David Ross

I think it's reasonable to say that we both agree that there can be outstanding dining experiences in Las Vegas. And give me a few more days to share with you a few more of those experiences that I think may sway the pendulum more toward the side of the aisle that supports the argument that there is depth and soul behind the culinary artists who ply their craft in Las Vegas. Let me say for those who may think Doc and I are arguing with each other, we are not. We are debating a topic that we both obviously find to be one that deserves our attention, (one of the attributes of the formats presented at eGullet). If our discussions lead us to gain a better understanding and knowledge of the issue, I think we all benefit in the end. It's safe to assume that both of us pride ourselves on our taste for fine dining and in the spirit of two friends sipping warm brandy in the libaray-and we've taken the charge to further the discussion. But I am finding that our deeper question speaking to the "soul" of the culinary landscape in Las Vegas has opened a window onto an even deeper subject--what really defines a Chef or Restaurant as having soul in today's world? I'm inclined to open a topic on this deeper issue once I finish the reports here. (Someone else can certainly take the lead as knowing me, I'll forget to do so). It seems to me we can use Las Vegas as the basis for the separate discussion about what "soul" means when it comes to defining a Chef or a restaurant. Is there one definitive answer? I'm not currently qualified to present a case that fully supports one argument over another. I see both sides of the debate. I can, however, provide a couple of examples to bring other parts of the question to the forefront. There are many restaurants today that solely rely on seasonal, locally-grown (the parameters of what is called "local" seem to vary widely), "Farm-Fresh," cuisine. Some of these restaurants strictly adhere to those principals. Is this what defines the restaurant as having soul? If you really took this definition literally we wouldn't serve Lemon Meringue Pie in Seattle-Lemons don't naturally grow in the Northwest, (unless you have an electronically-controlled greenhouse environment in your backyard). I'm obviously over-stating the point, but you understand what I am saying. It seems to me that we have other restaurants who present food that is "seasonal" and "farm-fresh," (Bradley Ogden in Las Vegas for example), that rely largely on ingredients being imported from far outside the region. Does this call into question that the restaurant lacks soul? Or--is the soul of the restaurant found within the heart of the Chef (Bradley and Bryan for example), who create the delicious cuisine that is presented to you? I was saving an example to use later in my report that I'll disclose now. My example may sound odd to some of you, but it's based on a personal story as it relates to the theater arts-and my story has a direct correlation to our debate about what qualifies art-in our case the art of cooking-as having soul. I've seen the Phantom of the Opera four times-in London, Seattle twice and in Portland. All fabulous performances with chilling memories of the romantic music, the costumes and the lavish sets. The beauty of hearing "The Music of the Night" in the forum of a live performance of the Phantom always brings me to tears. Yet of the three venues, which one would I pick as having the most "soul?" It would of course have to be in London at Her Majesty's Theatre, the home where the Phantom of the Opera debuted many years ago. One cannot settle into the balcony of Her Majesty's Theatre without recalling memories of what it must have been like when Michael Crawford first appeared onstage as the Phantom. And think of glancing over to the Royal Box and seeing Queen Elizabeth sitting with Andrew Lloyd Webber watching the production unfold. The seats may be a bit worn and the air may smell a bit musty, but Her Majesty's Theatre in London is the home of the Phantom of the Opera-how can anywhere else compare to this precious original work of art? Yet taking the sentimentality of the occasion out of the equation, experiencing Phantom in Portland or Seattle was just as exciting as seeing it in London. And bringing this wondrous production to people who will never have the chance to see it in London is on many levels, a soulful experience. Whether it was the original production with Michael Crawford in London or the third under study 20 years later that will sing the songs of the Phantom when it comes to Spokane later this year-the soul behind the music of the Phantom lives on. One could correlate this story to the quandary of whether or not the restaurants in Las Vegas are serving their soul to their customers. My next report will be on lunch at Sensi at Bellagio, hosted by Alan Richman and Chef Martin Heirling, (and a Master Beer "Sommelier" from Belgium). I hope you'll find it interesting and delicious.

doc-thank you for sharing this experience with us. Your piece is written with care and respect while still admitting us to the reality of where our food comes from and how it is slaughtered for our consumption. I'll look forward to hearing and seeing your story continue through to the end with a delicious lamb dish served to your family. Regards.

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I would be missing Top Chef due to a food trip to Las Vegas. Now that I've been back two weeks I've had the chance to catch up on watching tapes of the past three episodes. Quite interesting-and also disappointing that we are this late in the season and the Chefs are being challenged with catering a wedding and flipping potatoes as short order cooks. That's not really my idea of the definition of a Top Chef. Coming from a trip where I tasted their food and visited with some of the "Top Chefs" in America today, I can say by comparison that most of the cheftestants, (not all), that remain on Top Chef have a very long way to go to even be close to cooking, (and conducting themselves), at the level of what some of us consider to be a top restaurant kitchen. So if you are in the mood for a diversion from Top Chef and would like to take a look at my trip to Las Vegas, go over to the Restaurants, Cuisine and Travel Forum, then go to the Southwest and Western States sub-forum. Go to my post titled "Vegas Uncork'd." The most recent posts review meals I had at L'Atelier at the MGM and Bradley Ogden at Caesar's. Hopefully, whoever wins Top Chef, they'll someday be cooking at this level of restaurant.

