Restaurant
Review: Palace Cafe, New Orleans
 Frequent
trips to New Orleans always include a sampling
of new (or at least, new to me) restaurants.
Where better to indulge in the latest chef's
latest creation?
But these jaunts also always include a
desire to revisit select favorites, which
always leads back to Dickie Brennan's Palace
Café and its Oyster Pan Roast.
A relatively simple dish of plump, fresh
oysters cooked in rosemary- and shallot-infused
cream in individual iron dishes, topped
with bread crumbs and Parmesan, and run
under a broiler. Served with buttery, crusty
bread (for sopping in true Southern style),
it is deliciously addictive. (And I ought
to know!) As a starter or even as a light
entrée, it is the best version of
a New Orleans oyster pan roast I've ever
had.
Lucky for me, and for the dozens of dining
companions I've corralled there over the
years, the Palace Café has many more
outstanding features. Housed in the old
Werlein's music building, smack dab on Canal
Street at the edge of the Quarter, this
split-level Art Nouveau brasserie offers
a full range of Creole classics.
Other starter favorites are the signature
Crabmeat Cheesecake with a killer Creole
meunière sauce, and the Café
Spinach Salad with tender baby spinach
leaves, molasses-pecan vinaigrette, red
onion, and tart Ricotta Salata.
Standout entrees definitely include the
Catfish Pecan Meunière - pecan-crusted
catfish with Creole meunière sauce
and seasoned pecans. For a rich interpretation
of classic bistro rabbit, the Palace Café
offers up a Panéed Mississippi
Rabbit that is stuffed with smoked tasso
(ham) and Gruyère cheese, served
with a Creole mustard brandy cream sauce,
roasted garlic mashed potatoes and honey-tarragon
glazed baby carrots - heaven.
Save room for dessert, particularly the
White Chocolate Bread Pudding, a
sort of "molten" version with
white chocolate baked inside the bread pudding.
And if there is a fruit tart or crisp available
that day - don't miss it!
Wine is mostly a pleasure here, with our
only complaint being a couple of occasions
that the inventory didn't seem to match
the wine list, causing us to go through
three or four rounds or ordering before
we finally found one that was in stock.
Otherwise, there is a plentiful selection
of wines from all over, at mostly reasonable
prices, including a few lesser-known French
appellations and charming "country"
wines.
When not in New Orleans (and then immediately
to the Palace Café - honestly, sometimes
we don't even drop off bags at the hotel
first!), check out the Palace Cafe: The Flavor of New Orleans . Full of all the
best dishes from the restaurant (including
our beloved Oyster Pan Roast), it is chock
full of mouthwatering recipes and menu ideas.
605 Canal Street, between Chartres and Royal
Streets.
Tel: 504-523-1661
www.palacecafe.com
Starters: $5-$8
Entrees (lunch): $12-$15
Entrees (dinner): $19-$27
february 2004
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