Grace, charm, wit, enthusiasm, impeccable manners, old world pizzazz. That is Commander’s Palace in NOLA. This place is brimming with fine hospitality, vintage style and high class Creole cuisine. This is the first in my series of posts about our Food Blog Masters trip to New Orleans. There are many amazing experiences we have had here and the memories will last a lifetime. Y’all ever been to Commander’s Palace? If so then I am sure you can relate. If not, then you must visit someday.
Brunch is a heck of a lot more fun when you have a bunch of great friends to party with. Aka: Food Blog Masters….
*Adam Pearson, Matt Matt Bites, Brooke Food Woolf, Maggy Three Many Cooks, Nathan Lippy
 ÂMeet Chef Tory McPhail who is most likely one of the finest chefs in the world. We were grateful to sample his mango shrimp at the Louisiana Seafood Festival. Can you tell how hot it was in there?
It was so hot that all the friends had fans. With water spritzers.
• Gaby What’s Gaby Cooking
The Sunday brunch at Commander’s Palace is appropriately called Chef Tory’s Jazz Brunch. The music made the whole atmosphere even more festive.
We toured a very schmancy wine cellar. I don’t drink, but I was intoxicated by the abundance of fine wine!
Here is our lovely tour guide, Dan Davis – aka: “Wine Guy.” I was smitten by the festive balloons everywhere.
Really, I mean everywhere….
Be prepared to be treated like royalty, the whole staff is lit with energy and fully committed to their jobs….
These two had fun posing for me.
We loved our waiter Edward (seen below,) he was full of information and beaming smiles. He brought me lots of Chicory coffee, which I chased with watermelon gum and water. I know, I’m full of class.
Arrive prepared to EAT….
See that lovely tomato salad? It is about the only veggie based dish I had on the whole trip. I am usually a volume eater with the bulk of my meals derived from fresh produce. This was an experience off the beaten path for this ski freak, mountain girl. Check out my trout, it was swimming in a pool of brown butter vinaigrette. It was very good. As if you couldn’t guess.
New Orleans is better known for its luscious creamy sauces, creole/cajun flavors and seafood than it is for produce. It is a city with a strong foundation of food and a backbone in butter. When in this town you gotta love seafood or learn to. Check out all that locally caught shrimp, oysters, trout, crawdads, crabmeat, etc. This culture exists on Gulf Seafood & it is clearly some of the best I have ever tasted.
Of course they are known for their decadent sweets too.
What you see in the photos above: Praline Parfait, Creole Cream Cheese Cheese Cake, Blueberry and White Chocolate Pancakes and the house specialty Creole Bread Pudding Soufflé aka: “The Queen of Creole Desserts”
How about this Peach and Blackberry Coffee Cake?
Commander’s Palace is a place where memories have been made since 1880 and will continue for years to come.
Sharing this experience with great pals was the biggest treat of all.
•Amanda Kevin and Amanda, Marla, Jenny Picky Palate
Have you ever been to a super special Sunday Brunch? If so please share.
Fancy Party Links
- Royal Wedding Luncheon
- Alice in Wonderland Garden Tea Party: OC Style
- Alice in Wonderland Tea Party Part 2
MarlaMeridith.com disclosure – My expenses were paid for to dine at Commander’s Palace, attend all events & to visit NOLA. All of the opinions I proudly share with you are my own.
Marla seeing this post makes me wish, so much, soooo much, that I could have been on this amazing trip with you!!! The people (all of them are amazing!!!) and I know the bond and comraderie that you all already shared and now probably have taken it to new levels….so happy for you! (and secretly wishing I was there, too!) It looks like an absolute blast!
You look awesome, everyone does. And like you’re all having the time of your lives.
And you don’t drink? Why did I never know this about you?! We can chat over coffee next week. Can’t wait to see you and catch up in person on this AWESOME trip you’ve just been on (and the other 2 before this one!…you jetsetter! :))
Averie, nope I don’t drink & don’t miss it at all. The travel bug is here to stay 😉
Thanks for sharing all these wonderful photos!
i’m going to NOLA for the third time this xmas. i’ve yet to have brunch here but it’s on my list!!!
Lynn, Christmas will be beautiful! You must plan a special trip to Commander’s Palace. I can’t even imagine what the winter/holiday menu must be like!
A lovely event! The food looks wonderful.
Cheers,
Rosa
Looks like an awesomely fun and tasty trip!
Great post. Everyone looks fab and the food looks amaaazing!
Allison, I have to say that everyone was grinning ear to ear during this whole brunch and the entire time we were in NOLA. Commander’s Palace took such great care of us as they do for each and every person who walks through their door. That food was beyond ahhhh-maaaazing!! Glad you enjoyed the virtual party 🙂
Oh my gosh girl, your Commander’s photos are out of this world. Mine will go up Monday morning, it’s been so much fun re-living our trip. Excellent post girl and safe travels today!!
Jenny, I can’t wait to see your photos! It is always fun to relive these great times through each others eyes 🙂 See you back in the OC.
What a fabulous time!!! Everything looks amazing!
With you there miss Amanda this would have been even more fun! Miss you girl. I know you are busy with sweet mr. Eddie & the rest of your cuties 🙂
wow what fun the elite food blogging circle 🙂 love New Orleans some of the best food in America
Rebecca, a great group of people that is for certain! Always makes a trip more fun to share it with friends 🙂
This looks like such a blast! There’s nothing like New Orleans with friends.
Hey Georgia, the nice thing was we had lots of time together and good amounts of down time alone too. For me that is always the perfect formula. This gal also needs ample quiet time to collect her thoughts (and for exercise!) Once I have that I can’t wait to meet up with the buddies for more action packed fun!
sounds like such a fun trip! and that food – it all looks incredible 🙂
Everything looks so lovely! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Super fun! My friend made their bread pudding once and it made me want to hop on a plane to NOLA
Esi, that is so cool that your friend baked up that bread pudding. You must get to NOLA for Commander’s version some day.
