Famed
chef Julian Serrano gave up San Francisco to be chef at this
restaurant where guests are surrounded by paintings---not
reprints, but $50 million worth of the real thing---by Picasso.
The room is posh and serene, with vaulted ceilings, glorious
floral arrangements and elegantly dressed tables set comfortably
apart. Since Picasso spent much of his life in the South of France
and Spain, those are the influences Serrano follows. What’s on the
plate is dramatically presented and delicious enough to distract
your attention even from all those Picassos. Surrender to such
delicacies as warm lobster salad with mangoes; langoustine pulled
live from a tank, and then grilled and drizzled with porcini oil;
sautéed foie gras with Madeira sauce; squab breast cut into tiny
slices and moistened with jus spooned from a tiny copper pot; and
truffle-crusted lamb with Parmesan potatoes. In a town full of
splendid fine-dining restaurants, this one is hard to top. The
main reason is that it’s in contrast to most of Vegas’ other
“imports,” which are associated with a famous chef but the famous
chef himself is not necessarily cooking. At Picasso, Serrano is
the guy in the kitchen. That’s not the only good news, though: the
lake view also makes this one of the most romantic spots in town.
With
a Robert Rauschenberg on the wall and the team of Mark LoRusso and
consulting chef Michael Mina in the kitchen, this elegant
restaurant delivers among the very best cutting-edge cuisine on
the Strip. How such pristine dishes manage to explode with flavor
wows us every time. For starters, it’s hard to decide among the
black mussel soufflé with Chardonnay, garlic and parsley; the
sautéed Atlantic skate with tempura langoustine, fennel purée and
shellfish cream; and the seared sea scallops and domestic foie
gras with rhubarb pie and red endive. It’s equally difficult to
pick an entrée when the choices range from smoked bacon and
herb-crusted turbot with fingerling potatoes, spring onions and
spicy mustard sauce; and truffle butter-poached wild salmon with
shrimp and pea lasagna, and summer truffles. We therefore suggest
ordering a five-course tasting menu, one of which is vegetarian.
That’s the fastest way to acquire Aqua bliss. Among à la carte
sweet finales are a dessert sampler, and a marbleized chocolate
cheesecake. Sommeliers Caleb Dial and Joe Phillips oversee the
exciting wine list.
Sirio
Maccioni and sons bring their elegant ambience from New York to
the Strip in this handsome mahogany-paneled restaurant complete
with a lush big top designed by talented Adam Tihany. The
contemporary cuisine is sophisticated and attractive, though not
always up to the high quality of its New York counterpart. Always
tops when offered are foie gras, risotto and petit fours or dishes
like striped bass stuffed with vegetables, wrapped in lettuce and
steamed in a truffle sauce. Marc Poidevin was chef de cuisine at
Le Cirque 2000 in New York and takes the reigns as executive chef
here and its more casual sister Osteria del Circo. He previously
distinguished himself at New York’s Maxim’s and Tavern on the
Green. This is a grand setting in which to spend your winnings,
and there’s a view of Lake Bellagio with its water-and-light show
to boot. That’s a nice backdrop against which to sip any one of
400 excellent domestic and international wines.
Valentino
is the best Italian restaurant in Los Angeles, so Las Vegas is
lucky to get this elegant cousin with its warm wood-paneled walls
and several intimate dining rooms. Expect Italian dishes that you
might not find elsewhere, plus excellent versions of classics: The
appetizers run from lobster salad to bacon-wrapped snails with
white asparagus and soft polenta. The lasagna is made with duck,
the risotto with fresh-water shrimp. Main courses include the
likes of Sicilian-style swordfish rolls with couscous and lamb
osso buco. We highly suggest choosing one of the several-course
tasting menus to make the most out of a splendid dinner here. As
with the Los Angeles location, the outstanding wine list is a
major attraction.
Award-winning
Nobuyuki Matsuhisa has replicated the décor and menu of his (and
Drew Nieporent and Robert DeNiro’s) Nobu in New York’s trendy
Tribeca. The superb sushi bar just inside the entrance seats 16.
The dazzling 150-seat restaurant features bamboo pillars, wooden
birch trees, a black river rock wall and a seaweed wall. Burnt ash
tabletops appear to match the bamboo features, a black rock at
each table setting to hold chopsticks seems to complement the
black rock wall. Enjoy the mini-mountain of edamame while perusing
the menu. Try the new-style sashimi (whitefish marinated in
garlic, chives and ginger purée and seared in hot olive oil)
created for Beverly Hills customers who prefer their fish cooked.
