Would you go to Commander's Palace?

A friend is going to New Orleans for the first time. I suggested dinner at Commander's Palace. Another friend said to skip it. See his comments below.

What's the current thinking on CP? Would you go there?


Tom is big on Commander's Palace. I thought it--having been last fall--as something of a Pier 4 on the Bayou. If the blue aluminum siding doesn't put you off, the flicker bulbs in the chandeliers might. The wine list is exhaustive and the options far outpace the food which is good enough for the general tourist and conventioneer. i don't put you and Lorraine in either category. They do however, have the two local styles of food, Creole and Cajun. The former is a French and Spanish inspired reworking which is tasty and fun and can be quite elegant in an old-fashioned kind of way. Cajun is the poor ex-French swamp-folks' cuisine.

It's New Orleans, not Paris. Nowhere in his retort did I read that the food wasn't good, just that it wasn't high-brow. For my palate, it did not disappoint.

I haven't been there but my wife went there (N.O. library convention) and brought me back the cookbook.

I think if I went down to N.O. that would be on my list.

And order a Sazerac while you're there.

Whether it's super fine dining or not, it's a place that everyone knows.

I wouldn't hesitate to go to CP.

I'd go to Arnaud's Bar (behind the restaurant) for the Sazerac though. Best one in town. Arnaud's restaurant doesn't suck either.

Then go to the Carousel Bar at the Monteleone for a Vieux Carre (where it was invented).

If I was picking places to go with a special NOLA vibe, Galatoire's would be my first choice. (Keep in mind though, that if you're an out-of-towner and you go to Galatoire's you'll probably be seated on the second floor. The main floor is where you want to be, but that's mostly locals and VIPs; hard to get a table there. They'll give you menus but your best bet is to ask the waiter what's good and fresh today...they'll steer you right. Most of the waiters have been there for years, some for their entire careers, so they are old-world pride.

Prudhomme is good, for what it is...mostly Cajun/Creole.

Bayona is still one of the best restaurants in town, plus it's famous (Chef/Owner Susan Spicer is the woman characterized in the HBO series "'Treme". She kept paying her staff after Katrina, and helping them find jobs, and kept in contact with them scattered all over the place, so when she eventually re-opened many of them came back to work with her again.) Damned good food; never had less than an excellent meal there.

[Jenise]

The Palace is an institution and the food is good, IMO worth going to on that basis alone, as is Galatoire's (if you send someone there, be sure they understand the dress code). But if an ultimate foodie experience having nothing to do with New Orleans history is what your friend seeks, Bayone or current "in" spots like Peche or Cochon. I wanted to add Herbsaint, but I'm thinking I read that it closed....

The Palace is an institution and the food is good, IMO worth going to on that basis alone, as is Galatoire's (if you send someone there, be sure they understand the dress code). But if an ultimate foodie experience having nothing to do with New Orleans history is what your friend seeks, Bayone or current "in" spots like Peche or Cochon. I wanted to add Herbsaint, but I'm thinking I read that it closed....

Well, good dining without a necessarily New Orleans trad feel to it would be August. John Besh has a pretty good style.

Also, Stella! has been very, very good to me.

Added: And yes, if you're a guy, Galatoire's has a dress policy---you have to wear a jacket---blazer or sport coat minimum. They do have some on hand at the restaurant, but if you don't want to look like you got dressed at the Salvation Army, you might want to bring one that fits you.

[Jenise]

Also, Stella! has been very, very good to me.

Added: And yes, if you're a guy, Galatoire's has a dress policy---you have to wear a jacket---blazer or sport coat minimum. They do have some on hand at the restaurant, but if you don't want to look like you got dressed at the Salvation Army, you might want to bring one that fits you.

Stella! Yes, I would include that, too, and would be happy to eat at any John Besh restaurant, though I've not been to one myself. Re the jacket thing--ALSO, on Sundays, a shirt with a collar. We, of course, went there on a Sunday, unaware of any of this. Solved that problem at a Banana Republic a block or so away, and borrowed the awful (brown polyester) jacket--Sal Army is spot-on!

and borrowed the awful (brown polyester) jacket--Sal Army is spot-on!

I think I wore the same jacket once.

I don't know if they're still doing it as elaborately as when I visited 20+ years ago, but the weekend jazz brunch I had back then at Commander's Palace was a hoot - and delicious. I'd do that again over dinner if I ever went back. (And go to Acme Oyster House again for fresh shucked goodness later that night!)

I wanted to add Herbsaint, but I'm thinking I read that it closed....

I just checked. OpenTable is still taking reservations for HS so it must still be alive.

Stella closed in June.

I have gone and I would again. There are no end of good places in NOLA but a few of them are institutions. This is one of them and it's good to go to one of the places that have been there forever, along with some of the newer ones. Besides, the cemetery across the street is worth the trip.

[Jenise]

Don't recall the cemetery, Ken, but I do remember walking toward the restaurant and getting within a block when a small, slow crawl of musicians and convertible Cadillacs full of gorgeous proud black women in over the top sequined gowns and feather boas called the something-or-other-mens-comfort-society turned onto our street, which made me clap and jump for joy at the sheer exuberance of it all, and upon seeing me they motioned me over and pulled me into one of the Cadillacs and there I was, sitting up on the back seat and waving at the passers by, the only white person in this whole tableau, and an honorary prostitute of sorts. Couldn't have been prouder, and that's the moment I fell in love with New Orleans. Eventually ended up back at the Palace to celebrate. Couldn't have had a better time.

I'll also put in my votes for CP and Gallatoire's for classic New Orleans cooking. Among the contemporary places, Hoke, I'm sad to say that Jean had a VERY disappointing experience at Bayona last year. For my money, I'd go to August or Herbsaint, with a nod to the former.

Mark Lipton

I'll also put in my votes for CP and Gallatoire's for classic New Orleans cooking. Among the contemporary places, Hoke, I'm sad to say that Jean had a VERY disappointing experience at Bayona last year. For my money, I'd go to August or Herbsaint, with a nod to the former.

Mark Lipton

Mark, thanks.

I have heard that Spicer is away from the restaurant, and does some junket/traveling, so perhaps the fine tuning is not as tight as it should be when the star is there for weeks at a time.

Conversely, I recently heard from friends (who are frequent visitors to NO and gourmand diners) that the last couple of times they went to August they were just the tiniest bit dismayed that some of the shine may have worn off, that it wasn't quite 'en pointe' as it was for so long. Don't know; but I do respect their opinions and observations (and these are people who count numerous star chefs a close personal friends, to the point of said chefs coming over to their house, etc.). Haven't been to August in so long, I'm sure I would still be impressed with it and may not be as critical.

Herbsaint I will put on my list (I'll be there in August 2015 according to current plans.)

My experience at CP several years ago mirrors Jo Ann and Hoke's. Food and service were fine. The weekend jazz brunch at first struck me as a tourist thing until I realized that most of the customers were locals -- regulars. And whatever you do don't miss the cemetery across the street, the only one of its sort I've ever heard of, where its inhabitants are buried above ground and in not long are virtually cremated by the New Orleans heat.

And whatever you do don't miss the cemetery across the street, the only one of its sort I've ever heard of, where its inhabitants are buried above ground and in not long are virtually cremated by the New Orleans heat.

Clint, I think all the cemeteries in New Orleans are above ground. The place is built on a swamp. There also may be some French influence in that custom. But there are a bunch of them and they are very cool. You can even get guided tours of these "cities of the dead".