Elrushbo

Gotta respectfully disagree...look at all the gourmet restaurants on the Strip, all doing major volume. People travel to Vegas to have fun, go to shows, and go to restaurants. People have proven that they will pay for gourmet food, and I think the 'fun' aspect of an Alinea would be a major hit. If people will fill up places like Mesa Grill or Spago, that aren't in that league, they'll go for Alinea, Avenues or Moto. Your take on the locals could easily apply to Chicago-Chicago style pizza and Italian beef are more of what Chicago is known for nationwide than gourmet food. I think people would want to try something different and new in Vegas. If they'll pay $350pp for the tasting menu at Robuchon, they'll pay $200 for Avenues, Alinea or Moto or something like it and as good.

I have Braise and have to say it is really good. I like the fact that it is more world cuisine than just French. Btw Paul Bocuse has a new cookbook out in March. Check the link to Barnes and Noble I have included. I should also add that I love my copy of Larousse Gastronomique, a very handy guide. If you want a cookbook with a smart ass attitude ( and just consider who the author is.) Les Halles Cookbook is really good too. You just can't own this cookbook though if you are easily offended by the colorful language. It is described as more of a field mannual and it does not disappoint. Le Bernardin Cookbook is really good too if you want a cookbook that just specializes in seafood. Barnes and Noble ← I will check out those books, thanks! The Bocuse book looks like what I'm looking for. Simple French cooking. Something I might use more than once in a while for super-special occasions.

I use my Batali cookbook-I just made four things from it last night, I use all four of my Emeril books, I use my Jean Georges book, I use my Bradley Ogden's Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner most often because it's so diverse and wonderful.

Neil, I think that with the right players that it would work. Molto E ← I think whoever does it first will be nationally famous. People will want to try something fun and new. Might not be so new to people in Chicago, but in Vegas it would be.

I really don't think it's a conservative market. People love to have fun in Vegas, and molecular gastronomy is fun, imho. Like you said, people are gobbling it up at Robuchon and Savoy at absurd prices. People certainly are willing to pay and willing to try something new. People travel to Chicago just to go to Alinea and Moto, I could see people doing that if those places were in Vegas, but even moreso.

I know Graham Elliot Bowles has said he'd love to open more restaurants someday, when I was at Avenues last summer I commented that I thought far lesser restaurants than his do amazing volume in Vegas. I'm wondering when someone like him, Grant Achatz, Homaru Cantu, Wiley Dufresne(sp) will try the Vegas market. Imho, whoever is first will be very big. I think it's the one thing lacking from the Vegas scene, and it would certainly be welcome. Anyone have any thoughts on this? I for one would love to go to a place like Moto, Alinea, or Avenues when in Sin City. Lord knows people would pay for it.

I've glanced at it, it's a beautiful book with great photography. I'm wondering if anyone has it and has tried anything in it yet. Looks like it might be good for entertaining/special occasions, especially in the summer when certain things are in season. I'm also thinking about getting a French cookbook. I had my mother in law over and she was impressed with what I made from Batali's book, but I'd like to try French cooking, expand my horizons a bit. I can make pretty much anything from a recipie. I'd like to try one of Boulud's books, maybe even the French Laundry book. But I'm willing to take advice from others here because I really don't know what French cookbooks are worth getting. I prefer more contemporary style cooking, if that helps. And things where I'm not spending more on ingredients than I would if I actually went to the French Laundry or Robuchon.

What about Boulud's books? I'm tempted to try one of them.

I have my mom's old Time-Life cookbooks. They have beautiful pictures, I have used them, but I admit I rarely use them anymore since I started getting celeb-chef books. The Italian one has a great recipie for pizza dough and sauce. I rarely use my Mahdur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking book cause my wife hates Indian food. I'd be making stuff from that all the time otherwise. Butter chicken...mmmmm. I actually made four things from my Mario Batali book last night, all were hits, so that book might get some more use.

VIP treatment is fine so long as it's not at the expense of other diners. I'd expect better service at Chili's. No way would I have left any tip-not one cent.

Le Atelier would be good about accomodating one person's shellfish allergy in a party of four ordering a tasting menu, right?

I've been wanting to go to SW since I heard all the great reviews basically proclaiming it one of, if not the best steakhouse in Vegas. But that was when Eric Klein was the chef. Is it still as good now? I'm leery about Wynn moving the chef from the Country Club Grill over there, they weren't exactly considered on par with SW. Also, I'm wondering if FIX is better now that Klein is the chef there, and how the menu has changed since his arrival.