You’ll like the tuna tataki with ponzu, a South American-inspired
salsa. The specialty of the house is black cod with miso (a sweet
mirin saké sauce) served in butter-lettuce cups topped with an
edible flower and garnished with grated daikon. For dessert, try
Nobu’s Asian pear bread pudding with ginger ice cream and brandy
caramel sauce.
Long
a New York outpost of elegant fine French cuisine, Lutèce in the
desert replicates the quality and style of the original, with a
more modern and dark wood-trimmed décor. Classic dishes with
modern touches, fine wines, elegant service---everything you
expect but seldom find anymore. From appetizers to desserts,
dishes are presented with creative flair, adding to their subtle
blending of tastes. The signature dish is sautéed foie gras with
chocolate sauce and orange marmalade; the roasted foie gras
terrine with port sauce, butternut squash salad and saffron
vinaigrette is equally sublime. Sautéed lobster “risotto” is
paired with English pea purée, tarragon and lobster sauce; sautéed
salmon with asparagus and sunchokes purée is enhanced by
bouillabaisse jus and saffron essence. Dover sole meuniere on a
potato cushion with basil and baby bok choy is a Lutèce classic,
as is grilled côte de boeuf with bordelaise jus, artichokes, bone
marrow, spinach and black truffle casserole. The irresistible
vanilla crème brûlée is garnished with strawberries marinated in
balsamic vinegar. Among soufflés, the Grand Marnier is served with
orange salad and anglaise sauce.
7
Renoir
Mirage
3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Spring Mountain Rd.)
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702-791-7353
make a reservation
With
original Renoirs from hotelier Steve Wynn’s art collection gracing
the walls of this restaurant, an evening here is both a visual and
culinary treat. The chef is Alessandro Stratta, who won accolades
in his previous post at the Phoenician Resort in Scottsdale,
Arizona, and whose modern French cuisine is as artistic and
flavorful as any you’ll try. The room is elegant, and so should
you be for a special dinner indeed. If you can’t decide among the
offerings, try the chef’s special five-course tasting menu, which
often includes a sauté of foie gras with aged balsamic vinegar,
one of the signature dishes. A four-course vegetable tasting menu
capitalizes on fresh seasonal produce to provide specials such as
asparagus cannelloni with spinach and morel mushrooms. Both
tasting menus are paired with fine wines from the excellent
cellar. Truly a great dining experience.
808
(the area code for Hawaii) was inspired by French-born and raised
chef-restaurateur-consultant Jean-Marie Josselin, who honed his
skills at the Culinary School of Paris. An Asian-inspired antiqued
gate opens into the 100-seat eatery decorated with the exotic
grain pattern of Tamo ash woods and internally lit honey onyx. A
simulated riverbed of brushed copper pebbles extends from the
entrance to the gleaming exhibition kitchen that seats ten at its
counter. Glass walls laminated with rice paper create an
eight-seat private room. Appetizers are served in the lounge and
bar inside the entrance. This exquisite restaurant features
Josselin’s classical European-Asian fare. Credited as the founder
of Hawaiian regional cuisine, he combines the freshest seafood of
the Islands with French, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai and
Indian techniques. Try the savory Thai-style crawfish soup with
chile crème fraîche, mushroom ravioli and artichoke chips ladled
tableside from a copper pot. We like the New Wave bento box of
assorted appetizers---ahi sushi, day boat scallops, firecracker
salmon and a pot sticker. The sublime mahi mahi is served with
lime-ginger beurre blanc and Asian-style fried vegetables. Go for
the seared beef filet with sweet Hawaiian shrimp, roasted garlic
relish, crispy sun-dried tomato polenta and cèpes-port sauce. The
extensive menu lists a suggested wine with each choice. Save room
for the tropical lumpia: banana-rum ice cream-filled crêpes with
fruit consommé. Josselin’s own blend of Kona coffee varieties are
dramatically French-pressed to order tableside. Complimentary
petit fours are presented on a silver tree.
