's Blog

The contestants and the judges (from left to right): Josh Renfree/BOA, Judge Michael Cardenas/BOA, Sophie Gayot, Clint Johnson/Comme Ca, Judge Nile Park/Comme Ca, Stacy Street/Church & State, Judge Yassmin Sarmadi/Church & State, Hector Bury/Joe’s, Judge Joe Miller/Joe’s

By Sophie Gayot

Come join us this Sunday, Nov. 15th, at 3:30p.m. at David Myers’ Comme Ca restaurant where the second part of Raising the Bar will be held.

Raising the Bar is a free cocktail competition that I will be judging, along with Victoria Recaño (anchor of KTLA’s 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts), between the bartenders of Joe’s in Venice, Comme Ca, BOA Steakhouse and Church & State. They will be required to make three rounds of drinks: a classic cocktail, a themed drink using a certain spirit (Bourbon) and a creation of their own.

Stacy Street from Church & State won the first part of the competition held at Joe’s in October. The classic was a Negroni; round two was made with Zaya Rum. For the freestyle, Hector Bury from Joe’s came up with “The Jean Genie” (Tuata, Vodka, Cointreau, lemon juice), Clint Johnson from Comme Ca with “Dominicana”, Josh Rentree from BOA with “Pumpkin Cream” and Street wowed the judges with her “Crémant de la Poire”.

Expect the atmosphere to warm up as time goes by. And, don’t worry, I will leave Comme Ca under the legal alcohol limit. Note that the event is free, so please come to Comme Ca.