restaurant like Commander's Palace does not
so much "get over" the loss of a beloved friend
_ nd great talent like late Chef Jamie Shannon
as much as you just keep going. Stunned since his
death last Thanksgiving weekend, we just put one
foot in front of the other and kept going.
The strength of character and depth of talent of the
team that Jamie left behind is just one of the many
testaments to Jamie's bigger-than-life abilities. Jamie
CLOCKWISE
FROM LEFT:
SHRIMP
REMOULADE
"MODERNE,"
SHRIMP COGNAC
AND ANDOUILLE
GRITS,AND
OYSTERS IN
CHAMPAGNE
GELEE
Shannon's philosophies are
woven throughout the very
fabric of Commander's every
day life. For us, he is
an eternal inspiration and a
driving force behind the "never
rest on your laurels" ambitions
of Commander's Palace.
So - we're gonna do what we
do. We're gonna mine the
depths and explore the
frontiers of Creole cooking.
We're gonna work to perfect
our service until each guest
stepping into our world is
enveloped in our brand of
restaurant magic. That is
what we do.
So in our quest to
push Commander's
farther and farther
we installed a
new head of our
culinary team -
Chef Tory McPhail.
Tory is from and of us.
COMMANDER'S PALACE STOCK UP
IN WALL STREET JOURNAL
hen a Wall Street Journal
reporter calls you and
, says she's doing a story
on top restaurants responding to
customer requests for "off the
menu" creations - and she says
she was in your restaurant last
week - ANONYMOUSLY - you stop
breathing, ever so briefty.
And when she follows up with,
"Commander's Palace was one of only two
restaurants that got our top
rating - it was great." You
breathe again - deeply.
Alone in my office
talking to WSJ reporter "'---•• -~J'
Pooja Bhatia, I was so
proud of our team. "They are so damn
good," I thought to myself But the bigger
surprise truly would have been if they
hadn't come through. We have such
confidence in this group's unabashed
desire to "create great dining memories."
That's what we say we do for a living and
they get it. No one can be there every
Hired by Jamie in 1993
straight out of culinary
school, Tory worked every
position in the kitchen before
moving to Palace Cafe.
Growing up in Ferndale, WA with a
strong work ethic and a love of
food, it is no surprise that at age 17
Tory told his high school counselor
Bent both on making his
mentor Jamie proud and
finding a way to cast his own
shadow in the bright lights of
Commander's Kitchen, Tory
is pushing and easing back
and pushing again in a gallant
effort to mark the perfect
balance between the revered
and the boldly new. He's
wmrung.
• ••••• 111 that he already knew he wanted to
be a chef. Upon graduation, school
It is simply a pleasure to
watch. The kid's got it. And he
gets "it."
The philosophy hasn't changed.
It's all about the art of never
ending improvement. Why let
someone else raise the bar?
We want to always be the one
raising it.
Tory is working shoulder to
shoulder with his team in the
kitchen and plunging the
whole group further into
the history and depths of
New Orleans cooking; while
keeping an eye for innovation
from around the world or
down the bayou.
Two new dishes on our menu
epitomize this philosophy:
Oysters in Champagne GeJee
- you could call it bold and
innovative, but its roots run
deep in Southern cooking.
The gelee is a light elegant
form of champagne aspic in
quivering bits, embracing sea
tasting oysters with just a
whiff of fennd and a dab of
tomato concasse. Served in a
martini glass, it is a sexy dish.
The flavor of the oyster is not
oveq~owered by hot sauce.
The depth of flavor and the
pure taste harmonies going on
are seductive. Oyster lovers - do
not miss this one.
Shrimp Cognac and AnJoui/Je
Cracked Corn Grits - These
are not your mother's grits.
These grits come from Anson
Mills and they are literally not
ground until we order them
and then shipped to us by the
next day. This dish may do for
grits what Puck did for pizza.
These from the same young
man who couldn't be happier
to serve you long time
favorite Veal Chop
Tcho up ito u las or Creole
Mustard Crusted Rack of
Lamb. He's taken Pecan
Crusted Fish to ethereal new
heights with crushed corn
cream sauce. I saw a lady
writing it down one night so
she could remember to order
it again.
