When a Pandemic Forces a Chef to Create His Greatest Hits Album
In downtown Anchorage, Alaska, chef and owner Alex Perez faced a decision many restaurant owners confronted during the pandemic. He had two concepts running—a sports bar and a high-end restaurant. Instead of choosing one, he merged them. As Guy put it, Alex “pivots, brings two restaurants together and kind of makes like a greatest hits album of all the menu items.”
The result is Haute Quarter Grill, a spot that defies expectations. One customer in the episode noted it was “a little deceiving coming in—you always assume it’s gonna be very Alaskan and rustic, but then it’s a little fancier.” That fancier edge comes from what Guy called a “deep culinary arsenal” that lets this kitchen produce just about anything.
The Spicy Chicken Gnocchi: Pillowy Goodness with a Blackened Kick
The standout dish Guy dove into was the Spicy Chicken Gnocchi—Italian dumplings swimming in gorgonzola cream sauce, topped with blackened chicken. Guy’s verdict? “Outstanding. Like savory marshmallows.”
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The gnocchi starts with roasted russet potatoes, run through a ricer. Alex adds salt, pepper, eggs, and a generous amount of parmesan—so much that Guy immediately declared, “I already know that he’s the gangster.” The key is minimal flour, just enough to bind, because overworking the dough ruins that tender texture. Guy watched Alex roll them out and marveled: “Look at how tender this is. You touch it too hard it’s going to flatten. Straight up pillows.”
The gnocchi gets a quick blanch in salted water to tighten up before finishing in the sauce.
The Blackening Spice Build-Up
The chicken breast gets coated in a house blackening spice that sparked some classic Guy banter. When Alex started with cayenne, Guy jumped in: “Wait wait wait—there’s blackening spice, not kill them spice!” The full blend includes paprika, oregano, iodine salt (which Alex insists caramelizes better), white pepper, granulated garlic, thyme, black pepper, granulated onion, and even a touch of sugar. The chicken sears in clarified butter for 30 seconds to a minute per side—what Guy called “controlled burning of the spices”—before finishing in the oven.
In a fun moment, Guy discovered Alex makes chicken maque choux for Fat Tuesday specials. “Get out! We have made it!” Guy exclaimed, declaring them “step brothers, the Alaskan edition.”
The Sauce and the Finish
The gorgonzola cream sauce comes together fast: butter, fresh garlic, heavy cream, salt and pepper, and gorgonzola cheese. The blanched gnocchi finishes right in the sauce to build flavor. It’s topped with a gremolata of Italian parsley, sun-dried tomato, garlic, and fresh lemon zest, plus green onion and parmesan reggiano.
Guy praised how the gorgonzola was handled: “Gorgonzola is very polarizing—it can be the bull in the china shop, and it’s judiciously handled here.” The blackening on the chicken was “exactly what blackening’s supposed to be,” with the meat staying tender and moist inside. The gremolata? “The little kiss at the end.”
A regular customer summed it up perfectly: “It’s my favorite dish every time I come here. The spiciness of the blackening goes great with the gorgonzola cream sauce.”
If you’re exploring other creative comfort dishes from Triple D, check out Portuguese Kale Soup or a Pot Roast Bundle for more hearty inspiration. And for something completely different, there’s always a BOMB Turkey Caprese Panini.
Find Haute Quarter Grill and other Flavortown destinations in our restaurant directory.