Who has the best cocktails on the Strip, in restaurants preferably, but lounges also? We're too old for clubs and probably not interested in "ultra" lounges. What did you have, where, and what did you like about it? From my experience, Nobhill at MGM has the consistently best cocktails. They make the best Mojito I've ever had. They use whole mint leaves, and use crushed ice, with the mint leaves on the bottom. Too many places make it with the leaves all chopped up, with you eventually end up getting in your mough like a salad. Nobhill makes it a little dry, sweet, but not syrupy or too sweet. That, and their Cable Car martini. I'm eager to hear about others' experiences.

What I find appealing about trying Bouchon for breakfast is that you're getting good food in a nice, relaxed setting for about the same as the breakfast buffet at the Paris-and you're not waiting in line. I just might have to try it next time I'm in Vegas, thanks for the wonderful pics and details.

You go on eating pommes frites whenever you want in Vegas! Heck, I'd probably eat a porterhouse for breakfast in Vegas if anyone served it.

If anyone has been to both, which would you recommend? I was taken back a bit by the pricing at first, but after seeing some of the comments here and elsewhere, I'm more open to trying one. Any help appreciated.

Well, it was fabulous for dinner. Thanks for the heads up on brunch.

I had to bookmark your restaurant guide and will consult it when I'm going to Vegas next time. I'm seriously tempted to try Joel Robuchon, I just don't know if I can get my wife to go along with it costing that much. That and her sister+husband might not be willing to pay close to $500pp. Might be able to swing LeAtelier

From my experience there, it's no fluke. I really wanted to like Vinology for dinner but it was just plain ameteurish for the money.

yeah. The restaurant is in las vegas. ← But that is waaaaay over the top for pricing, even in Vegas. It's hard to justify prices like that when so many others there have the same quality of ingredients, and spend millions on building and charge much less. Pricing like that, imho, is like an elitist attitude to keep out the 'rabble.' ← That's a pretty tricky argument to make with any fine dining restaurant. Some people have trouble justifying $100 (or even $50) for a dinner. To each their own is what I say. In Vegas, the high prices at these types of restaurants are a function of the money that's going through a Strip hotels and a way to impress the whales that are being comped (some of whom I would consider to be rabble anyway based on their behavior in some of these restaurants). ← Yeah, but THAT much? I have no problem paying for a nice restaurant, but Guy Savoy is just being outrageous. There's no reason to charge almost as much for an entree as one would pay for a tasting menu at Alex. But, hey, if people will pay it...

Sadly, Bartolotta no longer serves lunch. As of a couple of months ago, it only offers dinner. ← That sucks, I was hoping to try their lunch.

Mesa Grill is fantastic for lunch. I'm sure you can get whatever wine you'd want as well. They're great if you want just a bite, a salad, or something more. Circo at Bellagio still does lunch, last I remember they do fountain shows during the say on the weekends.

I was presented a wooden box. Inside were six different kinds of loose tea in large test tubes to look and smell its aroma. I selected the organic Earl Grey. And off they went for preparation. It must have been watching all those episodes of "Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous" when I was growing up. Yes, it was food. Mind you, it was more than that, IMO. At Guy Savoy, there was a definite focus on service, on pampering the customer, on making the diner happy. Franck Savoy was more than just a host. He's probably the closest thing to a maitre d' that I have ever experienced. Although there was the team of servers & waitstaff with their professionalism, having a Franck Savoy sent it over the top. To me, I appreciate great service and Restaurant Guy Savoy took it to another level. ← I'm glad you liked it and I'm sure it was great...if it was the best food you've ever had than it probably was worth it.

yeah. The restaurant is in las vegas. ← But that is waaaaay over the top for pricing, even in Vegas. It's hard to justify prices like that when so many others there have the same quality of ingredients, and spend millions on building and charge much less. Pricing like that, imho, is like an elitist attitude to keep out the 'rabble.'

Thanks for the heads-up, I will be picking that mag up today! I'm going over to my in-laws for Thanksgiving and am looking for a few ideas. I'm making pomegranite cranberry sauce already, but also stuffing, maybe a veggie thing, and a dessert. Last year the in-laws came for Thanksgiving at my place. I made my first turkey-OMG it was incredible. I can be my own worst critic at times, but the turkey came out better than I could have imagined! I took an Emeril recipie for beer brine, soaked the bird for 24 hours, then used a Collichio recipie from last year's Bon Appetit Thanksgiving edition for putting herb-butter under the skin, and I basted it with chicken stock that had a bit of curry powder in it. It was jucier than deep fried turkey and the flavor went all the way through. I made a squash gratin from that Bon Appetit, but instead of yellow summer squash I used crookneck squash, turned out well. I made Cashew-Coconut tarts, kinda like chocolate pecan pie. I also made four kinds of flavored butter...I worked all day Wednesday and part of Thursday and loved every minute of it. A few days ago, when talking about last years' Thanksgiving dinner, my father in law said, infront of my mother in law, that it was the best turkey he'd ever had. MAN, did he get "the look!" Could have cut through diamonds with that look!