Thursday, May 8, “Master’s Series Dinner” at Bradley Ogden, Caesar’s Palace, hosted by Alan Richman- The formal events associated with “Vegas Uncork’d” began on this Thursday night with the five “Master’s Series Dinners” at Caesar’s Palace. One would be hard-pressed to select one among these five outstanding choices: -Guy Savoy, hosted by Chef Guy Savoy and Bon Appetit Editor-in- Chief, Barbara Fairchild -Payard Patisserie and Bistro, hosted by Chef Francois Payard and James Beard Award winning Cookbook Author Dorie Greenspan. -Rao’s, hosted by Bon Appetit Restaurant Editor Andrew Knowlton, Lorraine Bracco (The Sopranos), and Carla and Frank Pellegrino. -Mesa Grill, (aka Bobby Flay’s place), hosted by “Iron Chef” Cat Cora and Chef Steve Olson. -Bradley Ogden, hosted by Chefs Bradley Ogden and his son Bryan Ogden and Alan Richman. My recommendation for selecting your Master’s Series Dinner next year is to first think about what style of cuisine you prefer. Second, select a restaurant who’s Chef you admire and would like to meet. Lastly, make your choice based on the host of the event. Part of the fun and exclusivity of these dinners is the opportunity to dine with a small group and be able to converse with both the Chef and the host on a private level. This year, I selected Bradley Ogden. I had dined at the Guy Savoy dinner last year, so I wanted to try something different on this trip—and I had an interest in meeting both Chefs and thanking them for two very different reasons. But before I talk about the Chefs and our dinner, the “real” reason I wanted to go to the dinner at Ogden was to have the honorable occasion to again meet with Alan Richman, (we first met at lunch at “Fish Camp” the day before). For those of you who only know Alan through his writing, should you be afforded the opportunity, I’d encourage you to get to know the man on a personal level. As you know from the postings on eGullet, when it comes to Alan’s writing, he often becomes the topic of heated debates rather than the plate of pasta he’s reviewing. There was that dust-up over Alan’s piece about the Ferry Building and the food in San Francisco, and a recent spat with Bourdain that filtered into the Internet. One of the more infamous pieces about Alan appeared on eGullet-masterfully written by our own Steven Shaw. The post opened with a portrait of Alan greeting his guests in his bathrobe. As I remember, the “canapés” included little pigs in a blanket. And as we are wont to do at eGullet, a discussion of the merits of the Food Writer as Cook ensued—along with an intense debate as to the best pastry one should use when wrapping weenies. Alan is undoubtedly one of the top Food Writers in America, and he has the James Beard Awards and book sales to prove it. But aside from what I think Alan would find as these somewhat embarrassing accolades, he is quite simply a great story teller when it comes to conversations, (with a good glass of wine), about all things related to food and dining. And while he probably wouldn’t admit it, Alan was regarded as one of the top “stars” if you will, appearing at the Bon Appétit Events in Las Vegas. Chef Bradley Ogden is the recipient of a James Beard Award and he was one of the first American Chefs in the early 80’s to introduce us to the concept of “New American Cuisine.” He is truly one of the pioneer Chefs in America who motivated both his fellow Chefs and home cooks to get back to our roots and focus on preparing foods with seasonal, “farm-fresh” ingredients. The first time I dined with Chef Ogden was in 1983 at the highly-regarded Campton Place Hotel on Union Square in San Francisco. I remember the appetizer being a Quail Terrine with some type of Kumquat sauce. It was quite an adventure back then for a family from a small town in Oregon to be eating this delicious yet exotic cuisine in the sophisticated city of San Francisco. It was nice to share this early memory with Chef Bradley. Now fast forward exactly twenty-five years to today and I found myself once again having dinner with Chef Bradley and now a new addition-his talented son Chef Bryan Ogden. At a very young age Bryan took on the challenge of upholding his Father’s culinary vision as the Executive Chef at Bradley Ogden Restaurant at Caesar’s Palace. I posed a question to Bryan that I think you will find enlightening as it relates to our discussion about the “soul” behind the cooking in Las Vegas, and how he and his Father have achieved success in this unique restaurant market: “I like to refer to our cuisine as ‘market cuisine.’ We are strictly seasonal and the market dictates what we do every day. We have a large variety of ethnic backgrounds in our Las Vegas kitchen and all are celebrated in our style of cuisine. Everyone in the kitchen has some influence on the dishes that reach our diners.” “Not everything is imported; we have three farms locally which we work with that supply us with more than 50 different herbs and lettuces as well as kumquats, strawberries, squashes, melons and zucchini blossoms.” “One of our Sous-Chefs drives from Las Vegas to the Farmer’s market in Los Angeles every Wednesday and fills his van with produce.” “We are finding ways to keep the ‘farm-to-table’ philosophy in effect in Las Vegas. We also work with more than 100 other farmers, fishermen and ranchers who ship us product overnight on a daily basis.” So you see, not every tomato in Las Vegas began its life in a hydro-seeded tray in a foreign greenhouse—ultimately limping its way into the back pantry. To use a culinary term, please excuse the grainy texture of some of my photos. Low lighting in dining rooms doesn’t always set the platform for clear photos. The evening began with a reception held in a private room. We were served two canapés, (the best dishes of the evening in my opinion), presented on large silver trays by waiters strolling amongst the guests. “Olive-Oil Poached Wild King Salmon, Cauliflower Puree, Crispy Wild Rice Cake” “Marinated Big Eye Tuna, Coconut Foam, Lime-Scented Tapioca, Fennel Crepe, Housemade Lemon Cheese, Ramp Vinaigrette” The canapés were accompanied by flutes of- “Chartogne-Taillet, ‘Cuvee St. Anne’ Merfy Montagne de Reims, Champagne” (Whew, that’s a bubbly mouthful). One of the great joys of attending the Bon Appétit Events in Las Vegas is that you have the chance to make new friends from across the country who share your passion for food, cooking and dining. My table of six at Bradley Ogden included yours truly from the Pacific Northwest, a gentleman from Minneapolis, a woman from San Diego accompanied by her son who resides in Las Vegas and has a culinary background, and a couple from Dallas, Texas. Our first course- “Asparagus Soup, Preserved Meyer Lemon Gnocchi, Georgia Rock Shrimp, Kalamata Olive Froth" The shrimp and the lemon gnocchi were swimming just below the surface of the hot soup. Chef Bradley told me that they place the raw shrimp into the soup just before service so it doesn’t become overcooked. Foams are still quite popular in Las Vegas cooking, and I give the Chefs credit for using it appropriately, (not always the case when it comes to this trendy garnish). The Kalamata foam added just a whisper of salt to balance the rich soup. The fish course and wine accompaniment- “Pan-Roasted Atlantic Halibut, Spring Garlic Ravioli, Sous Vide Porcini, Parsley Puree” “Cigalas Assyritko 2006, Santorini, Greece” Spring Garlic could be described as a more virgin, wondrous taste of garlic-subtle and unassuming with just a hint of garlic flavor. My only minor quibble with the fish course was that the halibut was fished out of the Atlantic. As moist and flavorful as it could be, it wasn’t as precious as my beloved Alaskan Halibut. But the sea where the halibut swam was soon forgotten when I saw the garnish of fresh Morels. Chef Bradley is in my good graces-the Morels were harvested from forests in Oregon. A flavor of Spring found in the meat course, served with an appropriate wine- “Cedar Spring Lamb Rack, Ratatouille Flavors” “Anoro Malbec 2005, Mendoza, Argentina” The Chefs had “deconstructed” the traditional mélange of vegetables that compose ratatouille. The characteristic basil flavor was found in the bed of risotto under the lamb, while the baby vegetables were simply prepared and served in the style of a salad. A surprise was up next, yet sadly I was had fallen under the spell of the wines and forgot to get a photo- “Honeydew Melon Sorbet, Grilled Watermelon, Mint” As light and sweet as it sounds, this is a dessert that I’ll serve at a picnic this Summer. The dessert- “Rhubarb Mascarpone Tart, Strawberry Sherbet, Grains of Paradise Tuillet” “Williams and Humbert 15 year Oloroso Solera Especial, Jerez, Spain” For the sake of proportion in presentation, and my sake, I would have loved to have had a larger portion of the deliciously fresh Strawberry Sherbet. Some of you know that on occasion I post my thoughts about the often ridiculous absurdity known as “Top Chef” on Bravo. I would ask that the contestants on Top Chef turn their attention to my photo of what a “Top Chef” kitchen looks like. The kitchens at Bradley Ogden are a model of decorum and professionalism-a concept often overlooked by the antics displayed by the contestants on that reality show on Bravo. All good things often end their run in Las Vegas-Elvis at the “International Hotel,” Celine at Caesar’s. Others come in to carry on the party-Bette and Elton’s Red Piano now share Celine’s venue with Cher. Such is the case at Bradley Ogden. Bryan is no longer cooking in Las Vegas-he’s moved to the environs of Southern California and will be announcing news of his latest kitchen post very soon. Chef Bradley is soon to open a hotel and no doubt another one of his delicious restaurants amidst the beauty of the rolling hills just North of Santa Barbara in Solvang, Californina. Not to worry though. Bradley Ogden at Caesar’s Palace is awaiting your reservation for dinner in Las Vegas. I may not share my face cards with you and tell you which meal ranked as my “best” while I was in Las Vegas. But I will place a bet on the table and tell you that my next report considers the fortunes of twenty lucky diners at the “Editors at Lunch Series” on Friday, May 9 at Sensi at Bellagio. Hosted by Alan Richman, Chef Martin Heirling presented us with some of the most creative, outrageously flavorful, whimsically creative food I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing.

