It’sDiningTime!
San Francisco/Bay Area restaurant reviews by Chris NorrisArchive for Las Vegas
StripSteak, Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, NV
StripSteak, Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, NV
December 2007
Woo-Hoo! We’ve been to Michael Mina’s namesake restaurant in San Francisco and to his San Jose restaurant, Arcadia. Both are top-notch, with creative offerings and take-offs on common preparations. A good example is the lobster corn dogs served at Arcadia. StripSteak at the Mandalay Bay on the other hand, is focused on serving the best beef anywhere, simply and perfectly.
We started our meal with a half dozen oysters on the half shell and a trio of tuna tartare, proving that Mina’s can also prepare fish. Don’t miss the trio if you visit Mina’s; it’s worth the stop by itself! Laura ordered the Kobe beef filet and I ordered the Angus beef filet. One hour later, as we consumed the last bite off our plate, we both concluded we had just been served the single best steak we had ever eaten in our lives. Unbelievably fabulous! I don’t know what magic is being concocted behind those kitchen doors, but if you are in Vegas, don’t waste your time with David Copperfield. Go to the magic show at Mina’s.
Red Square, Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, NV
Red Square, Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, NV
December 2007
Way Good. For several years we have passed by Red Square, which is a Russian restaurant on the ground floor of the Mandalay. It’s very near Areole, a terrific French restaurant owned by Charlie Trotter of Chicago. This year, we decided to give Red Square a “before dinner” try and dropped in for a Vodka martini or two and an assortment of caviar. We ate at the bar, which is made out of a huge block of ice, and it begins to feel a little like Siberia during the winter. We enjoyed ourselves thoroughly and although we don’t know how the dinners and full menu stack up, the martinis and caviar are top-notch.
Red 8, Wynn, Las Vegas
Red 8, Wynn, Las Vegas
December 2007
S’Ok. Red 8 at the Wynn has a pretty good selection of dim sum items off the menu, but alas, no dim sum carts. Red 8 has a good selection of dishes representing China, Malaysia, and Singapore and we’ve always enjoyed eating there. Is it fabulous? Nah, not really. But its certainly workable.
Okada, Wynn, Las Vegas, NV
Okada, Wynn, Las Vegas, NV
December 2007
Way Good. Okada is a Japanese restaurant at the Wynn Hotel, serving incredible food, including sushi and sashimi along with a wide selection of hot dishes and soups. The saki list is a mile long and since I’m not even close to being an expert, I folded and just ordered what the waiter suggested. The ceviche, sashimi, lobster miso soup, and paper wrapped sea bass were all wonderful. In fact, I’ve gone to considerable effort to replicate the sea bass at home. Here’s what I do: Marinate the fish (sea bass or salmon) in soy sauce, rice wine and miso paste for about 30 minutes. Then, wrap the fish in parchment paper with a sliver of lemon and a few cilantro leaves. Place in a 350F oven for 10 minutes and be prepared for a little Okada fish heaven at your own table!
Noodles, Bellagio, Las Vegas, NV
Noodles, Bellagio, Las Vegas, NV
December 2007
Way Good. Noodles, located at the Bellagio, is one of our favorite Asian restaurants in Las Vegas. Noodles serves top-notch Chinese and Malaysian dishes and occasionally has dim sum with traditional cart service. The walls at Noodles are stacked high with, appropriately enough, jars of noodles of every imaginable kind. And although there is usually a line at the entrance, it moves fast and is worth the wait. The food is casual, fast, affordable, and extremely tasty.
Noodles of Asia, Venetian, Las Vegas, NV
Noodles of Asia, Venetian, Las Vegas, NV
December 2007
S’Ok. Regardless of the limited menu, Noodles of Asia at the Venetian Hotel is good, with great noodle soups and a pretty decent selection of appetizer sized items on the menu. Unfortunately, there are are no dim sum carts. We’ve tried several different noodle soup selections and liked them all. The barbeque duck and pork appetizers are mighty fine and the traditional steamed dumplings and such don’t disappoint. And the other items on the menu? Well, they don’t always come together.
L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, MGM Grand, Las Vegas, NV
L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, MGM Grand, Las Vegas, NV
December 2007
Woo-Hoo! We kicked off our New Year’s trip with dinner at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon at the MGM Grand. This is the Las Vegas version of the same restaurant in Paris where we ate last November, and while really pricey, the food is absolutely out of this world. It’s so hard to describe the dishes at Robuchon and do them justice. How do you adequately describe a soft boiled egg, with a chervil emulsion in a cream sauce served in a martini glass? Robuchon specializes in meticulously prepared small plates, which are often only a single serving. But that single serving is one you will remember! Oh, except for the price. Sadly, you’re going to remember that too.
Bouchon, Venezia, Las Vegas, NV
Bouchon, Venezia, Las Vegas, NV
January 2008
Woo-Hoo! Bouchon is Thomas Keller’s French bistro, located in the Venezia wing of the Venetian Hotel. While we haven’t eaten at Keller’s famed French Laundry, we have been to Bouchon twice and enjoy the food and atmosphere. This trip was no different. We had a New Year’s Day brunch at Bouchon and a week later we were at Bouchon again for dinner with some colleagues during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). These guys are batting a thousand – carefully prepared French bistro food in a classy but casual atmosphere.
Bouchon has a full oyster bar, which we’ve had good experiences with, and we’ve tried the fish, beef, pork, and lamb and never been disappointed. The caviar served at Bouchon is really good, and relatively affordable for a high-end restaurant. From this trip, I most remember Bouchon for brunch on New Year’s Day. I ordered the roast chicken and waffles, which was a perfectly roasted piece of chicken served with two savory waffles and a light, savory syrup! It might not sound that good, but it was a standout. Its amazing the dishes that are created when a chef can think differently about food as commonplace as waffles!
Alize, Palms, Las Vegas, NV
Alize, Palms, Las Vegas, NV
December 2007
What was I thinking?! Sadly, we had a big disappointment with the dining experience at Alize on the top floor of the Palms hotel. Here’s how our visit went:
We arrive at the top floor of the Palms and are ushered in to Alize. I immediately sense trouble since the maitre’d has that “we are more important than you” thing going. But, we are seated at a window looking out over the Strip. That’s pretty cool! The sommelier arrives and announces that they have the best collection of wines in Vegas, with over 9000 bottles and hands me the wine list. I scan it. Hmmmm. Nothing under $400. Wait! On the next page there is a Kathleen Kennedy for which I paid $70 at a tasting in Los Gatos a few months ago. $350! What?! I quickly calculate the average price of wine on a few pages of the wine list … over a $1000/bottle AVERAGE per page, with ridiculous mark-ups on common wines. Screw these guys. I ordered a glass of pinot for $15 bucks.
At this point, I’ll admit I’m a little spun up. But, I take my two or three cleansing breaths, and get myself in order. We selected some appetizers, including foie gras, duck confit and Anjou pear salad. They were ok, not great. At least I’m not worrying that something bad is about to happen. About then, my risotto with mushrooms arrived, overcooked and way, way over-salted. I choked down a few bites and began to fidget. Meanwhile, Laura was picking at her chicken with a similar level of enthusiasm. Dry as a bone. Sahara dry. Bone dry. Dry. I so wish I hadn’t ordered the grand marnier soufflé for dessert. We finished up with tea and a cold and bitter espresso. Where’s Gordon Ramsey?! Bottom line: Yuck.