Wow! So much amazing food! Those desserts are out of this world.
What a neat experience. I would love to do something like that. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Kristin, those desserts were gorgeous! I have never seen so much food on one table 🙂 Glad I could share the experience with you guys.
Beautiful pictures. Commander’s Palace is THE favorite restaurant for my husband and me. I’m so glad you enjoyed your meal and the Jazz Brunch is always amazing.
That’s a lot of food! Looks like a good time!
First of all, I wish I had been there to eat my life away. Wow! Every single picture looks like you ate something amazing = me, jealous. Beautiful pictures too. I really enjoyed this post. 🙂
What an experience!!
I feel rather lucky to have been featured so much in your post. What an incredible time we all had! Thanks for such a great round up! you are fast!
xoxo
I had so much fun with you Brooke! Glad we got to spend lots n’ lots of time together. I hammered on this post when the rest of the gang was deep sea fishing. It was so fun to work in the local coffee shop. Also did some prop shopping, fun little stores near our hotel 🙂
What a great place this looks like! The food looks fantastic and when the service is as good as this, it really is the icing on the cake. But you’re right, sharing it with good friends is definitely the best part!
Faith, I could totally see you hanging at Commander’s. The dishes you cook up and your presentation has such grace and charm. This would be your thing for sure!
Beautiful post and photographs, Marla! Looks like it was so much fun. It’s been so fun following the twitter & instagram feeds. The food looks amazing too!
Julie, can I tell you how addicted I am to Instagram? OMG….best thing ever. It is like learning a new language overnight. Those filters are so fun. Glad you enjoyed staying in touch with me and the gang via Twitter and Instagram.
It looks as though you are having a fantastic time, Marla. I am a big jazz music fan and really need to make a trip to NOLA someday – for both the music and the food.
Dara, I would love to meet you there. Girl, we would have a blast. The food is amazing!! The culture unique and super interesting. They are passionate about good eats and everything that revolves around food 😉
That’s a wonderful place for some good food and great music!
What a wonderful event Marla! Everyone looks like they’re having a great time 😀
Hey Marla,
I had an absolute blast! It was so nice to meet you and stuff our faces for a week with some of the best seafood I have experienced in awhile. Talk atcha later,
Nater
Hey Nathan, it was amazing spending time with you this week. You are so FUN! Can’t wait for more fun times down the road 🙂
Look like a fabulous time! xo
That looks like a great few days! Your pictures look amazing and I am practically drooling over all that food!
Lauren, what I would give to have some of that for lunch today. #starving 🙂
I love, love, love Commander’s Palace! We went there for our anniversary dinner last year; we thought that the entire wait staff was going to break out in song and dance when they were taking us through the restaurant to our table–lit with energy and fully committed indeed! We didn’t make it for a Jazz brunch. That means we have ample reason to return to New Orleans. It looks like you had a wonderful time!
Dorothy, any experience we could have at Commander’s Palace would go far beyond expectations. My hubs and I enjoyed a Thanksgiving feast there back in 2001. Unforgettable. I felt like I was in a movie walking through their kitchen. Love what you say “we thought that the entire wait staff was going to break out in song and dance when they were taking us through the restaurant to our table” LOL It does feel that way. Every move there is so well coreographed. Love that you now have a reason to return!
My you had a ball – love Commanders and love Tory – did you meet Ti? I have the creole bread pud soufflé in my book – perhaps we can eat it together v soon?! I’ll make it sans whiskey sauce if you don’t want the booze – although it won’t taste as delish!
Lucy, how awesome that you have that bread pudding in your book!! That and the coffee cake ended up being peoples favorite desserts. I was so stuffed with the seafood I could hardly think about sweets – – that would need to be a separate meal to get the full effect. With the booze sauce 😉
What a fun place to gather together. The photos probably don’t even do justice for truly telling the story and how awesome it was. The balloons really do add something extra to it all – so cute and unexpected!
Rachel, the room would have hardly been the same without those balloons. They added so much vibrance to the room. Very nice for photos. I actually have been there without the pop of color & was still fully enthralled by everything!
This event sounds incredible marla and you did a great job of capturing it with pictures! I can almost hear the music and smell the food and wine.. mmm… I would have loved to have tried the seafood, but those desserts look equally good!
Amanda, I am so happy that I could capture this experience for you via the virtual world. The music really enhanced the whole dining experience and the musicians were very spunky characters! Light-hearted fun people, as was everyone on this trip.
This is one serious all-star brunch! So many of my favorite people, so much good food…fantastic!
I love it there! So fun!
Looks like a fantastic time!!
Beautiful photos!
This looks wonderful Marla! I have never been to New Orleans, but it is high on my list of places to experience. Great pictures 🙂
Thanks Heather. Hopefully some day you can make it to NOLA. It is wonderful to be immersed in a culture that plans every part of their day around the next meal.
Wow what a fun event! And the desserts look sooooo good. The creole bread pudding souffle is calling my name. 🙂
You look so gorgeous in the photo by the way!
Thanks Lindsey! I think you need to develop a creole bread pudding souffle for us on your blog. Girl, you got those sweets in the bag! xo
Those pancakes are to-die-for!!!
I want some sooo bad 😉
Lisa, I know it can you believe those things. White freakin’ chocolate sauce all over those bad boys. Missing New Orleans & Commander’s Palace right about now.
You took some stunning pictures, Marla!
Thanks Kristin, wish I could go back there now.
what a nice place to be new orlenns looks very family oriented