Thursday, May 8, Valley Wine and Cheese- We often limit ourselves to the restaurants at the big Strip hotels when we’re visiting Las Vegas. But a culinary adventure in Las Vegas doesn’t mean you are limited to restaurant dining-remember a few posts back I created my own little picnic of gourmet sandwiches and pastries from Jean-Phillipe and Payard? Well, there’s a unique shop in Las Vegas that I visited that would have added some lusty Pate, Olives and “Jamon Serrano” to my picnic hamper. After leaving Fish Camp, we decided to take a short drive to visit a wonderful shop located at 1770 West Horizon Ridge Parkway in Henderson-a burgeoning community East of Las Vegas. Bob Howald and Kristin Sande opened Valley Cheese and Wine in 2006. They came West to Las Vegas with over 17 years of experience and an impressive resume in the food industry. Valley Cheese and Wine is the premier wine, cheese and gourmet shop in the entire Las Vegas Metro area. Bob and Kristin take great care and pride in tasting and selecting, cheeses, wines and charcuterie that are the highest-quality one can find. All of the cheeses are cut “fresh to order.” After a long-day sleeping through motivational speakers at your convention sessions, you may need to unwind with a nice bottle of wine in your hotel room. Valley Cheese and Wine offers more than 1,000 different selections. And don’t hesitate to call Bob and Kristin to ask them about upcoming Wine Tastings and Wine Classes. The wine selections- The large selection of gourmet foods- Silly me-when I spotted a bottle of Espelette Pepper on the shelf. I thought I would buy it and try to re-create Robuchon’s dish of “Big Eye Tuna with Tomato Infused Olive Oil” that I had at L’Atelier two nights prior. While the pepper may be the same, it’s doubtful my tuna will taste like L’Atelier’s tuna! The amazing Charcuterie case- “I have an important group of guests visiting my townhouse suite at Wynn tonight, one of everything please”- And for the creative home cook who resides in Las Vegas- "May I sprinkle some bee pollen over your lavendar ice cream Sir?" Dinner tonight kicks off the events associated with "Vegas Uncork'd." My next report comes from Bradley Ogden at Caesar's hosted by Alan Richman.

Thursday, May 8, Lunch at Louis’s Fish Camp- It’s somewhat of a mystery to me that people who travel to Las Vegas don’t venture beyond the concrete jungle we know as the “Strip” to taste some of the wonderful local restaurants serving the nearly two million people who reside in greater Clark County, Nevada. Certainly, it’s understandable that if you are in town for only a few days attending a convention that your time is very precious. But if you can sway yourself away from the gambling tables for a few hours, there is a Jewel of the South to be found at Town Square Mall just a few miles from the Strip. Chef Louis Osteen has been featured in television and print for his Southern cuisine. In 2004, he was recognized by the James Beard Foundation as the Best Chef of the Southeast. Chef Osteen still maintains his restaurants on Pawley’s Island, South Carolina. In 2007, he brought his signature dishes out West to Las Vegas-opening the casual “Louis’s Fish Camp,” and the more upscale, fine-dining restaurant “Louis’s” at the new Town Square Mall Complex. Adding to Chef Osteen’s impressive credentials is Executive/Partner Chef Carlos Guia, formerly Chef at the now-closed Commander’s Palace connected to the shops at the Aladdin Hotel. It was a sad day for Las Vegas dining when Commander’s Palace closed-they offered New Orleans cuisine that was unmatched in Las Vegas. The brunch was fabulous, as was the Turtle Soup-but the Alladin closed and was reincarnated as Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino and the changeover ended the run of Commander’s Palace in Las Vegas. Las Vegas is thankful to have both Chef Osteen and Chef Guia in the same house at Louis’s and Fish Camp-and you should count yourself as lucky when you dine there. If you are taking a cab to Louis’s Fish Camp, you must be patient-both the mall and the restaurant are fairly new to the Las Vegas landscape and hotel doormen and cab drivers are not yet familiar with the specific location of the restaurant. However, a healthy tip for the driver and a copy of the map to the restaurant, (provided by the restaurant’s website), will deliver you to the doorstep of this restaurant serving delicious, authentic Southern “Low-Country” cuisine. Our group had lunch at the more casual “Fish Camp.” The space is open and airy, a large fish net studded with fishing gear divides the space between the bar and the dining room. The décor is reminiscent of a lazy fish camp on a humid Southern day. Please excuse me for not getting any photos of our lunch dishes-for once I decided to enjoy the food and the conversation of my studied, food writing friends and the company of Chef Osteen and Chef Guia. I will tell you that when you are sitting in a booth at a Southern style restaurant in Las Vegas and one of the guests is a recognizable food writer from New York, you realize you need to take in the moment and the spirited conversations and not be distracted by taking pictures. To start, we shared a platter of the “Flash-Fried Alligator” served with “Mirliton Slaw, Buttermilk Bleu Cheese and Buttered Texas Pete Hot Sauce.” The taste of gator is akin to that of frog’s legs-the texture of “chicken” but the sweetness and flavor of fish. The tangy slaw helped to cut through the richness of the fried gator strips. I shared the gator with a cup of the “She Crab Soup.” Chef Guia explained that he starts the soup by cooking a roux down until it turns to a deep, mahogany color. He then adds roe from female crabs, (flown in fresh from Louisiana), to give the soup its distinctive crab flavor, before finishing it off with a good dose of Sherry wine. I had dreamed of having an Oyster “Po’Boy” sandwich in the days leading up to lunch at Fish Camp-but I changed my mind at the last minute and ordered the “Peppery Arugula Greens” dressed with “Buttermilk Bleu Cheese, Candied Pecans, Roasted Pecan Oil, Cane Vinegar and Molasses Vinaigrette.” One cannot dine at Fish Camp without having an oyster or two, so I added the “ Crispy Oysters” to my salad. (If you do try the "Po'Boy," the sandwich rolls are made locally to the restaurant's specifications). I come from the Northwest where we know our oysters, and I don’t order oysters in a restaurant unless I’m confident they are fresh. The fresh little nuggets at Fish Camp were dredged in corn meal and quickly fried. They were perfect-crispy on the outside yet barely cooked on the inside-just how y’all will like them. The daily lunch special at Fish Camp is an incredible value in the context of Las Vegas dining. You choose either a cup of the daily soup or the Chopped Salad to begin, a daily entrée, side dishes and a choice of Sorbet, “Jack Daniels” Banana Pudding or Brioche Bread Pudding for dessert. For twelve dollars. That’s right-$12.00 for a full lunch on Monday where the special is “Pork Grillades and Grits.” Fish Camp really gets hoppin at night when live music is featured, and the music theme carries over next door to Louis’s Restaurant on Sunday’s when they serve up brunch to live Gospel music. On my next trip to Las Vegas, I’ll try dinner in the upscale dining room at Louis’s. I think I might start with the “Mrs. Ralph Izzard’s Brown Oyster Stew with Benne Seeds.” Then for a main dish I’ll have the “Blue Ridge Rainbow Trout Stuffed with Crab, Benton’s Bacon, and Pan-Fried Potatoes.” For dessert I might fancy a slice of “Mississippi Caramel Cake with Buttermilk Ice Cream.” I didn’t ease into the canvas swing on the porch after lunch at Fish Camp-but I did take a nap back at my room at The Mirage-and I dreamed of those delicious fried oysters. We had eaten a delicious Southern lunch prepared with soul by Chefs devoted to bringing Southern Cuisine to Las Vegas.

