Archived Article By Tom Fitzmorris Originally published September  29, 2006 Click here for the current edition Commander's Palace Reopens The most eagerly-awaited, frustratingly-delayed restaurant reopening finally occured Sunday, October 1. After millions of dollars of repairs made necessary by hurricane damage, in which were revealed other, previously unknown problems that had to be added to the restoration job, the 126-year-old restaurant will kick off by serving Sunday brunch. Thereafter, it's right back to the old schedule: Lunch weekdays, brunch Saturday and Sunday, dinner every night. Chef Tory McPhail still will manage the kitchen, at the helm, most of the staff is still around, and the all-girl team of proprietors (Ti Martin, Lally Brennan, Ella Brennan, and Dottie Brennan) continue to run things in person. Tory's menu features as much locally-sourced product as possible. Here are some dishes: Three Little Pigs (chicory coffee braised pork shoulder, house made ham and smoky boudin blanc with German choucroute and Creole mustard-Jack Daniel's jelly); Veal Platte (crackling-crusted veal tenderloin, grilled lobster boudin, wild mushroom fricassee and brandy infused woodland sauce); Wild Shrimp Haute Creole (salt rubbed shrimp poached in an intense lemon butter over fresh pasta with spicy tasso, smoky garlic, tomatoes and ripped basil); eggs Gueydon (fresh duck egg and slow braised duck debris over a roasted pecan griddle cake with mayhaw jelly and duck-fat hollandaise). This news has been, as we expected it would be, the talk of not only the town but of the country. I've already been interviewed by CNN about it. The reopening of Commander's, with its preamble a week ago when Angelo Brocato's opened, signals the beginning of the end of the decimation of the local restaurant business. © 2006 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com