New Orleans, Day 4 - Part 2

Ahh, Commander's Palace. I happened to catch a few episodes of Top Chef New York right after I found out about going to New Orleans, and just knew that I had to get reservations for this place. Joel thankfully felt the same and made reservations for us.

Shortly after we arrived and ordered, the table next to us got their dessert. Guessing from the menu, I think it was the Café Brûlot, which is flamed and prepared tableside. They first rinsed the glasses with brandy and let it burn off, which is what first caught our attention. Then, the waiter poured a quarter glass of brandy, lit the entire thing on fire, and basically poured from one glass to another, creating this flaming waterfall of sorts. For more flare (pun definitely intended), the waiter also intentionally spilled some on the tablecloth and on his hand, to show that it was a cold burn. Not quite sure what thedessert ended up being, but I'm glad we got to benefit from the show.

As for our meal, Joel and I forgot to take a picture of the menu, so I'm piecing together from memory, and some of the sample menus I found online.

Soup 1-1-1 - demi serving of:
Turtle Soup Au Sherry (A Commander's classic spiked with sherry)
Gumbo Du Jour (Rich stock slow cooked with fresh regional products)
Soup du Jour (Varied cooking techniques combined with fresh seasonal ingredients)

Of the soups, my personal favorite was the gumbo, which was dark, but very rich in flavor, although the other two were a very close second. The turtle soup was a little saltyfor my taste, but the turtle meat itself was shredded into small pieces and was actually very tender (the sherry sauce was also a nice touch). The soup du jour was a "local soup" and was like the gumbo, but not as thick or dark and a little clearer.

Foie Gras "Du Monde" - Foie gras beignets with foie gras café au lait, candied pecans, and chicory coffee “mist”

The foie gras beignets were absolutely delicious, and I can't stop thinking about them. The lightness of the beignets complemented the richness of the foie perfectly, and the foie infused chicory cafe au lait was a nice finish. I'm not sure why I was so surprised by how good this dish was, considering each item is already good individually.

Veal Chop Tchoupitoulas - Roasted and served with goat cheese-thyme stone ground grits and brandied wild mushroom demi-glace

Sliced Rack of Colorado Lamb - Hickory grilled and Creole mustard crusted Char-grilled mushrooms, bacon fat mashed potatos, Louisiana Muscadines and smoky lamb jus röti

I got my lamb cooked medium rare, and I'm convinced this is the perfect temperature for lamb. The meat was very juicy and flavorful, didn't have too much fat, and the base of bacon mashed potatoes was as tasty as it sounds. I don't remember much about Joel's veal dish because I was so in love with my lamb, but I do remember it being good.

Creole Bread Pudding Soufflé - The richness of bread pudding whipped into a light fluffy soufflé ~ served with velvety bourbon whiskey sauce

To finish things off, the bread pudding soufflé - light, fluffy, and creamy, with just a hint of whiskey. I can't think of a better way to end a meal.

Some reviews I found said that Commander's Palace was a tourist trap, but considering the meal we had, I'd gladly be trapped in the restaurant. The staff, like most of New Orleans, is incredibly nice and friendly, and for those of you interested in service, Joel and I were each served at the same time. The meal definitely lived up to the hype, and we were so full that Joel and I walked the entire two miles back to the hotel just to help digest. Full as we were, I wouldn't change a single thing about the evening.