One thing that is so exciting about L'Atelier is that you are sitting literally a few feet away from the Chef's-yet you don't really see the craftsmanship going into creating this delicate little egg. The surprise comes when the plate is put before you. The earlier asparagus dish was delicious--but imagine placing a few tender spears of poached asparagus underneath this egg. Now that is an asparagus salad.

Wednesday, May 7, Dinner at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon at the MGM Grand- I had originally put L’Atelier on my “short-list” of choices for dinner on Wednesday night, but had decided to go with Spago at the Forum Shops at Caesar’s. I wanted to taste the cuisine of Chef Eric Klein who is new to the kitchen at Spago after stints at SW Steakhouse at Wynn and at Fix at Bellagio. But a friend of mine who resides in Las Vegas suggested I cancel the reservation at Spago and try L’Atelier. Owing to the fact that I respect my friend’s advice when it comes to Las Vegas dining, I took the bet and made a reservation at L’Atelier for 8:15 p.m-one of the last seats available on a busy Wednesday night. I got the sense from listening to the conversations of the diners to my left, that some of the customers were apprehensive about ordering the lavish “Menu Decouverte” and so they were settling on ordering separate dishes off the “Carte” side of the menu. I should have introduced myself and encouraged them to take a culinary adventure and order the Menu Decouverte. It’s currently priced at $135 for 9 courses plus coffee or espresso-literally a bargain when you consider that the price of an entrée ordered ala carte is in the $60 and up price range. The Discovery Menu allows one to be introduced into the Robuchon world by tasting the creativity of the Chef and the skills of his Las Vegas staff. The only minor criticism I had with our dinner was the opening bread service. Only one choice of bread was offered. The three small baguette’s served with a delicious French butter were wonderful, but I would have liked to have had other choices. While I didn’t expect to be graced with the extraordinary “bread cart” that is served to diners next door at Robuchon, it would have been nice to have a few of the selections from the formal restaurant added to our little bread basket. I won’t dwell long talking about our meal at L’Atelier-it was of course fabulous. The flavors were clean, crisp and the essence of the ingredients-exactly what we would expect from a Robuchon restaurant. Our view of the kitchen from our counter seats. Note the "Chef" in whites tutoring to the assistant in black. “Le Citron”- “Lemon Gelee Topped with Fennel Cream” “Le Thon Rouge”- “Big Eye Tuna with Tomato Infused Olive Oil” The little trail of Espelette Pepper to the left gave a scent of spice and heat to the Tuna. “Le Homard”- “Maine Lobster in a Gelee of Vegetables Topped with Chilled Leek Soup” “L’Asperge Verte”- “Cappucino of Green Asparagus with Parmesan” “L’Oeuf”- “Fried Egg with Sweet Onion Cream and Smoked Salmon” This was my favorite dish of the evening. I didn’t ask the server how the egg was prepared, so if anyone knows, please respond. I assume the egg was poached first before being coated with panko and then deep-fried. How delicious and intriguing was this little egg-the runny yolk poured out of the crispy, panko-coated “shell” as it was cracked open. “La Sole”- “Dover Sole Filet with Zucchini and “Royale” Mushrooms” “La Caille”- “Free-Range Quail Stuffed with Foie Gras, Truffled-Mashed Potatoes” Our server explained that they begin the dish a day in advance by making a foie gras mousse and then chilling it. The chilled mousse is cut into a small “log” and then stuffed inside the boned quail. The result is a silky mousse with a hint of foie gras that doesn’t dominate the flavor of the quail. “Le The’ Glace’ Vanille”- “Lemongrass Mousse, Vanilla Tea Flavored Sorbet, Crunchy Caramel Tuille” “La Mangue”- “Hazelnut Cremeux, Fresh Mango, Coffee-Caramel Streusel” "Gold-Dusted Chocolate with Coffee Service"- Another view of the kitchen- The meal at L’Atelier was on a different level, a higher plane if you will, than most of my other dining experiences in Las Vegas. The food and the technique displayed at L’Atelier are of course nearly unmatched. But as my learned friend docsconz has so intelligently presented his argument on these pages-does merely planting an outpost of a famous restaurant in Las Vegas give it the “soul” that is alive at the flagship restaurant? In this case, I am not so sure. I never had the pleasure of dining at Robuchon’s Jamin when it was open in Paris. Nor have I tasted Robuchon’s cuisine in his native France. Only time will give me the chance to make the trip so I can fully answer the question for myself. I do think it is fabulous to have L’Atelier and the more formal Joel Robuchon restaurant next door, (one of the current tasting menus is priced at $375.00), at the MGM Grand. It affords people who come to Las Vegas to have access to world-class French dining. But our culinary journey through Las Vegas at the "Vegas Uncork'd" Bon Appetit events hasn't even started yet! We've got one more "preliminary" lunch to go before we dive into the exciting events that I attended later in the week.

The Carrot Cake was interesting-not at all like our homemade versions lathered with thick cream cheese frosting. The "orange" frosting layer almost tasted like fresh marshmallow. And the actual "cake" inside was a round little ball of intense carrot cake that was almost the consistenty of a hard pudding. Very unique.

Wednesday, May 7, “Two Patisseries”- One of the hidden assets of the Las Vegas dining scene that is often overlooked is the group of incredibly talented, world-class Pastry Chefs that craft their art in the city. I can tell you from experience that we don't have bakeries at this level where I come from. Two very good examples of the French art of pastry at it’s highest levels can be found literally next door to one another at Bellagio and Caesar’s Palace. Jean-Phillipe Maury is probably most recognized for winning gold medals at the World Pastry Championships and his many appearances displaying his art on television. In addition to his extensive background and numerous awards, Chef Maury is the Executive Pastry Chef at Bellagio. Just off to the right of the Conservatory of the Bellagio you will find the “Jean-Phillipe Patisserie” where you can buy crepes, ice creams, candies, pastries and sandwiches crafted by Chef Maury and his staff. Before leaving the shop, take a photo of the grand wedding cakes, sugar sculptures and the decadent “chocolate fountain” where milk chocolate, dark chocolate and white chocolate cascades down from the ceiling through glass bowls. Far be it from a humble blogger like me to write a resume for Francois Payard-a pastry chef at Michelin 3-star restaurants in France. Suffice it to say that his biography includes positions as the Pastry Chef at La Tour d’Argent and Lucas Carton in Paris. In 2007 the Payard Patisserie and Bistro opened at Caesar’s Palace. Located across from Rao’s Italian restaurant, Payard is similar to Jean-Phillipe in terms of its extensive array of pastries, ice creams and sandwiches. But what sets Payard apart is the Bistro next door to the pastry shop. One can dine for breakfast, lunch, dinner and a special “Pastry Tasting Menu” at Payard Bistro. I decided to have a sort of French “picnic” lunch on Wednesday. A novel idea in Las Vegas to be sure. My picnic hamper was composed of a sandwich and a pastry from Jean-Phillipe Patisserie at Bellagio, and a sandwich and pastry from Payard Patisserie and Bistro at Caesar’s. I’m not going to do a “taste-test” or rating of the picnic lunch. I’ll let the photos speak to the beauty of these two shops. Jean-Phillipe Patisserie Smoked Salmon, Egg, Red Onion, Caper and Arugula on Baby Baguette Carrot Cake, (not your usual carrot cake!) Payard Patisserie and Bistro Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato, Basil Pesto Beaux Arts-Passion Fruit Cream, Sable Breton, Raspberry, Macaroons

And of course, it goes without saying that next time you make your way West to Las Vegas--let me know--we'll join up in search of some fine dining.

