Larry's Profile
What should I order at...
Bouchon breakfast: Oeuf & Boudin Blanc. Includes an excellent croissant. I love this dish, but some folks hate boudin blanc; it's soft and somewhat sour.
Searching for Kobe beef to cook
The reason that CUT (and every other place) stopped offering real Japanese Wagyu was that the United States banned the import. More than two years ago, Japan suffered an outbreak of foot and mouth disease. This led to the ban. The last I heard, the import ban was still in effect.
CUT offered Wagyu from Kagoshima and Saga prefectures (at different times); other restaurants offered these, as well as Omi beef. The quality at CUT was claimed to be A5, with one cook saying the marbling score was 9. Based on comparisons with a couple of other places, I'm guessing they told the truth.
Deciding between Mesa Grill, Spago, and Mon Ami Gabi... NEED HELP!!!
"My waiter explained to me that they almost had a Michelin star but did not receive it as it is located in a Casino."
Your waiter was -- to put it delicately -- confused. Back when Michelin was rating restaurants in Las Vegas, virtually every starred restaurant was in a casino.
If memory serves, Mesa Grill got a star early on. However, a list I've kept shows that by 2009 Mesa had no star. That doesn't speak well of the restaurant.
Which high end places (twist, la atelier,etc...) have a bar menu?
Guy Savoy has a bar (Bubbles Bar) which serves small portions at (relatively) small prices; no reservations required.
Exotic restaurant Please:
Are you referring to an unusual cut of meat, or an unusual critter?
If the former, than B&B restaurant usually offers a lot of offal.
If the latter, then no really exotic animal comes to mind. There's a restaurant that serves nothing but goat -- even for breakast -- if that will do ( http://birrieriajalisco.com/ -- warning: music plays automatically).
Menu Dégustation v Menu Decouverte at L'Atelier
I think zippyh's right. It's been a while, but I believe I ordered five items, and that was a lot of food.
Kobe Beef in America - is it real?
Is there any info as to when Japanese beef will again be available in the United States? Before Japan's foot-and-mouth troubles, I had tried some excellent versions (Omi is one that comes to mind). The Australian, New Zealand, and U.S. competitors haven't been nearly as tasty.
Trip report
Thanks for the detailed trip report! Le Cirque sounds great. Somehow I never get around to going there, but maybe next trip...
I was sorry to hear about your experience with the "Kobe" beef. I looked at Le Cirque's online menu, and at least they have the decency to put the name in quotes, since it isn't the real deal. Since the beef was from Australia (if the online menu is correct), that also calls into question the "A5" rating, which I believe is a Japanese grading standard. Lastly, quality level 5 covers a fairly wide range. I've tried some Australian beef which may have been similar (it was available at restaurant CUT), and it was a step below the quality that was available from Japan (a couple of years ago, before the Japanese outbreak of foot-and-mouth prevented imports into the U.S.).
Ice cream parlors in Vegas?
I've been there a couple of times, but not in many years. I thought it was good, but not great. As a tourist, it wasn't worth the (admittedly short) drive from the Strip.
Thoughts on Blue Ribbon in the Cosmo?
Sounds like Blue Ribbon is out, but just in case: avoid the sushi bar portion of the restaurant. It lacks atmosphere, and the prices are very high for good-but-not-great sushi.
With respect to Dave F's mention of RM Upstairs, I've only been there once, but was very impressed: inventive, tasty cooking.
Dress code at upscale places (e + robuchon)
Several other places request a jacket as well; none require. I've verified this by emails, and in person.
Dress code at upscale places (e + robuchon)
They're also not required at Guy Savoy, Twist, Picasso nor at any other restaurant on the Strip to which I've been. Corsets are optional...
Good breakfast on north Vegas strip?
I second Beach Chick's recommendation of Bouchon -- my favorite breakfast spot in town.
Tableau (at Wynn) was once my second favorite. Over time, its menu was dumbed down, and it went through a series of chefs. IIRC, it might even have been briefly renamed. Now it's back with another chef, and it seems there's hope for the menu again. It might be worth a try...
A Few Words on: é, Guy Savoy, Raku, Sage, Blue Ribbon Sushi, Central
I've just returned from a week of gluttony in Las Vegas, but it will be a couple of weeks until I get organized enough to write real reviews. In the meantime, here are brief summaries:
(1) é by José Andrés: Definitely go! Excellent food, and the most interesting restaurant in town. For those familiar with Andrés' minibar in D.C., I'd say that é's food is slightly less experimental, but better conceived and tastier. Perhaps they just choose the winners?
(2) Guy Savoy: as good as ever, maybe even better. Among Vegas' top three.
(3) Raku: the best off-Strip restaurant, and well worth a trek. I find myself eating here every trip. In addition to all the regular goodies, the specials are invariably excellent. Reservations needed.
(4) Sage: I'm not as enthusiastic as some of its more ardent supporters, but it's very good.
(5) Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill: good-but-not-great sushi at ridiculous prices. The sushi bar lacks atmosphere.
(6) Central by Michel Richard: I had two breakfasts and two lunches at this newly opened restaurant. I kept hoping to find a gem, but instead kept finding cooking miscues. Until such time as cooking problems can be corrected, stay away. A big disappointment. However, the desserts (Michel's chocolate bar; Michel's Napoleon) were excellent.
Palazzo/Venetian Eats
First Food & Bar is an interesting alternative. Yes, it's a bar, but with a fairly famous chef (Sam DeMarco), and an usual-for-a-bar menu. I can vouch for Philly Cheesesteak Dumplings, as well as Walnut Shrimp. On my gotta-try list is Phee Pha Pho Duck Noodle Soup (Breast, leg, foie, traditional garnish). Go to the Venetian or Palazzo web site to see the full menu.
