New Orleans: Commander's Palace (September 2000)

My  spouse and I dined for lunch at Commander's Palace in September 2000. The restaurant was established in 1890 in the Garden District of Uptown New Orleans. Owned by the Brennan family, it has long been one of the best regarded upscale restaurants in the city. Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse are two of its alumni. Commander's Palace has received a four-diamond rating by the American Automobile Association. It was ranked the most famous restaurant in New Orleans. Though tradition holds that Commander opened his restaurant in 1880, it was actually ten years later, in 1890, that Emile Commander established a small saloon at the corner of Washington Avenue and Coliseum Street. Within a few years he turned it into a restaurant patronized by the distinguished neighborhood families of the Garden District.[3] By 1900 Commander's Palace was attracting gourmets from all over the world. In 1944, Frank and Elinor Moran bought Commander's Palace, refurbished it and carried on its tradition of excellence with an expanded menu including many recipes still used. Thirty years later, when the Brennans took over, they redesigned the interior to complement the outdoor setting. Large windows replaced walls, and custom trellises and paintings were commissioned. In 1996, the Foundation awarded them Most Outstanding Restaurant honor. Other James Beard Awards include Lifetime Achievement Award (Ella Brennan) 2009, Outstanding Service Award 1993, Who's Who of Food and Beverage Award 1984 and Best Chef, Southeast Region (Jamie Shannon) 1999. Zagat's has listed Commander’s Palace as the “Most Popular Restaurant in New Orleans” for 18 years. In 2008, they were inducted into the Culinary Institute of America Hall of Fame.