Michael Lippman

Have been hearing about the French Toast at Comme Ca for a couple of weeks now.  One of my best friends is getting divorced and after a major court date she and a bunch of girlfriends went to Comme Ca and they all came out raving about the French toast.

I immediately went into competition mode:  really? Is it better than the Griddle?  What's the Griddle?, they asked.  Please!  Only like the most genius French Toast in the universe.  Sweet and eggy!  Eggy is the key to genius French Toast in my book.  Like it's been soaked in egg for so long that when you cut into it, it ooooozes egg. 

I've gotten a lot of French Toast recs over the years and been frequently disappointed.  I really don't care if someone makes it with sweet cinnamon bread, or Challah, or whatever.  They usually still make it too dry for my taste. 

But I love Comme Ca, so I do have high hopes.  Walk in at 9 AM Sunday with wife and daughter.  They open at 8 but at 9 it's still empty.  We're the first people here (The Griddle already has a wait of at least 30 minutes at 9 AM on a Sunday).  I'm reminded how much I adore the space.  Have I never noticed the magazine rack?  The magazines are current too.

The coffee is from Intelligentsia and is annoyingly "green".  Some of Intelligentsia's blends are awesome, some taste too much like bell pepper.

We order some bacon and eggs so that my 2 year old has a little bit of protein.  The eggs are incredibly fluffy and creamy and while you can tell they've achieved something wonderful with them, I'm not a huge fan.  The bacon is good but it does not capture my bacon imagination.  The potatoes that come with are perfect.  Crisp on the outside, creamy on the inside.  But it's all about the French Toast --

Which is indeed killer.  Eggy, but less in an oozy way and more in a custardy way.  Thus: "creme brulee French Toast".  So when you cut into it, it holds its shape but reveals more egg custard than bread.  Superb.  And a great crunch on the outside.  My first reaction is, it's my new best in LA. 

But after I calm down, I'm not so sure.  It's great, but better than The Griddle?  More craveable???  I guess we'll just have to see what I crave.