There are some good deals for the more budget minded. Daniel Boulud Brasserie at Wynn does offer an early special of three courses for under $50. It used to be served up to 7pm. Another option, which I haven't tried myself, is Firefly Tapas Bar. You could order a number of small plates and some glasses of wine and have a satisfying meal without all the pomp, circumstance and cost of the high-end places on the strip. Check out their menu on their website. Standby for my review of "Louis's Fish Camp." It's in the category of what you described as more of a home-grown restaurant. It's authentic Southern, Lowland Cuisine imported from South Carolina-just the type of regional cuisine that Las Vegas needs. The Chef, Louis Osteen, is highly recognized. Chef Carlos Guia is also in the house, the former Chef at Commander's Palace at the now-closed Alladin. The food is wonderful and authentic--and the restaurant is not on the Strip--another welcoming asset. I've not come across any American Indian restaurants in Las Vegas, but I'm always searching and will let you know if I ever find anything.

Before I move on to the reports on lunch and dinner on Wednesday, May 7, I wanted to share another viewpoint that is important to remember when we're discussing dining in Las Vegas. We don’t have to agree with the point, but we do have to admit it is part of the conversation. Those of us who frequent the pages of eGullet often fit within the confines of a very narrow demographic-people that are intensely serious about food and dining. I count myself lucky to be a member of the club-(I often define myself as a “Traditionalist”)-and my report on Las Vegas primarily speaks to our audience. We’re the folk who will sit on a stuffy, crowded plane for 19 hours to fly to Hanoi to try Vietnamese street food. Knowing my eGullet friends, I am quite sure we could start a topic and have a spirited conversation about the state of butter today. I can't tell you how many Chefs I spoke to in Las Vegas about the intricacies of the butter they use in their restaurants. But it's highly doubtful that most people staying at a big resort hotel on the strip care whether their butter is salted, unsalted, hand-churned, French, Irish or American. Does it matter? Yes, it does, and we'll talk about the details of why butter matters in Las Vegas later in this post. But we can't forget that the larger demographic of diners on the Las Vegas Strip are a mix of vacation travelers and business/convention travelers-and they probably couldn’t care less about the butter as long as it’s on the bread plate. We have to keep in mind that most of these people will never have the means or the opportunity to fly to France, take a cab to 18 rue Troyon in Paris and have dinner at Guy Savoy. But they can have dinner at Guy Savoy in Las Vegas. They may not be interested in whether or not they are dining at the "original" French Flagship restaurant-but they are expecting to have a once-in-a-lifetime experience that they will never have back home in Spokane. That's part of what I think is wonderful and exciting for most people when they dine in Las Vegas-it affords them the opportunity to dine at restaurants that they would not normally consider ever going to. And more than likely, they don’t have a Guy Savoy in their hometown. (These folk are probably not going to join our roundtable discussion about the “soul” behind the cooking in Las Vegas). Previously, we talked about excess and the issue of the popularity of Kobe and Waygu Beef in Las Vegas. While I may have my doubts over the merits of Waygu-I’m the exception. I personally think it’s fabulous, exciting and just plain fun that people who are in Las Vegas want to enjoy themselves, often to excess, and try new dishes they’ve never tasted. While I’m quietly savoring the “Quail Stuffed with Foie Gras and served with Delicate White Spring Asparagus,” the table next door is having quite the party with the “Shellfish Tower” and “Kobe Beef Tenderloin.” I think that’s just fabulous.

← Doc-you are quite right in your perception-and I quietly put in the examples to sort of ease us further into this discussion. One of the challenges I found was to sift through some of the inherent excesses built into dining in Las Vegas to see what I would uncover. The "soul" if you will, is in fact there, but it took some digging on my part to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I could have gone on a trip to Las Vegas on my own to report back on the dining scene, but I wouldn't have had the access to the Chefs and the "behind the scenes" opportunities that were afforded me by attending the Bon Appetit Events. As a result, I would not have been able to give you a clearer picture of what I found. For that I am again thankful to Bon Appetit. As we know, "excess" isn't always "success." And while one may think that "restraint" isn't part of one's vocabulary when in Las Vegas--those who demonstrate "restraint"-in this case restraint in what is presented at the dinner table-can ultimately create the most intoxicating, alluring, sexy dish in town. Imagine that, being recognized for doing something simply and beautifully in a city where more is often associated with better. Remember, those who show their cards often lose the bet. An analogy that we can apply to dining. The key is to be bold and to differentiate oneself by showing that restraint can in fact be the ultimate demonstration of success in Las Vegas.

Let me quickly interject that Barbara Fairchild and her staff at Bon Appetit worked tirelessly to put together a slate of events that catered to a variety of tastes-from the more serious diner who wanted the intimacy of private dinners and luncheons to the competitive cook-offs and grand tasting events at Vegas Uncork'd. Bon Appetit should be recognized for working with the Chefs and restaurants in Las Vegas to promote the city's dining scene, as they do to promote dining across America.

