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COMME ÇA CLASSICS "We take classics and reinvent them," explains Brian Howard, corporate executive chef of Comme a. The classic Lyonnaise salad gets a modern twist with a creamy soft-boiled ramen egg instead of the traditional poached egg, and lardons are replaced by crispy pig's ears and a warm bacon vinaigrette. Meanwhile, the peren- nial favorite bone marrow and oxtail jam is quickly being surpassed by escargot pie—a heady blend of red wine–braised snails, mixed with garlicky crimini mush- rooms and fnished with a bit of herb butter and a splash of vinegar, before being tucked under a rose- mary–sea salt lattice pie crust and drizzled tableside with a silky Madeira sauce. "It's not just about staying true to what they're doing in Paris and Lyon," Howard says, "but also showcasing the infuences of who came through France." So don't be surprised to fnd harissa-spiked sausages as part of Comme a's extensive in-house charcuterie program or a green curry–accented blanquette de veau. "These are the things that we believe are our classics," he adds, "and they won't change." As the yeAr comes to A close, comme çA moves from hominess to hedonism in its over-the-top new yeAr's eve menu. Like so many who hail from places with identifiable seasons (in his case, Detroit), Howard cites fall and winter as his favorite seasons for creating menus. "It brings back a lot of emotional connection to the season," he says. "I think cold, and with that lots of rich f lavors, lots of spices, squash, pumpkins, and apples." Inspired by meals he would serve at home, Howard begins this year's Christmas menu with roasted pheasant soup with root vegetables and bordelaise sauce, garnished with white truff les and smoked oak leaf—singing of the season, even if the weather doesn't. "To me it's winter," he says, "and it brings me home." Crowd-pleasing prime rib is served tableside with the traditional accompaniments of horseradish and crème fraîche alongside duck-fat potatoes. Since no holiday meal is complete without something sweet, apple pie terrine-filled mason jars with brown butter ice cream and gingerbread streusel provide a comforting close to dinner. And for those who prefer to drink their dessert, splurge on a glass of Louis XIII Black Pearl Cognac. It may be served from a black-as- coal Baccarat crystal bottle, but ringing in at $600 a pour, it's reserved for those who've been extra nice this year. As the year comes to a close, Comme Ça moves from hominess to hedonism in its over-the-top New Year's Eve menu. "We go big on New Year's Eve," says Howard. Diners can watch the fireworks from the balcony while dining on a luxurious five-course tasting menu of Russian osetra caviar with Santa Barbara sea urchin, crispy potato, and quail egg confit, followed by musquee de Provence pumpkin soup with white Alba truff les and Pinot gris gelée. A foie gras terrine with bergamot quince jam and crispy sunchokes serves as the prelude to grilled Wagyu beef short rib and langoustine ravioli with beef fat – whipped potatoes and earthy black truff le sauce. The final course displays the kitchen's artistic prowess in its white truff le and pumpkin charlotte with pumpkin ganache, cinna- mon, pumpkin mousse, and rum baba ice cream served inside an edible blown-sugar pumpkin. You could, of course, view this menu as a dangerously soporific preface to the night ahead, or you could just go with it—and rationalize, as everyone else does, that you can start the asceticism tomorrow. After all, Howard quite reasonably concludes, "New Year's in Las Vegas is all about being fabulous." Cosmopolitan, 702-698-7910; commecarestaurant.com V clockwise from far left: Chef Brian Howard; Comme Ça's chalkboards; a seasonal cranberry cocktail. 84 vegasmagazine.com tAStE