Dine
here just to see the unique four-story "wine tower," which
showgirl-pretty wine "angels" ascend with the help of cables and
pulleys to choose your trophy bottle. The sleek Adam Tihany décor
with lots of water and glass and sophisticated blacks and whites
will make you feel like a winner. So will the contemporary cuisine
by Charlie Palmer (of New York Aureole fame), with chef Robert
Kirchoff. The changing menu features such upscale comfort-food
dishes as shell steak with caramelized onion-potato tart. A
pepper-seared tuna arrives with green-onion risotto, and the
popular filet mignon often is accompanied by a marrow and parsley
custard. Choosing dessert may be difficult---the chocolate torte
with a warm liquid center and coffee Kahlúa ice cream is tempting
but wouldn’t it be fun to order one of the notable dessert wines
and watch the "angel" rappel the tower with your choice?
The
first of the fine-dining “imports” to come to Vegas from
elsewhere, Wolfgang Puck’s Spago is still one of the best. Modern
art adorns the multilevel high-ceilinged space where there’s
always a buzz. Though Wolfgang himself is known to pop in to man
the stoves, his protégé and executive partner here, David Robins,
turns out reliable and sophisticated fare in the Puck tradition.
We’re always happy with such dishes as buttery-sweet foie gras two
ways; steamed black grouper with spring fennel ravioli; baby
spinach and truffle butter; and tender grilled lamb chops with a
Provençal tart. Greg Harrington, at 28, is the youngest Master
Sommelier in the country, and he knows his way around the
excellent wine list from which you can choose many a “splurge”
bottle after winning at the slots. The front Café is good for
casual, no-reservations dining.
Famed
chef Julian Serrano gave up San Francisco to be chef at this
restaurant where guests are surrounded by paintings---not
reprints, but $50 million worth of the real thing---by Picasso.
The room is posh and serene, with vaulted ceilings, glorious
floral arrangements and elegantly dressed tables set comfortably
apart. Since Picasso spent much of his life in the South of France
and Spain, those are the influences Serrano follows. What’s on the
plate is dramatically presented and delicious enough to distract
your attention even from all those Picassos. Surrender to such
delicacies as warm lobster salad with mangoes; langoustine pulled
live from a tank, and then grilled and drizzled with porcini oil;
sautéed foie gras with Madeira sauce; squab breast cut into tiny
slices and moistened with jus spooned from a tiny copper pot; and
truffle-crusted lamb with Parmesan potatoes. In a town full of
splendid fine-dining restaurants, this one is hard to top. The
main reason is that it’s in contrast to most of Vegas’ other
“imports,” which are associated with a famous chef but the famous
chef himself is not necessarily cooking. At Picasso, Serrano is
the guy in the kitchen. That’s not the only good news, though: the
lake view also makes this one of the most romantic spots in town.
With
a Robert Rauschenberg on the wall and the team of Mark LoRusso and
consulting chef Michael Mina in the kitchen, this elegant
restaurant delivers among the very best cutting-edge cuisine on
the Strip. How such pristine dishes manage to explode with flavor
wows us every time. For starters, it’s hard to decide among the
black mussel soufflé with Chardonnay, garlic and parsley; the
sautéed Atlantic skate with tempura langoustine, fennel purée and
shellfish cream; and the seared sea scallops and domestic foie
gras with rhubarb pie and red endive. It’s equally difficult to
pick an entrée when the choices range from smoked bacon and
herb-crusted turbot with fingerling potatoes, spring onions and
spicy mustard sauce; and truffle butter-poached wild salmon with
shrimp and pea lasagna, and summer truffles. We therefore suggest
ordering a five-course tasting menu, one of which is vegetarian.
That’s the fastest way to acquire Aqua bliss. Among à la carte
sweet finales are a dessert sampler, and a marbleized chocolate
cheesecake. Sommeliers Caleb Dial and Joe Phillips oversee the
exciting wine list.
Sirio
Maccioni and sons bring their elegant ambience from New York to
the Strip in this handsome mahogany-paneled restaurant complete
with a lush big top designed by talented Adam Tihany. The
contemporary cuisine is sophisticated and attractive, though not
always up to the high quality of its New York counterpart. Always
tops when offered are foie gras, risotto and petit fours or dishes
like striped bass stuffed with vegetables, wrapped in lettuce and
steamed in a truffle sauce. Marc Poidevin was chef de cuisine at
Le Cirque 2000 in New York and takes the reigns as executive chef
here and its more casual sister Osteria del Circo. He previously
distinguished himself at New York’s Maxim’s and Tavern on the
Green. This is a grand setting in which to spend your winnings,
and there’s a view of Lake Bellagio with its water-and-light show
to boot. That’s a nice backdrop against which to sip any one of
400 excellent domestic and international wines.
