Thank you

First of all, I have to say that I feel very priviliged and honored to be part of the opening team of Comme Ca Las Vegas. It's an experience that I have always dreamed of having. I mean, I am just a normal guy, who grew up in the suburbs of LA. There's nothing really flashy about me. I love food and cooking, like many other people.

My dream was to be the chef of a high profile restaurant and being able to serve great food in one of the most amazing spaces on the Las Vegas Strip.

I am living it.

The opening process, however, isn't the kind of experience that I dreamed it would be. We've had a lot of difficulty getting produce, dairy, fish, uniforms, pots and pans, you name it...we've had trouble getting these things together for the restaurant. We're less than a week away from serving our first external guests, and it's a nerve racking feeling, knowing that we're still missing so many items.

This being said, I do not doubt that we will be successful. We will be... and we will be amazing. I'm blessed to be surrounded by a great team, from the chefs that I have been working with to the "foh", front of the house. That isn't the whole team, though. There's Chef David Myers, and Allie who have helped me through the opening process..and I can't thank Chefs Dong and Eric and their CCLA team enough.

I've been pulled in so many directions during the past couple weeks, that if my partners in the kitchen (Rodney, Aldo, and Ramon) weren't so strong and composed, the whole project might turn sour. I'm very thankful for having these guys on my side.

Comme Ca Las Vegas Daily Specials

(Hardee's ad featuring their French Dip Sandwiches. It has nothing to do with me or Comme Ca, but I'm putting it up anyway.)

In addition to our kickass brasserie menu, we'll be offering Plats du Jour. Here is the lineup.

Monday: Pork Belly
Tuesday: Cassoulet
Wednesday: Coq au Vin
Thursday: Coquille St. Jacques
Friday: Roasted Whole Fish
Saturday: Cote de Beouf for 2
Sunday: Roast Whole Chicken for 2

I'm really looking forward to our opening. Only 3 weeks away!

Comme Ca's Mission Statement

Mission Statement
To provide the BEST brasserie experience for each and every single guest.

Paris, Day One

I had to take a pic of my very first sight of Paris, the City of Love. Walking up from our subway stop.


The first stop for me, Dong, and Eric. The chocolate croissant was great. Perfect after a 14 hour flight.



Fresh seafood, brought in from Brittany?



During this trip, I had macarons from three legendary patisseries. Lenotre, Pierre Herme, and Lauduree. I prefer macarons from Pierre Herme.



Le Comptoir for lunch with Chefs David, Dong and Eric.

Carpaccio Tete de Veau

Boudin Noir, Apples

Ouefs

Roasted Cepes

Pate de Campagna

Braised Pork shaped into a disc, then pan fried. Really cool dish. Nice touch with the lentils and pig ears underneath the braise.

Roasted whole Chicken

Beef Cheeks, Macaroni, Carrots

Tripe

Pork Belly, Potato Puree, Pork Jus, Olive Jus

Scallop and Cepes

The name of this cheese escapes me, but it is quite similar to an Eppoisse

My first Pastis...at the legendary Cafe de Flore.

La Baratin

Escargot

Foie Gras Terrine

Artichoke Salad

Crab Croquettes

Turbot

Roast Suckling Pig!!!

Red Wine Poached Pear

Chocolate Tart

I got a pic with the chef of La Baratin. She did all the cooking on a 6 burner stove, in the kitchen the size of my closet. I am humbled.

Au Pied de Cochon for some pig's feet!

Paris, Day Two

Le Verre Vole, which means "The Stolen Glass", is a restaurant and wine shop. They don't do much of their own cooking, however they source the finest products in France to serve in their restaurant. This is one restaurant that promotes the very controversial "natural wine" movement. So what is "natural wine"?

Most definitions of natural wine include some or all of the following :

Hand-picked, organically or biodynamically grown grapes.
Low-yielding vineyards.
No added sugars, no foreign yeasts.
No fining or filtration
No adjustments for acidity.
No other additives for mouth-feel, colour, etc.
No micro-oxygenation or reverse osmosis.
Little or no added sulphite

(from wikipedia)

Salade de "Pot au Feu"

Pate de Campagna and Pate de Agneau

Beef Carpaccio, Pesto, Capers

Lamb Kidney, Orange, Olives

Utah Beach Oysters

Beurre. Amazing Beurre.

Duck Confit

Andoulliete Sausage: It stunk and it was the real deal. It's made with pig intestines, tripe, and all that good stuff. Almost like eating out a pig's ass!

Boudin Noir : One of the best dishes we had in Paris.

Chocolate Caramel Tart with Salted Butter, the best dessert we had in Paris.

Crumble

Panna Cotta, Strawberry Sauce

The butter served at Le Verre Vole was one of the best butters I have ever tasted, so I had to raid a couple of their refrigerators to find out who the producer was.