Bradley & Angelica Gabriel at the ‘Tribute to Louisiana Legends’ dinner held at The Manor House at The Houstonian (Photo by Jacob Power)
From the moment I saw the invitation from The Manor House at The Houstonian for the “Tribute to Louisiana Legends” dinner, I jumped at the chance to join Houstonian members at the table. After all, a Louisiana girl simply cannot pass up the opportunity to feast on her native cuisine. And for the record I make a mean shrimp etouffee and an even meaner seafood gumbo. And, yes, I include okra in the latter.
This Louisianan was not disappointed in the jovial evening that saluted the talents of Louisiana chefs Frank Brigsten, Emeril Lagasse and the late Paul Prudhomme, as well as famous New Orleans restaurants that have shaped the heart and heritage of the Bayou State’s cuisine. Having interviewed Lagasse and Prudhomme in my career and dined all across the Crescent City’s most famed restaurants, I was ready.
We were welcomed to The Manor House with powerful New Orleans Hurricanes. Let’s get this party started indeed. Mini-crawfish hand pies and crawfish bisque shooters helped tame the potent cocktails. Of course, there was an open bar and curated wine servings with dinner as well as that sweet drink.
The convincing menu was created by The Houstonian’s chef de cuisine Roland Soza, a Houstonian Hotel veteran, who crafted interpretations of dishes and techniques which he learned from other chefs and from his time at Brennan’s in Houston.
The sold-out seated dinner began with an amuse bouche of the well-known treasure of Chef Brigsten — oysters leRuth served with shrimp and crab parmesan, followed by a first course of snapping turtle soup. That’d be the Brennan family’s iconic bowl with aged sherry, egg and spinach…