cheesecake with a honey graham crust chocolate lattice & sticky caramel sauce (additional charge for a complete meal)
Commander’s Crème Brûlée Caramelized sugar crust in every bite on a classic vanilla custard
Creole Shrub Chocolate Bar A European dark chocolate bar with shrub spiked white chocolate ganache, candied orange zest, lightly dusted with spiced Dixie Crystals.
Commanders Palace held a fish tasting then published their results in the cookbook: Commander’s Kitchen.
Fish Tasting Results:
Sharing a Commanders Palace Recipe:
Vine-Ripened Tomatoes and Vidalia Onion Salad.
Often simple is best,
Garden Grown vine-ripened tomatoes and Vidalia sweet onions both have a short season during the summer months.
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup fresh basil leaves, cleaned
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large vine-ripened tomatoes
1 med. bunch watercress or arugula
1 large Vidalia sweet onion, peeled and thinly sliced
—– vegan above —– lacto-vegetarian – when the cheese is added—–
2 ozs. of aged goat cheese or Parmesan
DIRECTIONS:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the balsamic vinegar to a simmer and cook until reduced to 1/3 original volume. It should coat the back of a spoon when ready.
Place the basil and the olive oil in a food processor and purée. After 1 minute scrape the sides of the work bowl down with a rubber spatula and run the machine again. Season the purée with salt and pepper to taste, remove set aside. Slice the tomatoes thick (1 inch). Season the greens, onion and tomatoes with salt and pepper, divide among 4 plates. Grate some cheese over each salad. Drizzle a portion of the vinegar, then the basil oil on each salad.
(Note: sea salt goes best with tomatoes, it penetrates faster and reacts with the acids, making the tomato taste sweeter. Putting the vinegar and the basil oil in their own squeeze bottle makes dressing the salad easier.)
(Source: Visit to the restaurant, information online at Commander’s Palace Website, information from Commander’s Kitchen cookbook, and photos taken by Arts&Food ® Staff.)