If he keeps this up they'll be
writing more than reminders.
As always, we have a guiding
creative mission in mind If you
were blindfolded and taken
from New Orleans or
anywhere in the country and
then plopped down to a
Washington and Coliseum Streets,
in the Garden District
New Orleans, IA 70130
504.899.8221
counselors recommended he go to
New York City or New Orleans.
Since New Orleans has Mardi Gras,
the Big Eaw won hands down.
Tory was 'mmediately hired by
Executive Chef Jamie Shannon of
Commander's Palace. A quick
study, Tory moved through all the
stations in the kitchen. In 1995,
Tory became Sous Chef at Palace
Cafe, which was then a part of the
Commander's Palace Restaurant
Group.
Two years later, Tory decided to
broaden his culinary knowledge
with stints in Palm Beach, FL and
London.
Tory returned from Europe to help
open Commander's Palace in Las
Vegas. With Tory as Chef De
Cuisine, CPLV gamered widespread
acclaim. Due to the tragic illness
of Tory's friend and mentor Jamie
Shannon, Tory was asked to come
home and help run the kitchen
with the New Orleans team.
"We're glad to have him here
to continue the evolution of
Creole cuisine ... he's no stranger
to Commander's kitchen," says
co-owner Lally Brennan.
meal, still blindfolded, at
Commander's Palace you'd
know - "Ah - I'm in New
Orleans."
This is not California, Chicago,
or Miami. This is the heart of
New Orleans. This is the
country's greatest regional
cuisine and . the kitchen
at 1403 ~ Washington Ave.
celebrates that cuisine daily.
UP IN WALL STREET JOURNAL
single shift, at every single table, so unless you
can transfer that philosophy of genuine
hospitality you're doomed. But - I just see it
day in and day out. They get it. They're
serious pros but with real warmth and slightly
naughty senses of humor. They love what they
do. So - why the breathless moment?
Because we're human and the test of each
restaurant having only one chance is tough.
On any given shift someone could be "off
their game." Of course it can happen, but
that's what we preach and rail against. And it
happens rarely with this crew. But this bar was
set very high and they cruised over it like it
was a speed bump.
I later learned from Pooja that Manager Bruce
Edwards and Captain Sam Cusack sensed
some serious foodies in their midst and
alerted the team with great communication
and our in-house lingo - "Let's blow their
minds." That's our idea of fun.
John Paddon "the wine guy" stopped by and
did his thing - his rakish charm and boyish
enthusiasm for wine make him our very own
grape nut. Chef de Cuisine, Ethan Powell,
shared with Pooja his latest invention, Redfish
Haute Creole. She agreed with me that this is
truly one of the greatest fish dishes she's ever
had. Ethan was wondering what would
happen if you packed fish in salt for 2 - 3
hours to slightly dehydrate it, then coated it
in fresh herbs, then poached it in a super
citrusy butter sauce? (That's what he sits
around wondering on his days off.) Well- I'm
here to tell you - good things happened.
We've all gone gaga for the dish.
Next, Lally stopped by having heard about the
serious foodies in the house. Well the grace and
warmth that comes with that encounter will
always brighten your day.
Pooja shared all this with me on the phone as
I sat in my little office just beaming like a
fool. I could just picture her "anonymous"
evening at Commander's Palace. I knew
exactly what she experienced. Our hat is off to
Bruce, Sam, John, Ethan and Gaby. But I
know this - it could have been so many of
them. Real pros - stepping up to the plate -
again and again. This fool is beaming again!
"The results:
We ate like kings
at Commander'S
Palace in
New Orleans ... "
- Pooja Bhatia and Shirley Leung
The Wall Street Journal
Couture Cuisine
We asked chefs at restaurants around the country to whip up something special, telling them we wanted an appetizer and
entree that weren't listed on the menu. Here's what happened, with zero to three "bullets" based on creativity, service and
taste of the dishes.
