Hey Divas! As promised, I'm blogging my indulgent Friday night out in LA with Kuzak's bro and his Chicago Foodie Wife! The day got off to a good start with lunch at Sushi Nozawa (see my prior review here). To get us started, the Adorable Monster decided to munch on Chicago Foodie's shoe, demolishing it. So any future house guests, be forewarned. The Monster is no joke! Needless to say, I was mortified and hoped a fun night out and some great food would erase the memory of destroyed footwear, cuz you Divas know, it's dangerous to come between a lady and her shoes!
We launched our night out at Comme Ca, David Myer's take on a French bistro - with a fab cheese bar and bonus 1920's speakeasy bar. We rolled in without a reservation, hoping for nibbles and drinks. The hostess could not have been more accommodating, whisking us over to a four top after informing us that she needed it back by 9pm - perfect since we were due over at Animal at 9pm for dinner. They make over 300 cocktails, so after much consideration we ordered drinks. Kuzak and I stuck to the Penicillin, our favorite. It's a delicious combo of scotch, ginger, lemon and honey. Trust me, this drink, true to its name, will cure anything that ails you! The Chicago Foodie, who found her way to the Windy City by way of the former Soviet Union, bravely requested the Moscow Mule. Needless to say, both booze and hilarity ensued, and Chicago Foodie earned herself a brand new nickname. The drink was tasty, a mix of vodka, ginger, lime and soda.
We topped our drinks off with oysters, escargot and a trio of cheeses. The oysters came out first, two tiers of shimmering east coast and west coast beauties. They were fresh, plump and briny, perfectly shucked to preserve the juices. The shallot vinegar brought out the flavor. Comme Ca is a real gem for their oysters alone - they're like an oyster oasis in a desert city. Next, our server informed us the Cheese Guy would be along shortly, prompting me to ask when the Escargot Guy would show up. Our (cute) server joked that he would be coming along "slowly." In reality, the snail man was speedy, showing up next with a lovely ramekin loaded with snails covered in parsley, garlic, butter, mushrooms and breadcrumbs. This is one of my favorite dishes they serve and some of the best escargot I have ever tasted. Sopping up the sauce with the warmed bagettes they bring out may be the best part. Next, the cheese guy materialized with a lovely plate of three cheeses.
Pleasantly satiated, we quickly paid our bill and hoped across town to our next stop, Animal, the restaurant started by the Food Dudes that like its name indicates is not going to be friended by PETA on Facebook anytime soon. This place is a carnivore's wet dream, showcasing a menu loaded with audacious bacon, large hunks of pork and lamb shank, and just about every kind of meat you can imagine. We sampled a variety of appetizers, including their take on high class chili cheese fries. They top their taters with Ox Tail gravy and aged cheddar cheese, indulgent and divine at the same time. I also sampled the fluke - delicately shaved slices served sashimi style with mint, jalapeƱo and citrus. Light and lovely. For my main course, I had the quail fry, one of my favorite dishes of all time. It's deep fried quail - I often joke and call it, "KFQ." Kentucky Fried Quail. It's served with bacon, grits and greens. What more can a Diva ask for? This is a dig your hands in and get them dirty kind of dish, and there's nothing more primal and enjoyable than eating meat with your hands. For dessert, our two favorites were the famous bacon chocolate bar and their donuts topped with caramel sauce. I describe the chocolate bar as a tasting like a Nestle Crunch bar, but imagine if the crunches were bacon bits. Yes, it's that amazing. After I was rolled out of the restaurant, feeling stuffed, but also pleasantly indulged, I looked at my friends and realized that good food brings good friends together like nothing else.
We arrived home, liberated the Monster from his pen, and finished the night we a bottle of Copain Syrah. As I went to bed, I reminded myself that this was all just the tailgate before the big game. Tonight we're going to Sona, my favorite restaurant in LA, where I plan to eat the 9 course tasting menu for the first time. So stay tuned here for that update coming soon!! And enjoy your Saturday nights.
Comme Ca
8479 Melrose Ave.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
323-782-1104
Diva Rating: 3 1/2 stars (out of 5 stars)
Animal
435 N. Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 782-9225
Diva Rating 3 1/2 stars (our of 5 stars)
Comme Ca's lavender and fennel goat cheese served with the sundried tomatoe and house preserved sour cherries was sheer brilliance. All these wonderful flavors came together with the ginger and lime in the Moscow Mule. And I have already raved about Animal's poutine in a previous comment....
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