Back to Destin for Lunch

A few days ago we drove to Destin to have lunch again at the new Commander's Palace, a branch of the original in New Orleans. This time we went with Joan and Billy and everyone had a fine meal. We started off with soup. Jack had the turtle soup, I had the gumbo of the day -- smoked duck with a garnish of crispy fried oysters. Both Joan and Billy had the three-soup samplers, that's a small cup each of the turtle soup, the gumbo and the soup of the day, which was cream of butternut squash.

For the main course Joan had a crab salad with a very generous heap of fresh lump crab meat. Billy had the shrimp remoulade over a creole salad. Jack had a smoked pork chop with crispy fried plantain strips and I had grilled grouper on a bed of fall vegetables. And of course we all had lots of their garlic bread with our soup and French bread with the meal.

Billy ordered the signature Creole Bread Pudding Soufflé with whiskey sauce and we all had a taste. After years of eating this dessert at Commander's in New Orleans this was the best I had ever tasted. Light and not too sweet. Better than you get in New Orleans.

Any complaints or suggestions? Of course. But nothing serious. There should be better directions to the restaurant from the parking garage and in the elevators from both the parking garage and from Harbor Walk. The directions lead you to the bar and two stories of stairs to climb. There's a convenient elevator to the dining room but nothing is posted. Also they don't need the insipid, intrusive background music. And as I mentioned in the post after our earlier visit, it's much too bright in the dining area.

The service, as always was excellent and cheery. I'm ready to go back soon.