Commander's
Palace, New Orleans
~ ••• ~ Victorian
1 1 opulence
l Meyer lemon- : ",:
~ poached redfish l ($36)
l "'~ One of our best, and tastiest. Also came with free
~ ~ champagne, caviar, oysters - and a couple of l l chef visits.
and Look Who Else is Talking About Commander
As seen in
Cooking
Light March
2003
Brunch
Paragons
Commander's
Palace, a luxe Uptown showplace, is famous for
sherry-laced turtle soup, eggs Sardou, and bread
pudding souffle. It's justly revered as the regal
standard bearer of New Orleans jazz brunches.
As seen in Razor
March 2003
Edge Dining
by Hayley Gudat
This critically
acclaimed culinary
landmark is situated
in an aqua-colored
Victorian mansion
across from the
historic Lafayette
Cemetery # 1 in the
fashionable Garden
District. In its 122-year
span, Commander's
Palace has gone through
many hands of
ownership, but has
always maintained its
heritage of Southern
hospitality and devilish
joie de vivre, making it a
favorite for generations.
McPhail's new menu,
which is changed weekly,
puts a fresh spin on Creole classics such as spicy turtle
soup and Creole cream cheese cheesecake, and add
new dishes like shrimp, cognac, and andouille grits.
Other staples on the menu are the Jack Daniels glazed
Mississippi quail and pecan-crusted Gulf fish. Chef
McPhail insists on using fresh seafood, straight from
the dock and never frozen. He sources local farmers
and says that about 90 percent of his ingredients come
from within 100 miles of the restaurant's back door.
In a city known for its food, Commander's Palace has
been a famous favorite since opening its doors over a
century ago. Ir has won the Zagat Survey's Most
Popular Restaurant award for 15 years straight and has
a clientele so faithful and a staff so dedicated that this
honor will most likely be theirs for years to come.
Commander's Palace is a complete fine dining
experience that offers more than just food - it is the
true embodiment of New Orleans style, cuisine and
history, all in one place.
As seen in Delta Sky Magazine
November 2002
Southern Lights
by John Mariani
There have been more famous chefs at Commander's
Palace over the years - the big Cajun Paul
Prudhomme and TV celeb Emeril Lagasse worked
here - but none better than recently arrived Tory
McPhail, who is smart enough to know that you don't
mess with sacrosanct Creole traditions; you just refine
them year after year and add your own spin. So the
gumbos are lighter than the murky ones down in the
French Quarter, the trout doused with
pecans is as sumptuous as anything in
the South, and the bread-pudding
souffie is counted by New Orleanians as
one of the finest desserts in a city of
great ones. McPhail has added his own
ideas quickly, like a deep-dish duck
and foie gras pie, and Mississippi quail
with a glaze of Jack Daniel's whiskey
over braised cabbage.
As seen in Southern Woman
Winter/Spring 2003
Commanding the
Palace
by Maria Muro
Commander's Palace promises
great food, good times and
delightful company. But the
diners at this grand Garden
District mansion aren't the only
ones afforded the privilege. For
Lally and Ti Brennan, the cousins who
manage the daily operations of the restaurant, this
experience has become a way of life. Superchefs like
the legendary, late Jamie Shannon and star Emeril
Lagasse stoked the fires of their culinary creativity
within its fabled kitchen. Considered the gold
standard of dining experiences,
Commander's has inspired successful spin
offs - most recently a Commander's
Palace in Las Vegas - and now even a
television show on the Turner South
Network. The Brennan restaurants share
a convivial atmosphere that ranges form
casual to formal, but all have the feel of
a dinner party thrown in the home of
friends ...
As seen in Restaurant Hospitality
December 2002
Onward And, As Always,
Up
by Bob Krurnmert
If there has ever been a restaurant that could remain
viable merely by resting on its laurels, Commander's
Palace is the one ... But the Brennan family is way too
smart to settle for this laid-back approach. They know
that in the restaurant business, you've got to keep
pressing ahead. That's why they were the first of the
great New Orleans restaurants to modernize the city's
Creole cuisine. They've never stopped upgrading the
food, and the current generations of Brennan's -
cousins and co-owners Lally Brennan and Ti Adelaide
Martin - is determined to up the culinary ante at
Commander's even more.