Guy Savoy vs Twist
I've been to both, and am still torn. I also enjoy unusual dishes, but was a little disappointed in Twist: the food was good, but not at the level of Guy Savoy. Perhaps the problem is that the food at Twist wasn't experimental enough to compensate for the difference in quality. I'm returning to Guy Savoy for a third time, but don't plan to revisit Twist any time soon (on the other hand, I have high hopes for é by Jose Andrés).
summerlin
How about Marché Bacchus? As a tourist visiting the Strip, I didn't think it was worth the drive. However, if I lived in the area, I'd think it was well worth it. It serves simple food, and is one part wine store as well. Buy wine at the store, and there's only a small surcharge to open it while dining at the restaurant.
Island Flavor is the Best Hawaiian BBQ in Las Vegas!
Thanks for the info! As a tourist, I still have fond memories of visiting Helena's when it was on King Street (in the 1980's), so your recommendation here is high praise indeed.
Best japanese restaurant in an MGM brand hotel?????
BARMASA is by far the best in terms of quality -- but it's exceedingly expensive, and to my mind not worth the tab. It lacks a sushi bar, and the wait staff didn't seem very knowledgeable. By comparison, the New York original is even more expensive, but arguably worth it.
I ate at Shibuya years back, and crossed it off my list because the sushi chefs didn't interact with their customers; everything went through servers. The sushi was pretty good, though.
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Shibuya
3799 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV
Where to eat @ Wynn/Encore?
Bartolotta, for excellent seafood and Italian. The menu is online. Whole fresh fish, flown in from the Mediterranean, is the star. It's prepared very simply, but is very, very good.
é by José Andrés
Five hours! I think I'd go nuts. I've eaten at Andres' minibar, and 27 courses took only something like 3 hours; that was plenty of time. I've also eaten at Bazaar, and had the chef's menu at Providence, and took much less time. We Americans must be impatient.
Oyster bar on the strip?
Bouchon also has an oyster bar -- not cheap, though!
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Bouchon
3355 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109
What to eat on the way to Bryce Canyon?
??? The title says Bryce Canyon; your text says Grand Canyon.
At a loss...
I have difficulty thinking of any restaurant I'd describe as "sexy, over the top" in both food AND decor.
Joel Robuchon has perhaps the best food in town, with a very elegant setting, but I'd hardly describe the atmosphere as sexy and over the top. The same goes for Guy Savoy.
Twist by Pierre Gagnaire comes closer in the atmosphere department. It's located on the 23rd floor, and the dining room itself is pretty impressive. The risk here is the food: it's experimental French. You have to be the type of people who enjoy being challenged. Some of the dishes are very good, but others are more interesting than they are delicious.
An old standby is Picasso. There's nothing unusual about the food, but it's prepared extremely well. It would make my top ten in terms of food. The atmosphere is even better, with impressive artwork, and if you're lucky, a view of Bellagio's fountains. Another plus: while expensive, it's much cheaper than Robuchon or Savoy.
Need interesting, unusual Vegas food
Here's another recommendation for Raku, and Lotus of Siam as well. If money is no object, Twist by Pierre Gagnaire offers very inventive cooking.
However, you mentioned "bachelorette party." If that means a large group, or a boisterous group, then my recommendations, and many of the others given so far, won't work.
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Lotus of Siam
953 E Sahara Ave Ste A5, Las Vegas, NV 89104
Itinerary review please! Vegas Virgin
I've been to four of the places listed.
Lotus of Siam. I agree with Steve Green (and probably most other posters). It's well worth going to. If you choose lunch, avoid the buffet; ask for the regular menu.
Bouchon (brunch). I agree with seal; Bouchon is also my favorite breakfast spot. However, I think it's very good for brunch as well, with a similar but more extensive menu.
Mon Ami Gabi. I think the food is good enough, but nothing special. However, I love sitting outside (no reservations; first come, first served), watching the people and cars go by.
BLT. When I ate there, my hamburger was a bit dry; I saw the line cook pressing on the burgers pretty hard. However, other people I trust have had juicy burgers there, and the milk shakes (alcoholic or otherwise) are good.
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Bouchon
3355 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Mon Ami Gabi
3655 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Lotus of Siam
953 E Sahara Ave Ste A5, Las Vegas, NV 89104
Carnevino Riserva vs Cut Wagyu
zack said "...Am I comparing apples to oranges here?..."
I think so. As A5 said, it really depends on what you want. I had Japanese wagyu at CUT way back when it was from Kagoshima Prefecture, and loved it. When I tried their replacement - New Zealand wagyu - I wasn't as impressed.
Carnevino's Riserva steak is an entirely different animal, so to speak. I've heard meat lovers wax lyrical about it. However, I had a different reaction. My review at the time:
"...the flavor was very odd. I agree with some of the terms I've seen applied to Riserva beef, such as "musty" and "blue cheese note." The meat was drier and chewier than a regular steak, and the strong flavors were a little off putting at first -- but in general I liked it. I prefer garden variety steaks to the Riserva version, but comparing the two is like comparing fresh pork to ham -- they're two different creatures."
To be fair, I'm not much of a steak eater - maybe twice a year. True steak lovers might enjoy it a lot more.
Las Vegas Epicurean Affair
I went two years ago, and wasn't that impressed. It wasn't up to the standards of Vegas Uncork'd's Grand Tasting. It seemed to me that it was aimed more at food industry insiders than at the general public -- more a place to talk to friends and meet new contacts, rather than to sample the best that Las Vegas has to offer.