If you are interested in Celebrity Chef sightings and gossip as it relates to “Vegas Uncork’d,” you won’t find much of it in this report. There are some other blogs out there in the land of the Internet that will give you the gossippy, “People” magazine treatment of the events. Yes, I did meet and shake hands with Chefs who carry the “celebrity” moniker-but the intent of my trip wasn’t merely to give you a report, aka “Entertainment Tonight.” If I do mention the name of a Celebrity Chef, it’s hopefully within the context of a discussion about food and cuisine in Las Vegas. I tend to be more interested in the substance behind the façade if you will. I’m going to divide my report about “Vegas Uncork’d” into two distinct sections. First, I’ll be sharing details about some of the delicious meals I ate in Las Vegas over the course of the week I was in town. In addition to the meals and special events I attended in conjunction with “Vegas Uncork’d,” I also devoted time to dining at some restaurants in Las Vegas that weren’t directly involved in the week’s festivities. I had the unique honor of speaking directly with each Chef whose restaurant I dined at. It was more than the usual “meet and greet” where one gets a few seconds to shake the hand of the Chef and get a quick photo. Sure, I had some of those moments—but what was most satisfying for me was having the opportunity to spend some quality time speaking to each Chef, and having an intelligent conversation about what they think makes Las Vegas one of the top dining destinations in the country. I’ll then conclude the report with my thoughts on the question I first posed when developing this topic-a mission to discover the “truth” behind the glitz and glamour of the Las Vegas dining scene. (And I’ll be adding more thought to our earlier discussion about the “soul” of the restaurant culture in Las Vegas). Of course, the scope and number of fine restaurants in Las Vegas is far too great for me to definitively answer these questions with my simple report. But I think you’ll find that the small sampling of restaurants that I dined at during my visit to Las Vegas will give you a little more insight into this exciting, ever-changing, dining destination. I hope you don’t find the words too descriptive, the number of pages too long, or the personal anecdote’s boring. It’s part of my way of sharing what I think is the truth of Las Vegas dining. As we go along, please ask me any questions you might have. Whether it’s a question about a hotel, a specific restaurant, a particular dish I had, or a question related to the events, I’ll do my best to oblige. Hope you enjoy the food, the fun, and the photos of Las Vegas. Tuesday, May 6, Dinner at Michael Mina at Bellagio- Michael Mina Restaurant is located in the Conservatory at Bellagio-an immense, glass enclosed “greenhouse” if you will. The flower arrangements and theme of the Conservatory are changed seasonally, and since this trip was the first week of May, the theme was Spring: The marble and stone entrance to the restaurant is somewhat imposing and formal-one isn’t really sure what awaits after you step through the door. But once inside, the dining room is light and airy with light earth tones the dominant colors. The tables are comfortably spaced allowing for personal conversations, and there isn’t the blaring, off-putting soundtracks piped into so many Las Vegas restaurants. Chef Anthony Amoroso spent over ten years honing his skills in the kitchens of Chef Rick Moonen in New York, and Chef Michael White at Fiamma Trattoria at the MGM in Las Vegas before moving into his current position as the Executive Chef at Michael Mina’s seafood temple at Bellagio. I had the great pleasure to dine with my friends John Curtas and his lovely girlfriend Alexandra. As some of you know, John is quite the “bon vivant” when it comes to Las Vegas dining. Not only is he a studied palate and wine connoisseur, John is without a doubt the most well-rounded restaurant critic in town-he does a weekly commentary on KNPR Radio, appears on KLAS-CBS weekly, and just launched his blog, www.eatinglv.com. Oh yes, he also represents the James Beard Foundation in Las Vegas and writes for too many publications to name. We were given a bit of the Las Vegas VIP treatment-we were seated at a semi-private table next to a large picture window overlooking the lush gardens surrounding the pool at Bellagio. Part of the excitement and fun of dining in Las Vegas, regardless of your VIP status, is the bevy of staff that fawn over your every need. No crumb goes without being whisked away, no water glass goes unfilled. (More on the ruse of water in Las Vegas restaurants when we get to day number two). Chef Amoroso introduced himself to our table and asked if we had any restrictions. I think he was pleased to know that the only challenge we tasked him with was to show us his creativity. While Chef had a general idea of what he would prepare for us, there was an element of surprise and improvisation added to the menu once he met us and realized there would be no restraints placed upon the kitchen. (And now you are starting to read about the “soul” behind the creativity and the food in Las Vegas). Michael Mina is known for presenting dishes as ‘trios’-an example off the printed menu is the trio of “Seared Diver Scallops Ceviche”-one with Meyer Lemon and Caviar, the second with Sweet Corn and Black Truffle and the third with Scarlet Beets and Maine Lobster. Chef Amoroso took the concept of “trios” to a higher level with our table, serving us seven courses of “trios.” Yes, if you do the math correctly that is twenty-one dishes for the three of us. Now the bane of the food blogger is when his little digital camera decides to take a break during dinner-when he is writing what he hopes is one of the better blogs on Las Vegas dining and the Bon Appetit events. After the first few photos, my battery went dead and I had no backup with me, so you’ll have to imagine what the dishes at Mina looked like based on my descriptions. I will note that the exceptional service provided by the dining room staff didn’t simply stop with the service at the table. When one of the waiters overheard my disappointment with the camera, he actually offered to recharge the battery for me! Can you imagine? Had I been smart enough to bring the battery recharger with me I would have obliged his gracious offer. Now that is customer service. I did get a photo of the beverage I always start with at a fine dining restaurant, a perfectly made Champagne Cocktail. (As you can see, there are a number of other crystal stemware pieces waiting for our special wine service). The first course was one of Michael Mina’s “Signature” dishes-the much-loved “Caviar Parfait,” served with Chef Mina’s own branded French Champagne. The dish begins with a base of crispy potato cake, followed by a layer of finely diced egg, then crème fraiche, alder-smoked salmon and a generous dollop of Wild Missouri Sturgeon Caviar. One taste of this fresh and salty American Caviar and you won’t miss the banned Caviar from the Caspian Sea. The adventure of the cooking began with the next course, “Fluke, Coconut Foam, Sweet Potato,” served with a “Schoss, 2005 Cabinet Riesling.” I was a bit apprehensive when I heard that a strong flavor like sweet potato was going to be paired with slices of raw, delicate fluke. The sweet potato was cut into the tiniest little cubes you can imagine-an ingenious technique that gave us a sweet little nugget of potato with a taste of tender fluke. Had the cubes of sweet potato been any larger, it would have certainly interfered with the flavor of the fish. The coconut foam was pretty, as foams tend to be, but also added another sweet note and exotic scent to the dish. The main fish course was simply described as “Crispy Black Bass with Maitake Mushrooms” served with “Dujac Fils and Pere, 2004 Puligny-Montrachet.” I probably gave away my cards at the table-true lovers of black bass eat the crispy skin-and it was delicious. I so love black bass-creamy, solid and oily all at the same moment. The maitake, a somewhat rare and expensive mushroom that I’ve only had in a few Asian dishes, was prepared two ways-fried in a tempura batter and braised. The flavors were balanced while still being distinct in their own right. We moved on to the meat dishes next, and a spirited debate about the merits of Wagyu, Kobe and “regular” beef followed. The first of the meats was a dish of “Olive Oil Poached Lamb, Taboulleh Salad with Red Pepper Puree Reduction” paired with “Chateau de Pez, 2004 Saint-Estephe Bordeaux.” Chef Amoroso started the lamb by poaching it in olive oil and then finishing it with a quick, hot sear and roast. Poaching meat in oil can be a snare waiting to trap a cook-if the temperature of the oil isn’t right the meat will soak it up like a sponge. This wasn’t fortunately the case; the olive oil gave the lamb a silky, soft feel along with a hint of olive flavor. The fresh, clean Taboulleh salad was studded with bits of tomato, mint and onion, and the red pepper puree accented the Mediterranean flavors of the dish. The only small, very small, criticism that we had with the lamb is that it didn’t have the bold lamb flavor that John and I personally prefer. I got an agreeable response and chuckle when I mentioned to the Chef that I would have been quite happy with a little serving of “Mutton Stew.” Such is the argument we often face when discussing lamb today. I won’t bore you too much, other than to direct you to the discussions you’ll find on eGullet about the issue of the “flavor” of lamb today. Basically, much of the “Spring Lamb” one finds in the supermarket and on restaurants menus today has the flavor of mild beef. The second meat dish was the beef course-“Kobe” Rib Cap, Bordelaise Sauce, Mushroom,” served with “d’Arenberg (McLaren Vale, Australia), Dead Arm Shiraz, 2005.” I am certainly not an expert on the inner-workings of the “Kobe” beef classifications, nor am I studied in the methods of how these precious Japanese cattle are raised. What I can say is that the Chef took a somewhat unusual cut, the “cap” off the rib, to create a solid beef dish. The meat of course was incredibly tender. One would not want to gussy-up such an expensive cut of beef with anything more than a perfectly executed red wine sauce accompanied by earthy wild mushrooms. Our table agreed that this was a quite good beef dish. But we also agreed that there should be an open debate as to the merits of the current fad with Kobe and Wagyu beef. I am not the biggest fan of “Kobe” or “Wagyu” beef because I can’t say that it honestly tastes “beefy.” Understand that my family history in cattle ranching goes back over 150 years long before restaurants and distributors began selling “boutique” cuts of meat. My judgment must be clouded, because I don’t feel that it takes a beer-fed, spa-treated cow to give me a good steak. If Mr. Hereford has grazed in open meadows of alfalfa in the high-country of Eastern Oregon and then had the pleasure of fattening up on good grain and corn, he’ll give me a good Strip Steak. Las Vegas is a city of excess in many ways-beef being one of the excesses. There are some steakhouses in town that are currently selling “tasting” plates of “Kobe Done Three Ways” that will set you back $150 bucks for about 8 ounces of meat. But does it really “taste” like “beef?” Is it “worth” the price? It’s a discussion that could go on over many bottles of fine red wine, but in Las Vegas, the beef traditionalists probably won’t win the argument. Remember-people are in town to enjoy themselves-and taste foods and spend money-in a way they wouldn’t dream of doing back home. If the Kobe beef is expensive, it must be good. My special request was rewarded when Chef presented us with a delicious trio of cheeses, served with “Jean-Marc Brocard, 2005 Chablis.” I was served the most adventuresome cheese of the three-an unpasteurized ewe’s milk cheese from Portugal garnished with “caramelized chorizo.” I anticipated the ewe’s milk cheese having a strong aroma and bitter flavor, but it was actually mild in flavor with a wonderful, creamy texture. The caramelized chorizo was too bitter and strong to be paired with the cheese, and we agreed a simple caramel sauce drizzled over the cheese would have been a more appropriate garnish. My dessert was a small tube of chocolate cake filled with a chocolate mousse and served with candied apricot. It was served with a sweet and delicious “2006 Kracher Beerenauslese Cuvee” from Austria. Recognition must be given to the entire staff-from the Receptionist who allowed me to use her cell phone, to the Manager’s, the Wait staff and the Wine Staff. The wine pairings took thought and discussion with the kitchen to insure that they progressed with the food courses and that they accented Chef’s delicious cuisine. Bellagio is fortunate to have Chef Amoroso and the staff at Michael Mina in their hotel. Keep note of the name Chef Anthony Amoroso. To use a cliche-Chef Amoroso is a rising-star on the Las Vegas dining scene. He has a lot of creativity and talent to share and no doubt will continue to grace Las Vegas with his cuisine. Next up-Wednesday, May 7, and lunch at "Louis's Fish Camp" and a chat with Chefs Louis Osteen and Carlos Guia-and a meeting with friends who like a good fried oyster-including Alan Richman. Dinner will be at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon at the MGM-a food experience in Las Vegas on a very high level.

