Bouchon

We are very fortunate in Las Vegas to have one of Thomas Keller's restaurants, his bistro Bouchon. They serve classic French cuisine, impeccably prepared. This was the second time I've dined there, and it was just as satisfying as the first.

They bring beautiful epi loaves to the table, perfectly crunchy on the outside with a tender crumb. Warm pistachios are another nice touch.

I started out with butternut squash soup, with a dollop of gingerbread bread pudding in the center. Savory, warm, rich.

Since I'll be in Lyon next week, we decided to celebrate with a bottle of Beaujolais, a light, fruit forward red with floral notes and berry flavors.

My Mom had the Daube de Boef, braised short ribs with carrots, potato confit, roasted bone marrow and sauce bordelaise. I loved the presentation of this dish, and the short ribs were super tender.

I had steak frites, a flatiron steak, topped with caramelized shallots maitre d'hotel butter, and served with golden, crisp frites. Very, very satisfying, I knew that I wanted this even before I walked in the door, they're pretty famous for their fries.

Exquisite creme caramel, a soft custard with light caramel sauce. The custard is cooked in the mold with the caramel in the bottom, then inverted at service. Very classic, a dish that can very easily be off because of the simplicity, but the beauty of Bouchon is the execution, always on point.

Mom had the lemon tart, another classic, perfectly executed dessert.

After dinner, our waiter offered us a tour of the kitchen guided by the pastry chef, (we mentioned that I was a culinary student) and we happily obliged. The kitchen was beautifully laid out, streamlined for speed and intricacy. They had the characteristic four stars over the stove, to remind the cooks of the level of perfection demanded of them.

They also offered me a stage in the kitchen when I get back from France, which I am very, very thrilled about. I'm going to be quite the busy girl when I get back, with classes, two stages (I talked to another chef while we were dining, but I'll let you guess the restaurant) and practice for a competition. Plus, I have to make a video for the Basque Stage competition... I want to win that so badly, but it's such a long shot. A girl can dream, right?

My mom was only here for a few days, but they were great. I miss my parents a lot out here, which really makes me appreciate them more than they could know. I am a very lucky person to be able to experience all of the great things I get to do.

Ciao!