Vegas Baby!

I just got back from another fabulous trip to Vegas where I spent the weekend with my buddy Mike and his girlfriend, Jill. We stayed at the Wynn which was pretty money. I'm sure I gained 5 lbs that trip, but who cares? It was well worth it. We visited Thomas Keller's Bouchon, L'atelier de Joel Robuchon, Wolfgang Puck's Cut steakhouse, and Okada for some sushi. We also got to check out the Cirque du Soleil show- Le Reve which was simply amazing. I suggest anybody interested check it out.



Le Reve theatre



Chilling at the Wynn with Mike (keep him away from the craps tables)

L'atelier de Joel Robuchon is one of my new favorite restaurants. I'm going there every time I go to Vegas from now on.

We all had the Discovery tasting menu at L'atelier de Joel Robuchon:

• L’AMUSE-BOUCHE
  crémeux de foie gras au Porto et son émulsion au parmesan
  Foie gras parfait with port wine and parmesan foam
• Saumon Fumé
  Smoked Salmon in an herb geleé with Wasabi cream
• 
• LES HUITRES
  de Kussi pochées dans leur coquille au beurre salé
  Poached baby Kussi oysters with French « Echiré » butter
• 
• LA SAINT-JACQUES
  la noix cuite au beurre d’algue dans sa coquille
  Scallop cooked with seaweed butter and black truffle
• 
• LE FOIE GRAS
  en ravioles dans un bouillon de poule avec une fleurette pimentée
  Foie gras ravioli in a warm chicken broth with herbs
• 
• LE SAINT-PIERRE
  John Dory filet cooked a la plancha with herbs and potato crisp
• 
• LA CAILLE
  au foie gras, caramélisée avec une pomme purée truffée
  Free-range quail stuffed with foie gras and served with truffled-mashed potatoes
• 
• L’Onglet
  de boeuf à l’échalote
  French-style hanger steak with fried shallots
• 
• L’ANANAS
  à la vanille de Tahiti, crème de cheesecake
  Pineapple infusion, Tahitian cheesecake
• 
• LE PARFAIT ARABICA
  Crème onctueuse au lait de coco et au citron « Corsica »
  Light coffee cream served with coconut milk and lemon from Corsica
• 
• LE CAFE
  Coffee or Espresso

C'est Coi

I went to try the restaurant Coi in SF earlier this month. I heard good things about it and decided to give it a try. The flavors were pretty amazing. I guess you would describe the food as avant garde cooking. While the meal was outstanding, its not the type of food that leaves you feeling full satisfied, like you had a big meal. Since my friend owed me a dinner, I wanted to see him squirm when we ordered the 11 course tasting menu, and he did...

Menu February 6, 2009

Amouse Bouche
milk and honey encapsulated in a thin sugar (Money!)

1. Pink Grapefruit
ginger, tarragon, black pepper

2. Shiny Beets
citrus scented gel, vadouvan


3. Inverted Andante Dairy Goat Cheese and Black Olive Tart
chicories, Green Apple, Mint


4. Parsley Root-Green Garlic Soup
braised Snails, Padron Chile Flakes, Breakfast Radish

5. Crab Melt, California Style
dungeness Crab, Staffan's Lardo, Wheatgrass, Sprouts



6. Earth and Sea
steamed tofu mousseline, yuba, fresh seaweeds, mushroom dashi

7. Sauteed Monterey Bay Abalone
escarole, caper berry-sea lettuce vinaigrette

8. Pastured Beef, Pure Form
prather ranch loin cooked in its fat, Marrow roasted cauliflower



9. Two Year Montgomery's Cheddar (Neal's Yard)
rye bread, arrowhead cabbage, grain mustard

10. Blood Orange Curd
Douglas fir Ice Cream, Black Walnut Crumble



11. Chocolate-Mesquite Cake
smoked pepitas praline, squash sherbet

Le Declin de L'empire Americain

Not a whole lot going on at the moment. A few weeks ago I went to see a French play for the first time. While I enjoyed the overall experience, I was completely lost with the dialogue since all the actors spoke so quickly. They might as well have been speaking in Mandarin Chinese. Naturally, you miss out on part of the experience when you can't understand any of the jokes. C'est la vie! The play was titled 'Le Declin de L'empire Americain' (The decline of the American Empire). The play had nothing to do with politics or the United States for that matter.

Plot Synopsis:

Eight intellectual friends: four men and four women from the Université de Montréal department of history, prepare to have dinner together. The ensuing conversations range from their professional lives to politics, but primarily concern their sexual exploits. The group has plans to gather at a secluded house for dinner. While the four men prepare the food and reflect on their promiscuity, the four women discuss their own affairs at a nearby gym. At the dinner table, conflicts soon arise when Dominique reveals that she herself has had affairs with two of the men there -- one of whom is married to Louise (also present).

I haven't taken many photos recently since the weather has been quite cold, but here are a few. Most were taken near Le Musée Georges Pompidou.


The Golden Man


Statue #1 near Pompidou


Statue #2 near Pompidou


Statue #3 near Pompidou


Statue #4 near Pompidou


Place de la Replublique





A tempting restaurant


A flier from my first French protest to defend immigrants who were arrested and deported for not carrying proof of residence papers.