Am I terribly upset that I didn't catch the last two episodes of Top Chef when they aired? Not so much. Two weeks ago, I was in Las Vegas drinking and eating far more than should be legal for one man. I spent last week recovering. It took a lot of water and a lot of sleep. I kept in touch with the latest Top Chef news via your comments. In fact, I kept watch on the topic from Las Vegas. So while I didn't catch the actual shows when they aired, and didn't really miss it all that much, I couldn't stay away from your posts on eGullet. I'm wrestling with a blog about my travels to Las Vegas right now so I probably won't be posting a diatribe on what I missed on Top Chef. I am sure everyone is disappointed. But from the few clips I've seen off the DVD I recorded, I think I can safely play the "match the Chef with what they are" word game- Lisa/Bitch---Dale/Ass.

It's nice to be back! I've been gorging myself for the past week at "Vegas Uncork'd" sponsored by Bon Appetit Magazine. Needless to say, after six days of drinking and eating my way through some of the finest restaurants in Las Vegas, it took me nearly another week to recover and get back to cooking at home. (I'll be posting my experiences in Las Vegas this coming week and I'll give you notice once I'm finished). Last night I combined two salad dressings I had in the fridge-green goddess and bleu cheese. I served the dressing over a wedge of crisp, chilled iceberg lettuce and garnished it with bacon and green onion. I was too tired to cut my bread into croutons-so I came up with a new invention-the "torn crouton." Yep, just tear the bread into pieces and off you go. For the main I started with a recipe from Susan Spicer's Crescent City Cooking Cookook. Her recipe is for "Tasso Cream," but I couldn't find any tasso in town, so I substituted Andouille. I added some mustard and Worcestershire to the sauce for extra tang, and then garnished the sauce with Crawfish at the last minute. Here's the result, "Salmon with Andouille-Crawfish Cream Sauce, Rice, Patty Pan Squash."

Doc-thank you for presenting us with another one of your fine reports. Your photos are always delicious. Tell me a bit more about how the "hot" and "cold" potatoes were prepared. Secondly, can you tell me more about the butter in this dish--what temperature was the butter and was it salted butter? Do you know the source for the butters that they use at Alinea? It would be interesting to note whether they import their butters or use butters from one of the local dairies in the Midwest. Thanks, dr.

I think once you all read the blog as it develops, I'll have given you more insight into this question about the soul of culinary Las Vegas. In short, I have found that there is a soul behind many of the kitchens-and my list may surprise some as it will include restaurants at the mega-resort hotels. Certainly, Las Vegas has many restaurants in town that are merely clones of restaurants found elsewhere-and they lack any type of distinctive flavor. But I'm finding that the number of imitation places is less than what I anticipated. I will also be sharing more thoughts about the personality of the Strip and what sets the atmosphere of Las Vegas apart. In other words, while Las Vegas may not have the authentic aura of strolling down cobblestone streets in a village outside of Marseilles, there is a different vibe here that gives people a sense of excitement when they dine out. That's a vibe that you may not feel in the South of France. Nothing is really original here, but there is something special and exciting in Las Vegas that you don't find back home. You will never discover the answers to these questions for yourself unless you have the opportunity to seek out and meet directly with some of the Chefs. So far this week I've had the chance to meet and visit with Chef Anthony Amoroso-Michael Mina at Bellagio, Chef Louis Osteen and Carlos Guia (formerly at Commander's Palace)-Louis's Fish Camp, Bradley and Bryan Ogden-Bradley Ogden at Caessar's Palace, Martin Heirling-Sensi at Bellagio and Hubert Keller-Fleur de Lys at Mandalay Bay. Each of these Chefs have created something unique in Las Vegas. And in my opinion, they've created something extra that is in some cases, lacking in their original restaurants back home. But I'll go into that next week. I'll be speaking about the elements of creativity, product selection/purchasing influences, the impact of unions, "Celebrity Chef's" and their contracts with the resorts and the influence of the marketing departments on the restaurants in Las Vegas. All of these aspects play a part in our discussion of whether or not there is a soul behind the kitchens of Las Vegas. I think you may find that in some ways both Docsconz and Elrushbo are right on different levels. Such is part of the quandary of Las Vegas-it offers something for everyone on many different levels. This moring I am off on a private tour of the kitchens at The Wynn. Our agenda reads: "Wynn’s president Andrew Pascal has cooked up a fabulous idea that we just have to share with you. On Saturday morning, Andrew would like to host a special, behind-the-scenes ‘Discover Wynn’ tour exclusively for the guests of the Uncork'd weekend. During this property walk, the group will taste from the 80 varieties of bread baked daily by Wynn’s bakery chef Boris Villatte; experience the sinful confections created by James Beard Award-honored pastry chef Frederic Robert; sip and savor wines with Wynn’s wine director Danielle Price; learn how exquisite flowers are selected and cultivated for Wynn’s tabletops; get up close and personal with chef Paul Bartolotta and his Mediterranean seafood; and hear from Andrew how Wynn’s exclusive “chefs in residence” program comes to life each day. At the conclusion of the walk a very special surprise is in store!" It should be fun and insightful-I'm not really too excited about what the "special surprise" may be-but I'll wait and see what kind of surprise it is. Now to leave you with an incredible photo of two giants. It's a photo of two Chefs who were at a Grand Tasting Event at Caesar's Palace last night. It is rare to ever see these two Chefs together. Even more rare when you consider that steps away was another French Chef-Guy Savoy. As I walked out of the event, I spotted Daniel Boulud and Joel Robuchon being interviewed by French television.

