January 23, 2004
Commander's Palace
I just got back from fabulous Las Vegas where I attended the Builders Show. Every winter the National Association of Home Builders hosts this enormous event and it is a must-attend show for me. All sorts of new home building products and techniques debut at this show.
Last year my daughter Meghan and I attended a small reception at one of the premier restaurants in Las Vegas - Commander's Palace. One of the dishes served was Tasso Shrimp Henican.
Meghan is a very picky eater - just ask Erik our waiter from two days ago! - and traditionally has not liked shrimp of any type. She was ravenously hungry that night last year and tried one of the shrimp. It was perhaps the best shrimp I have ever had and Meghan loved it.
The Commander's Palace chef will get as hot as a pot of boiling water when he reads this feeble attempt at describing its spectacular taste. Each piece of shrimp has a sliver of lean ham in the center. My taste buds tell me the shrimp are fried in butter and possibly some olive oil. There seems to be tabasco sauce and maybe a pinch of chili powder in it as well. No doubt there are other spices and natural ingredients that add to the overall taste of this mouth-watering dish.
But how does this story connect with this year? Meghan *had* to go back. She talked about the restaurant for months before leaving. But the trouble is, we didn't remember its name or location! The investigative reporter in me took over once we got to Las Vegas. I tracked down the person who booked the reception and she instantly remembered.
This year we went for a full sit-down dinner. Everything about Commander's Palace is top drawer. The food and service are 5 star in my book. It is indeed one of the finest places I have ever eaten. I strongly recommend you stop in if you are in Las Vegas or the original place in New Orleans. In Las Vegas, enter the Aladdin Casino / Resort and head towards the Desert Passage indoor shopping mall. Commander's Palace is right at the edge of the mall next to the casino.
Posted by Tim Carter at January 23, 2004 05:07 PM