"We want to continue to evolve, reinventing Creole
food in New Orleans," says Martin. "That's what
we've been doing, and that's what we're going to keep
doing."
You could argue that, chef-wise, Commander's has
been spoiled. This is a restaurant where leadership of
the kitchen has passed through the hands of Paul
Prudhomme, Emeril Lagasse and the late Jamie
Shannon. Shannon, who ran Commander's kitchen
for 11 years, died late last year.
Now the 28-year-old Tory McPhail has his dream job.
His challenge? Keep churning out the classics for
which Commander's is so highly regarded, yet also put
his own stamp on the operation.
"The most important thing for me is that we push
forward with the cuisine every day, making it more
energetic than ever," he says. "We try to use the most
local Creole products we possibly can."
Additions to the menu include Oysters in Champagne
Gelie; Deep Dish Rabbit and Foie Gras Pie;
Scuppernong Duck; and Jack Daniels Lacquered
Mississippi Quail A standout is Shrimp, Cognac and
Casino. Yet the
Las Vegas
Commander's
quickly racked
up awards for
the city's best
food, service and
best overall
restaurant, despite
this drawback.
You've got to
think he can do
more of the same
at the Brennan
family's home
base in the
Garden District
of New Orleans.
Andouille Grits.
Yet customers will
still find staples
like Turtle Soup
and Tasso Shrimp
Henican with
Five-Pepper Jelly
gracing the
Commander's
menu.
Can McPhail pull
it off? Let's examine
the evidence. He
helped make the
Command e r ' s
concept work in Las
Vegas, despite a
challenging location
in a shopping mall
that's attached to the
Aladdin Resort and
What Were We Thinking?
What were we thinking?
Le Bernardin? The best?
Why didn't we pick some
nice hotel and host our dinner?
Why'd we have to pick the
ultimate seafood restaurant?
WHY?
e were asked to do a dinner in
a restaurant in New York. Not
something we've done before other
than at the James Beard House. We have a long list
of favorites in New York, but for us seafood
fanatics we have long revered Le Bernardin. To us
it has long been the temple of seafood and
exquisite service. We take our young managers
and sous chefs there to show them what in our
eyes is the pinnacle.
CP CHEF
LALLY BRENNAN, TI MARTIN, LE BERNARDIN CHEF ERIC RIPERT AND RAY BRINKMAN;
BELOW - TOM CIANFICHI, BRYAN BAD, RAY BRINKMAN, CHRIS TEFARIKIS AND CHEF TORY MCPHAIL
kindred spirit with the tragic loss ofJamie
Shannon and Tory McPhail taking over
and pushing and pushing. He's taken a
play out of Eric's book it would seem.
Tough act to follow but they were each
prepared to do it.
So about a week before the dinner, Lally
and I got a little nervous and said to each
other, "What were we thinking? Le
Bernardin? The best? Why didn't we pick some
Years ago we got to know the owner Maguy LeCoze
from dining at Le Bernardin and because for years we
ended up seated next to each other
as co-nominees for Most Outstanding Restaurant in
America. The inimitable Maguy lights up the dining
room at Le Bernardin striding across the floor in one
smashing outfit after another greeting guests with a
two handed two-cheek kiss and a charming thick
French accent. Gorgeous and a great restaurateur
(and that means something in our family)!
TORY MCPHAIL,
SISSY BIGGERS
AND CP CHEF
GARDE MANGER
CHRIS TEFARIKIS
AT LE
BERNARDIN
DINNER II!II.'" nice hotel and host our dinner? Why'd we have to
Commander's Palace at Le Bernardin
TASTING MENU
Mond4J. January 27, 2003
Le Bernardin is the restaurant she and her brother
Gilbert came from Paris to open. Their idea to
treat the seafood with respect, to get the best and
handle it with care was instantly heralded.