No offense taken as I agree with you. The technical talent of the Chefs at the high-end restaurants doesn't seem to be the primary question. But the ability of these Chefs to express their creativity, their "soul" if you will, is often constrained by corporate forces that are unique to Las Vegas-something I'll be speaking about as this topic develops. However, as the city grows and looks toward the opening of restaurants at Encore at The Wynn and MGM's City Center, we'll undoubtedly see more well-known Chefs open dining rooms based on models from other cities. The challenge is for the Chefs to distinguish themselves within the confines of the corporate structure of the resorts to give us the cuisine with "soul" that both you and I are looking for. Of course it can be done, but it's a daunting task for sure. The movement is already underway, and I'm hopeful we'll see it gather steam as we go forward. The opportunity is here for someone to take it.

Doc-you are so right, there are many outposts of original "celebrity chef" restaurants that lack something more than the basic character of the flagship enterprise at home. And while the clones as you say have talented chefs working in their kitchens, in and of itself, is that enough to elevate these restaurants to more than an outpost? In some cases yes, but those are often restaurants where the efforts are sometimes lost on the tourists. One element that I think would set some of these restaurants apart-like bringing in hand-crafted butter from a local dairy rather than flying it in from thousands of miles away-(yes, there are dairies in Nevada)-may not be allowed by the purchasing department of the mega-resort. That certainly is a factor that often constrains the Chef's creativity in Las Vegas. The conventioneers may not notice the difference between artisan butter over the stuff in gold foil packets-but we certainly do.

I arrived in Las Vegas yesterday and will be doing full reports with photos after I get through the whirlwind of dining that will be taking place this week. But just to tease you a bit, last night I had the pleasure of dining with John Curtas, KNPR-James Beard Society-KLAS, and Alexandra at "Michael Mina" at Bellagio. Chef Anthony Amoroso crafted a menu of seven wonderful courses and appropriate wines just for our party. Even though it was a Tuesday night, the dining room was full, partly because of the 100,000 attendees at the "Hardware Trade Show." Most tables were ordering Chef Mina's signature "Lobster Pot Pie" and "Caviar Parfait." Tried and true dishes to be sure, but being the adventurous souls we are, John and I challenged Anthony to show us his stuff-and did he ever. Aside from being in Las Vegas this week for the Uncork'd Events, my intent in starting this topic was to answer the question of what the "truth" is behind the facade of dining in Las Vegas--and to hopefully uncover some of the unknown, talented chefs in the cities top kitchens. Last night Chef Amoroso favorably answered the question. Tonight is dinner at L'Atelier at the MGM--life is good in Las Vegas this week.

Now I expect all of my friends who post here to give me a thorough report on tonight's episode--something to do with catering a wedding? I'm in Las Vegas this week for the Bon Appetit "Vegas Uncork'd" special events. I'll be dining at L'Atelier at the MGM tonight so I'll be out when the show airs. Have fun tonight with your Top Chef drinking games.

I agree with those of you who have questioned the authenticity of this week’s Elimination Challenge. I find it incredibly difficult to believe that after watching the “Common Threads” episode, that Bravo is being genuine with the viewers when they lead us to believe that the Chefs were limited to a budget of ten dollars to create a “delicious and nutritious,” kid-friendly meal for four. I’m not going to be able to definatively back up my argument that Bravo tried to hoodwink us this week because I can’t produce a grocery store receipt as my evidence. But here’s a thought-take a look at the recipe posted for one of top three dishes-Andrew’s “Chicken Paillard with Basil and Parmesan with a Fennel, Orange and Apple Salad.” Here’s the grocery list: Salt and Pepper Panko Bread Crumbs Basil Thyme Parmesan Cheese Chicken Thighs Flour Eggs Onion Garlic Dijon Mustard Chicken Stock Lemon Butter Olive Oil Fennel Oranges Apples Cilantro White Wine Vinegar Honey Now take a few moments…and think if you could buy these ingredients for ten George Washington Greenbacks. Even if the Top Chef pantry gave you access to use their kitchen staples like flour, eggs, salt, pepper and chicken stock-could you buy all the other stuff you needed for dinner and still get out of the store having spent just ten dollars? Doubtful. I do applaud Andrew for giving me a good laugh when he complained that he couldn’t do a “Lobster Terrine” with such a paltry budget. Regardless of your level of income, do your kids like Lobster Terrine? Now consider the Apple, Maple Syrup and Granola dessert that Stephanie presented. A small bottle of Grade A, Dark Amber, pure Vermont Maple Syrup would probably run you in the area of $4.50 or so. (The imitation syrup is maybe a buck less). That’s nearly half entire ten dollar budget for just a swizzle of syrup on apples. That would leave around $5.50 or so to buy all the ingredients that went into Stephanie’s “Braised Chicken and Veggie Couscous with Chive Yogurt.” On second thought, maybe Stephanie would have been better served if she had stuck with the Maple Syrup theme for an entrée. (Don’t look at the photo of her messy chicken stew on “Rate the Plate,” you might get sick). Like I said weeks ago, one of the biggest faults I find with Top Chef is a lack of attention to detail. Whether it’s on the show or on the Top Chef site, the viewer deserves to be given the specific parameters of a challenge, the budget, the time limitations and the exceptions to the rules-every episode. We should expect no less from a show that sees itself as worthy of an Emmy Award. There’s not much to say about Lisa’s dish that placed in the bottom three. But there is something to say about her snorty attitude that was again on display at the judges table. Take a look at your DVD of the show and the shot of Lisa standing, arms-crossed in defensive posture, in front of the judges. The perception that is projected is one of a cook who doesn’t care to accept constructive criticism and emits an odor of “me versus the world.” Lisa is teetering on the edge of elimination and it can’t come to soon for my tastes. Mark couldn’t stand the onslaught of criticism for his mucky “Roasted Vegetables in Red Curry with Cucumber Salad and Garlic Naan” and that’s pretty much the simple answer as to why he was eliminated. We can debate the intricate flavors of curry until the chickens come home to roost, but I think it’s pretty safe to say that once again, and for the last time, Mark didn’t read his audience as well as he should have and the result was a dish that wasn’t popular and wasn’t cooked very well. I suppose Antonia deserved the win for meeting the challenge with her “Stir-Fry Whole Wheat Noodles with Bok Choy, Chicken, Edamame and Cilantro.” Kids go for noodles and chicken. Antonia crafted an economical, quick dish that would be perfect for a weeknight meal for the family. The “Elements” and “Film Food” episodes have demonstrated that Bravo has the gumption to present the Chefs with challenges that test their creativity and culinary skills. That’s what we absolutely should expect to see from a “Top Chef” in a “Top” kitchen. But for the sake of Chanterelles, lets really, really challenge these cooks to be Top Chefs.