The Dallas Morning News

Cooked to perfection
Democratic Fund-Raiser Featuring Gore Serves Up Delectable, Elegant Fare
by Todd J. Gillman, May 2000

The food itself is never the draw when a political party throws a political party. But high-dollar donors don't expect plastic forks and rubber chicken, either, not when a VIP like the VP is in town and the price is fixed at $10,000.

The veal-and veggies menu shared by Vice President Al Gore and 60 Dallas Democrats last week didn't disappoint.

First course was a steeple of haricots verts (French green beans) served with portabello mushroom and tossed with grilled tomatoes-red and yellow, vine-ripened.

Salad plates sat on the tables as hostess Debbie Branson, president of the Texas Trial Lawyers' Association and a major Democratic Donor, formally introduced Mr. Gore. To be fair, political handlers had dictated the schedule, which delayed the main course for nearly an hour as Mr. Gore made his presidential pitch and departed for Air Force II, valet parked at Love Field.

The entree was worth the wait: three thick slices of veal tenderloin marinated for two days in tomato, oregano and white wine, then grilled and oven-finished to a medium rare perfection. It was served in a tomato horseradish sauce on a bed of baby spinach, with basil risotto, grilled asparagus and roasted red peppers.

Mr. Gore ate his beforehand, upstairs in the Bransons' sprawling $3.7 million Turtle Creek mansion. He's avoiding starch, so he had extra helpings of the vegetables and veal and an extra-large salad. Like many of the guests, who provided $500,000 that evening to the Democratic National Committee, he cleaned his plate.

The dining space was cramped but tastefully decorated with oriental rug, dark wood and objects d'art. Wines were chosen carefully: a 1993 Jordan Chardonnay and a 1997 red Mondavi reserve. The iced hibiscus tea, in a hue close to lemonade, was a conversation starter and Mr. Gore's drink of choice.

Dessert was strawberry shortcake with raspberries in the batter, topped with whipped cream and fresh berries marinated in orange juice and sugar. One diabetic Democrat liked it enough to throw caution to the wind; she emptied her plate.

Media mogul and dinner co-host Scott Ginsburg–who built the $12 million Voltaire in Addison, rated as one of the area's 10 best new restaurants–called the dinner "very elegant."

"It's always difficult when you're putting a large group in a very small area to have the food and service all turn out well. But for what you'd consider your typical rubber-food event, this was just the opposite."

He deemed the veal "unbelievably tender" and found the sauce delicious yet "controversial," a daring departure from natural juice or sage-based sauce. And the basil risotto was so buttery and cheesy, he set aside his own no-starch diet for the evening.

Caterer Wendy Krispin makes no pretense that the meal was worth the price of admission. She has catered Dallas soirees featuring President Clinton and Hillary Rodham Clinton, former president George Bush and untold senators, congressmen and tycoons. And she admitted to a bit of extra pressure to create something memorable for Mr. Gore.

"The purpose here is to feed them well and be as chic as possible...make the dinner as cheap as possible" to maximize the DNC's profit, she said. "I've done some pretty fancy things. This was probably one of the highest priced but.. I sell much, much more expensive dinners."

The food was more spare in the Bransons' exercise room, where the traveling press corps killed time awaiting Mr. Gore's speech and the red-eye flight to Los Angeles. Still, the fourth-estate types raved.

Among the highlights: the chicken and mushroom risotto, close cousin to the stuff at the adult tables, and the Hello Dollies, a Texas specialty of white and dark chocolate with graham cracker crumbs.

If you're the sort of person who doesn't mind dropping $10,000 on a meal, the quesadillas alone–mango and brie, with cilantro and black pepper–were worth it. And that's based on the soggy leftovers from the main dining room.