When Gibert died unexpectedly in 1994, many
wondered about Le Bernardin's future. But Maguy
elevated Eric Ripert to Chef and Le Bernardin has
gone on to even greater heights. We always loved
Le Bernardin, but we feel an even stronger
LALLY, DOTTIE, IRMA THOMAS, TI AND ELLA WHILE FILMING AN UPCOMING "OFF THE MENU" EPISODE
OFF THE MENU
Get a front row seat to
what's happening in the
Commander's kitchen!
We're pleased to announce that the
Commander's Palace TV show ((Off the
Menu" will now be shown on Cox
Channel lOon Mondays @ 10 p.m.,
Thursdays @ 8 p.m. and Saturdays @
12:30 p.m.
pick the ultimate seafood restaurant? Why?"
Well we pulled it off. We brought a little of New
Orleans to New York. Manager, Ray Brinkman
came along and on a very cold night warmed up
our guests with French 75s and Absolute Frappes
before dinner and put on his usual display of
dexterity and sassy humor ending our meal with
flaming Cafe Pierre. (We brought our own wine
glasses. It occurred to us that Le Bernardin is
probably not used to having sugar burnt onto their
wine glasses.) In the midst of it all, local friend and
Broadway star, Bryan Batt, surprised our guests
with an impromptu a cappella version of "Do You
Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?"
We were really living high.
But nobody could steal the show from Tory's food.
With Maguy stopping by to check on us and Chef
Eric Ripert helping Tory sauce dishes on the way
out, we were in good hands and it was spot
on. The menu highlighted what's happening
in the kitchen at
Commander's right
now and from
the Chicory Coffee
Lacquered Squab to the
Valdeon Cheese and
Local Honey Tartlet, we
felt right at home on a
cold winter night in
the middle of the
Big Apple.
CHEF TORY IN THE
LE BERNARDIN KITCHEN
Louisiana Oysters - On the half shell
with Chou pique caviar mignonette - Black Bay
Oyster Commander - Creole Oyster Dome
Domaine Huet, l0uvray
Tasso Shrimp Henican - Quickly seared and
coated with Crystal hot sauce beurre blanc -
served with five pepper jelly and pickled okra
BiOecart-Salmon, Champagne Rose
Demi Tasse Tasting of Soups - Commander's
Classic Turtle Soup - Smoked Duck and Wild
Mushroom Gumbo - Creole Crawfish Bisque
Cloudy Bay, Sauvignon Blanc
Redfish Haute Creou - Delicately poachea
in Meyer lemon beurre blanc -
served with a local speckled butter bean,
English pea and wild mushroom ragout
Domaine Laroche "Fourchaume," Chablis, 1999
Chicory Coffee and Muscadine
Lacquered Squab - Foie gras dressing,
green apple braised cabbage, charred peppers
and currants - drizzled with Muscadine
clemi glace and warm bacon drippingr
Etienne Guigal, "Brune et Blonde, " COte-R8tie, 1999
Assorted Desserts - Local Honey and Valdeon
Cheese Tartlet - Creole Bread Pudding SoujJli
- Plaquemines Parish Citrus O~pe
Veuve-Cliquot PotlSardin
Flaming Cafe Pierre
French Market Coffee and Chicory
THE PATIO ROOM
Guest: "We'd like to sit in the Patio Room you
know the one with the brick
walls and the trees in the middle?"
Reservationist: "Yes sir - that's my new
favorite room too."
AND SO IT GOES, WITH LEGIONS OF
NEW PATIO ROOM LOYALISTS. AND WHY NOT?
ast summer the Patio Room was shuttered for a
month while Lally and Dottie oversaw a
complete redo. The two Cedar of Lebanon trees still
shoot up out of the middle of the room like a majestic
wooden fountain reaching for the sky. And the
windows still overlook the patio. "It's like being
outside, but with air condicioning," laughed one local.
Lally and Dottie added bricked arches, iron gates, a
fountain in the new entryway, a collection of
mirrors, and a new awning. It's all bathed in a deep
golden mustard color that with the bricked arches
evokes what an elegant carriageway may have looked
like in the "Spanish Quarter."