Valentino
is the best Italian restaurant in Los Angeles, so Las Vegas is
lucky to get this elegant cousin with its warm wood-paneled walls
and several intimate dining rooms. Expect Italian dishes that you
might not find elsewhere, plus excellent versions of classics: The
appetizers run from lobster salad to bacon-wrapped snails with
white asparagus and soft polenta. The lasagna is made with duck,
the risotto with fresh-water shrimp. Main courses include the
likes of Sicilian-style swordfish rolls with couscous and lamb
osso buco. We highly suggest choosing one of the several-course
tasting menus to make the most out of a splendid dinner here. As
with the Los Angeles location, the outstanding wine list is a
major attraction.
Long
a New York outpost of elegant fine French cuisine, Lutèce in the
desert replicates the quality and style of the original, with a
more modern and dark wood-trimmed décor. Classic dishes with
modern touches, fine wines, elegant service---everything you
expect but seldom find anymore. From appetizers to desserts,
dishes are presented with creative flair, adding to their subtle
blending of tastes. The signature dish is sautéed foie gras with
chocolate sauce and orange marmalade; the roasted foie gras
terrine with port sauce, butternut squash salad and saffron
vinaigrette is equally sublime. Sautéed lobster “risotto” is
paired with English pea purée, tarragon and lobster sauce; sautéed
salmon with asparagus and sunchokes purée is enhanced by
bouillabaisse jus and saffron essence. Dover sole meuniere on a
potato cushion with basil and baby bok choy is a Lutèce classic,
as is grilled côte de boeuf with bordelaise jus, artichokes, bone
marrow, spinach and black truffle casserole. The irresistible
vanilla crème brûlée is garnished with strawberries marinated in
balsamic vinegar. Among soufflés, the Grand Marnier is served with
orange salad and anglaise sauce.
With
original Renoirs from hotelier Steve Wynn’s art collection gracing
the walls of this restaurant, an evening here is both a visual and
culinary treat. The chef is Alessandro Stratta, who won accolades
in his previous post at the Phoenician Resort in Scottsdale,
Arizona, and whose modern French cuisine is as artistic and
flavorful as any you’ll try. The room is elegant, and so should
you be for a special dinner indeed. If you can’t decide among the
offerings, try the chef’s special five-course tasting menu, which
often includes a sauté of foie gras with aged balsamic vinegar,
one of the signature dishes. A four-course vegetable tasting menu
capitalizes on fresh seasonal produce to provide specials such as
asparagus cannelloni with spinach and morel mushrooms. Both
tasting menus are paired with fine wines from the excellent
cellar. Truly a great dining experience.
Dine
here just to see the unique four-story "wine tower," which
showgirl-pretty wine "angels" ascend with the help of cables and
pulleys to choose your trophy bottle. The sleek Adam Tihany décor
with lots of water and glass and sophisticated blacks and whites
will make you feel like a winner. So will the contemporary cuisine
by Charlie Palmer (of New York Aureole fame), with chef Robert
Kirchoff. The changing menu features such upscale comfort-food
dishes as shell steak with caramelized onion-potato tart. A
pepper-seared tuna arrives with green-onion risotto, and the
popular filet mignon often is accompanied by a marrow and parsley
custard. Choosing dessert may be difficult---the chocolate torte
with a warm liquid center and coffee Kahlúa ice cream is tempting
but wouldn’t it be fun to order one of the notable dessert wines
and watch the "angel" rappel the tower with your choice?
The
first of the fine-dining “imports” to come to Vegas from
elsewhere, Wolfgang Puck’s Spago is still one of the best. Modern
art adorns the multilevel high-ceilinged space where there’s
always a buzz. Though Wolfgang himself is known to pop in to man
the stoves, his protégé and executive partner here, David Robins,
turns out reliable and sophisticated fare in the Puck tradition.
We’re always happy with such dishes as buttery-sweet foie gras two
ways; steamed black grouper with spring fennel ravioli; baby
spinach and truffle butter; and tender grilled lamb chops with a
Provençal tart. Greg Harrington, at 28, is the youngest Master
Sommelier in the country, and he knows his way around the
excellent wine list from which you can choose many a “splurge”
bottle after winning at the slots. The front Café is good for
casual, no-reservations dining.