COMME CI... COMME CA...

French food, through the ages, is known to have evolved into one of the world's trendiest (and, in a way, pompous) cuisines. Its reputation as haute cuisine is one that transcends all sides of the foodie spectrum; it is viewed as artful by connoisseurs, and minimalist/insatiable by the less-discerning. No matter what side of the fence you're on, one thing is certain: French cuisine has truly evolved through the generations. Due in part to the various socio-political movements, as well as the collaboration of great French cooks and chefs, the cuisine of France has become an artform; an esteemed contribution to the culture of L'Hexagone.

Los Angeles has, through the years, welcomed French cuisine with open arms often times relishing in the chic meshing of haute cuisine and haute society. Award-winning chef David Myers (Sona, Boule) has a masterpiece in West Hollywood in the form of Comme Ca. Barely a year old, Comme Ca captures that fine marriage between all things trendy and classic with regard to French food, and the ever-moving social landscape of L.A. The brasserie itself is dark and cozy, with three separate dining areas. The colors (grays, whites, and blacks) are drab, but are reminiscent of a 1940s/1950s film noir. The restaurant has a small bar area, perhaps to keep it from having that loungey feel at night, but that doesn't stop visitors from crowding around, sipping on $13-cocktails until their tables are set. At dinnertime, the restaurant is packed, and loud. I'm not sure I even recall music playing in the background. What I do remember was the staccato of different conversations bouncing off the walls of the space. I had read reviews condemning Comme Ca for its louder-than-life "noise," but oddly enough I found much to love about it. It reminded me of being in one of those "power" restaurants that I often frequented back in D.C.

The dinner menu offered all of the usual suspects in French cuisine: fruits de mer, fromage, charcuterie et vin. Plenty of vin, in fact. The hors d'oeuvres menu included tuna nicoise, steak tartare, escargots, moules frites - which I had been craving for days before. The moules frites was our instant choice, and we reveled in the perfectly-cooked mussels and fries.

Main courses included bouillabaisse, sole meuniere, and the ever-French coq au vin. Between my friends and I, an array of dishes graced our table: roasted pork chop (with a Swiss chard gratin), salmon with gnocchi Parisienne, steak frites, and paleron of beef bourguignon - which was divine. I dove into my dish not knowing what to expect. What I experienced was sure bliss; the beef was so tender and flavorful that it melted in my mouth just as decadently as ice cream. My dining company similarly enjoyed their dishes, and we had to think twice about dessert... sort of.

Before dessert we ordered off the restaurant's "9:58" menu --which is sort of like a "happy hour" menu that offers a list of specialty drinks and Comme Ca's lunch-time burger starting at 9:58PM. One of my friends and I decided to partake in the libations, and each came away with a negroni cocktail (made with Campari) and a White Russian - each for $9.58. This paved the way for our final taste of the evening: a brioche pudding & ice cream - a perfect fusion of freshly baked, chocolatey goodness with cool, vanilla ice cream.

The night could've gone on and on, but the experience sent us ready and willing for bed-time... with many sweet dreams sure to linger in our heads. Each dish was well-executed. The place, itself, was a beautiful hybrid of casual chic and classiness. And the experience -- priceless.

Comme Ca is officially one of my favorite things.
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Comme Ca, 8479 Melrose Avenue (cross street: La Cienega), Los Angeles, CA 90069, 323.782.1104