The Patio Room is reborn - but I like to think of how
it came to be at all. The men in the family were
anxious to add a room - something that would work
well for regular business or for private parties. The
women in the family put their foot down - they could
not build a room and tear down the graceful grand
cedar trees. Absolutely not! The trees won! Time
passed. We'll build around the trees! I love it. A win
win if there ever was one. In case anybody wondered
how the trees have fared - just come and see. They
seem to be just fine with the arrangement. 30 Years
later, they have topped three stories in height.
Our only problem is that our little atrium
occasionally acts more like an aquarium in big
rainstorms. The adventure that comes with that
during a busy night are a small price to pay for us to
preserve two more grand old New Orleans trees.
The men won, the women won, the trees won!
LIFE COMES
TOGETHER IN
MOMENTS
I wonder how many businesses have
customers send them poems? We were so
touched that Clay Corvin took the time to
share what Commander's means to him.
Maybe what meant even more though was
that Clay seemed to be experiencing exactly
what we're srriving for - a respire, a place to
get off the fast track for a bit and revel in
celebrating life. Life comes togerher in
moments. Moments thar are elevated above
the rest - moments you never forget. We
don't just want to serve you a great meal- we
want to provide you with as many of those
moments as we can. Well - I'll quit putting
words in his mouth - here's what he wrote:
An Evening Visit
to Commander's Palace
On a tree lined street with history
A building that houses gentility
Continuing to be a place of refuge
A moment away from the rut of life
Food that captures a forgotten past
That speaks a word of joy
A staff that genuinely cares
Led by a team that dares
To have a place of beauty
Paying the price to serve
Consistently providing friendship.
We love the Garden Room
Sitting above the trees
Guarding flights of fancy
Enabling relaxing peace
If only for a moment
Life slows its driving pace
Joy in the meeting
An evening full of grace
And all around are happy songs
Sung by hearts at rest
This is the place
New Orleanians love the best.
HOW TO
MAKE A
RESERVATION
Help us make it easy for you ..• Here's how:
1. Believe Us. We want to take care of you.
Want you to come.
2. Don't be a Stranger. Tell the
reservationist you are a native. That signal
will open all kinds of doors. We hold back
tables for New Orleanians. That means call
as late as you want. (Now on New Year's Eve,
Mother's Day, Easter, etc ... give us a break -
but even then, we'll bet we can get you in.)
3. Become a Regular. If we don't recognize
you perhaps we don't see you often enough
and we want to see you often.
4. Tell Us Your Special Requests Over the
Phone. We'd be happy to not present your
check after your meal. We'll add the tip and
mail you the bill. This way you can enjoy and
not be bothered with the money. Do you
want a special bottle of wine waiting at the
table? Should we sing Happy Birthday to
Aunt Betty? Can we hold the ring until you
propose?
5. Remember We Want You to Come -
llelp Us Help You!
Settings
Jazz Brunch @ Commander's Palace
Second Lining
Scenes of Garden District
French Quarter Scenes
Commander's Kitchen
FOOD NETWORK: My Country, My Kitchen
ayou Teche, The Garden District,
Morgan City, Commander's Palace,
Uglesich's, the French Quarter,
Lafitte - you'd have thought Lally and I were
running for starewide public office and
roving the state. Thank God not - (and
please - you know how rumors get started)
just taping a Food Network Show.
My Counrry, My Kitchen is a show with a
different host each rime. The idea is for a
native of an area to rake you back to their
SCENE I
Featured Food and Dishes
Eggs Garden District
Turtle Soup
B.P. Souffle
Pain Perdu
Grillades and Grits
roors and show you their early food
inspiration. The French chef from NYC
taking you back to the small French
town he came from and his grand mom's
cooking and his cooking etc. When they
sprang this idea on us we said - Great, but
our inspiration doesn't come from home - it
comes from the restaurants. We are rrue
restaurant brats - we grew up in these
restaurant kitchens. Our country is Louisiana
and our kitchen is Commander's Palace.
They wanted to see it all - how we entertain
at home, places we love to go, food and
friends that inspired us, etc. So we went
around the corner and up the bayou and
back. A week of filming turned into 22
minutes for 1V We got a tiny glimpse into
what folks on "reality TV" go through.
