I have had the privilege of dining at the Paris Opera House. I have been a personal guest of King Felix III at the King’s supper in Mobile for Mardi Gras. My experience at Brennan’s two Thursdays ago ranks among these top meals of my lifetime. Most people rush to the question , “how was the food?!” A valid and important question that I will answer momentarily, but the atmosphere, staff, and overall experience of being a guest of the Brennan family and Executive Chef Lazone Randolph all combined to make this evening one that I will never forget.
The evening started with a Sazerac and a candid conversation between Chef Randolph and myself about his background and experience that has created the opportunity for him to lead the back of the house operations at a world class restaurant. He started working at Brennan’s when he was 18 and never looked back. Simply put, he has enjoyed the working environment because he has earned free reign over the kitchen and all culinary creations. This has proven to be a great asset because part of Brennan’s appeal is that they don’t merely cook your favorite dish- they create a dish that becomes your favorite.
(Click photos for detailed view)
First Course, Seafood
The meal began with a complete variety of seafood specialties including okra/seafood gumbo, turtle soup, softshell crab with pecans, oysters casino, oysters Rockefeller, barbecued shrimp, boiled shrimp with remoulade, and a shrimp and crabmeat crepe covered in parmesan cheese. When dealing with seafood it’s imperative that only the freshest variety be served. Otherwise the natural flavors of the seafood are lost and subsequently many restaurants will mask frozen ingredients with strong sauces and spices or by deep frying the dish. The beauty of the seafood they served was that the additives, such as the pecans and lemon butter on the softshell crab, simply complimented the unaffected robust flavors of each unique item and did not try to steal the show away from the natural flavors.
Chef Randolph explained that although many of Brennan’s selections could be found at a variety of New Orleans establishments, his objective was to serve a unique version of each dish. The BBQ Shrimp was a good example of this technique. Instead of trying to mimic Pascal Manale’s, who claim to have originated the creation, Brennan’s offered their own blend of spices and flavorings. The version of BBQ shrimp that I sampled actually had more flavor and was less greasy than Pascal Manale’s, proving that a traditional dish can always be improved upon.
The gumbo. Although Brennan’s cannot claim to have invented seafood gumbo, they can claim to have perfected it. The blend of okra, tomatoes, shrimp, and jumbo lump crabmeat comes together for a light rouxless gumbo. The trick is they place the crabmeat on top of the gumbo only when served. This keeps the natural crabmeat flavor from being boiled away or lost with the other ingredients. The highlight of the first course was the crabmeat and shrimp crepe, baked in parmesan cheese. I had never had such a dish before and was amazed by how light and fresh the seafood was even after being cooked in the crepe. The key to getting it right was the perfect amount of cheese was added as to not engross the other flavors and make it a cheese wrap with seafood. The shrimp and crabmeat were merely complimented by the amount of cheese. I asked the staff to recommend a wine that would pair well with the fresh seafood and was presented a refreshing and crisp Chardonnay. More specifically the wine was a J.J. Vincent Pouilly-Fuisse Propriete Marie-Antoinette Vincent 2003. I was impressed with the staff choice as it was a great asset to the meal.
Second Course, Jackson Salad
I enjoy good food that also serves a purpose in the scope of a complete meal. The purpose of the Jackson salad, besides tasting great, was to clear the pallet and prepare myself for a third course that would have a very different taste from the first. The salad consisted of fresh iceberg lettuce topped with a light homemade blue cheese dressing, French dressing, blue cheese crumbles, boiled eggs, crumbled cooked bacon, and fresh cracked black pepper. The dish was garnished with baby corn, pickled okra, black olives, and grape tomatoes. Contrary to what you might assume, the salad is not named after Andrew Jackson, but instead gets its name from movie critic Jill Jackson. The salad was refreshing and was a great intermission between two heavier courses. Chef Randolph summed it up nicely when he said, “I recommend this salad because I love this salad.”
Third Course, Beef and Veal
Take whatever you thought you knew about steak and veal and throw it out the window. Brennan’s put their unique twist on both of these tradition favorites by mixing flavors like never before. The first creation was one that sounds insane on paper and then becomes genius when executed. The beef dish was a titled ‘Filet Stanley’ and consisted of a juicy beef filet placed on a Holland rusk which is then covered in a homemade horseradish sauce and flanked by a sauted banana. The filet is then topped with a sweet mushroom and red wine sauce. The key to the dish is merging the flavors correctly so that you get a small portion of each element in every bite. The overall flavor is robust but also subtly sweet. The horseradish sauce is the key element in fusing the flavors. Instead of being overpowering, the sauce is only the slightest bit spicy and it reacts with the banana and red wine to merge the bold flavors of the mushrooms and filet to the sweet components. I don’t know how it works, but trust me, it just does. A true Brennan’s original.
The second half of the third course was a lean veal escalope lightly dusted with flour and sauted with jumbo lump crabmeat. The crabmeat was then placed on top of the veal and topped with a homemade bearnaise sauce. The veal was cooked perfectly as to keep as much moisture from escaping when cooked. This allowed the natural light and tender flavor to work well with the crabmeat. If you are looking for a meal that’s not too heavy, it’s a perfect choice.
Fourth Course, Dessert and Coffee
In 1951 owner Owen E. Brennan asked his chef Paul Blange to create a new dish that featured the banana. It was with good reason because the port of New Orleans was booming with business as a major importer of bananas into the United States. The creation became known as Bananas Foster, named after French Quarter resident and activist Richard Foster. Today the item is the most ordered item on the menu and Brennan’s serves over 35,000 pounds of bananas to meet the demand.
The beauty of Bananas Foster is its simplicity. Basically all you need are bananas, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, white rum, banana liqueur, and vanilla ice cream. So simply in fact that it’s cooked by your waiter at your table so you get the full experience. 
I liked the dessert because it was a light way to end the meal without overdoing it. Sometimes all you want is a little something sweet after a meal and instead you get a gigantic piece of rich chocolate cake or filling cobbler. The Bananas Foster was a nice end to a great meal because again, the natural ingredients worked well in a simple way. No preservatives or fudge, but instead a nice mix of hot bananas and brown sugar and cold vanilla ice cream.
Throw in some fresh CC’s coffee and call it a night.
Overall Impression
I asked my waiter about special orders and how flexible they are with making the dish that is perfect for you. His response sums up their attitude towards making you happy: “you can ad shrimp or crabmeat to the coke if you would like.” Chef Randolph agreed and pushed the point that it’s not just about the food or the service. But Brennan’s is about an entire experience that caters to whatever makes you happy. Personalized service and care is overlooked now more than ever so it’s important that an institution like Brennan’s keep this southern tradition alive and well. Whether a tourist coming to shop on Royal Street or a lifelong resident of the greater New Orleans area, you can never go wrong spending time at Brennan’s.
