The night before we boarded The Rock Boat, since we were in New Orleans, my wife, Sheryl, and I had dinner at Commander's Palace. Since 1880, Commander's Palace has been a New Orleans landmark known for the award winning quality of its food. The history of this famous restaurant offers a glimpse into New Orleans' ante-bellum past. A quiet revolution bubbles inside the aqua blue fantasy like Victorian architecture - inventive modern New Orleans cooking coexists with Haute Creole. ^{source: CommandersPalace.com}

My old college roommate, Tim Barrios, and his wife, Marie, joined us. Actually Tim was the astute one who, 9 months ago, made the reservations at The Chef's Table. The Chef's Table is what it sounds like. You eat at table inside the kitchen, where the Chef brings each course and describes it. Each course is accompanied by a different wine.

#	PIC	Course	Wine
1a.		Chicharrones (homemade pork rinds)	Malvasia di Casorzo, Naufragar
1b.		Ponchatoula Strawberry Salad with St. -André
2.		Stone Crab Claws and Commander's Turtle Soup	Brut "Commander's Cuvée," Iron Horse
3.		Shrimp & Tasso Pinchos and Truffled Mushroom Gnocchi	Riesling Spatlese "Oberemmler Hutte," von Hovel
4.		Escargot and Crawfish Bordelaise	"I'Alba" (Carignane), Jean-Louis Tribouley
5.		Foie Gras "du Monde"	Moscatel Soleado "Colosia," J.C. Gutierrez
6.	Â	Les Coups des Milieu : "Leap Over" Cocktail	Â
7.		Sliced Veal Loin with Chévre Grits	Pinot Noir, Burn Cottage Vineyard
8.	I did not remember to take a picture until it was too late.	Black Angus Filet Mignon with Yukon Gold Potatoes	Barolo "Big d' Big," Rocche dei Manzone
9.	Â	A Selection of Artisanal Cheeses	Cabernet Sauvignon "Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard," Bacio Divino
10a.		The Dessert Bomb Soufflé - Creole Bread Pudding Soufflé with warm whiskey cream. Frozen - Vanilla bean ice cream with a Bocage honey tuile, whipped Chantilly cream, pecans & praline syrup. Cake - House made Creole cream cheesecake with a honey graham crust, chocolate lattice and sticky caramel sauce. Pie - Warm pecan pie and vanilla bean ice cream with melted chocolate, candied pecans & Fleur de Sel caramel sauce. Custard - French créme brulée with scorched local sugarcane and a Dixie Crystal fleur de lis. Chocolate - A tasting of imported Swiss dark, white, and milk chocolates with salted chocolate fudge ice cream, roasted pecans & a chocolate fudge brownie.	Black Muscat "Elysium," Quady
10b.		Flambé - Bananas Foster - a tableside flambé of bananas with Caribbean rum, brown sugar, banana liqueur & vanilla bean ice cream

Food appreciation is alive in the kitchen (lab).