Thank God for editing. (Mr. DeMille - we
are still not ready for our close up.)
Interpersonal Interview at Ella and Dottie's House
Second lining through the garden to Ella and Dottie's
Beignets
SCENE II
Settings
Morgan City - Dockside buying shrimp
Driving in convertible to roadside stands
Bayou Teche - Marcelle's House
Featured Food
and Dishes
Andouille, Boudin
Fresh Vegetables
and Garlic;
Making Jambalaya
SCENE III
Settings
Riverfront and French Quarter scenes
Uglesich's
Featured Food and Dishes
Oyster Po-Boy Dressed
The fun "after the show" each day was
inevitable with this group. So our friends
showed up and were sports about pretending
that huge camera wasn't in their face. Of
course there's a shortage of shy demure
people in our crowd. Most of all we wanted
to make New Orleans proud. Whenever we
Oyster Shooters
Seafood Boil at My Childhood Home
Seafood Boil Seasoning
Ravigote Sauce
Seafood Boil
ABOVE - CHEF TORY AND TI FILMING SEAFOOD
BOIL SCENES; RIGHT - LALLY, TI AND MARCELLE
COOKING FOR THE CAMERA ON BAYOU TECHE
VIVA LAS VEGAS
CPLV EXECUTIVE CHEF CARLOS GUIA
As seen in Las Vegas Life
February 2002
COMMANDER'S PALACE
Best Restaurant on
Strip/Best Overall
It's only fitting that in this, of all
years, a resolutely American
restaurant gets our top honors.
Stalwart New Orleans native
Brad Brennan has run this
glorious outpost of his family's
legendary restaurant from the
start. What's more, he has faced
down every kind of adversity and
emerged victorious. He hasn't
done it all himself, of course. General manager Michael Smith, another
Crescent City import, keeps the staff functioning smoothly. And
Executive Chef Carlos Guia continually reinvents the wheel, putting his
own spin on dishes such as crispy alligator with a roasted red-pepper
remoulade, and keeping the lid of consistency on the restaurant's classic,
irresistible fare such as turtle soup, pecan-crusted Gulf fish and bread
pudding souffle. It speaks volumes that on special occasions like
Thanksgiving the restaurant was filled to capacity wi~ locals - a
do something that may be seen
or read by people around the
country that's our goal. Sure we
want people ro know about
Commander's Palace and to
come, but we also want our city,
our state to look good.
Our family taught us that we
should think of ourselves as
ambassadors for New Orleans
and Louisiana. We do - and
it's the easiest job we have!
remarkable statistic for a tourist town like this. Commander's Palace is a truly great
American restaurant, and we are lucky to have it.
COMMANDER'S PALACE
Best Service
No matter where you sit in this elegant establishment - be it the light, airy Garden
Room, the more masculine Grill Room, the intimate Parlor or the more boisterous
Wine Room - you are sure to be pampered by one of the smoothest wait staffs in
the city. It could be just plain-old Southern hospitality, but service here manages to
be both gracious and unobtrusive. Kudos to the Brennans for bringing us yet
another solid New Orleans tradition.
TOM HORAN'S
America's Top 10 Club
Tom Horan's America's Top Ten Club is proud to announce
their Top Ten List of America's Top Ten Seafood Houses for
2002-2003.
1 The Grand Central Oy5ter Bar, New York, New York
2 Commander's Palace, New Orleans, Louisiana
3 Farallon, San Francisco, C8lifonlia
4 FishBones, Orlando, Florida
5 Elliott's, Seattle, Washington
6 Joe's Stone Crab Restaurant, Miami Beach, Florida
7 Jake's Famous Crawfish, Portland, Oregon
8 Willie G's Seafood Be Stea.khouse, Houston, Texas
9 The Oceanaire, Minneapolis, Minnesota
10 Spenger's, Berkeley, California
Tom Horan's America's Top Ten Seafood Houses is the most
recognized Top Ten List because, unlike other lists, no one pays
a fee to be on America's Top Ten List; Inclusion on this list is
achieved by reputation, quality and price value.
