Tasting Menus in Vegas

[pastameshugana]

My wife and I are headed back to Vegas Dec 20th, and are looking for an experience. Being as our culinary voyeurism didn't develop until after we had left Vegas (go figure) and were living overseas, we really don't know where to turn.

I'd love a French tasting menu (but I'm a French food virgin), or really just something *wow* for an evening experience. Japanese tastings sound exciting...Italian we love...

The problem is that every restaurant sounds amazing when you're reading about it online.

For a hands-down great experience, with new flavors, where to go?

[annachan]

Guy Savoy (personal favorite), Joel Robuchon, L'Atelier (casual sister of Joel Robuchon), Alex.

[ermintrude]

If you fancy japanese try Nobo - You let them know what price you will pay (Think $150+ per head) and they will do a tasting menu to your budget, have done this several times there and always had a great time.

[Robert Morris]

I am in Las Vegas and work closely with Slow Food here and in the newly emerging locally grown food movement. I would highly recommend that you go to Nora's Winebar at Rampart and Charleston if you haven’t. Make sure that you go at a time when the owner/chef, Giovanni Mauro, is there. Make a reservation for that day and contact him when you arrive. Let him be creative and turn over the reins and let him cook for you. He will and it will be fabulous. They have a fabulous wine selection and, unless you see a real favorite, let the sommelier make wine suggestions for your meal. If you can take a couple of good friends with you plan to spend a few hours talking, laughing and having a great time. That is what food is all about.

[pastameshugana]

Robert,

Do you have any experience with Rosemary's?

[David Ross]

Guy Savoy (personal favorite), Joel Robuchon, L'Atelier (casual sister of Joel Robuchon), Alex.

I second these three options for a tasting menu experience in Las Vegas. However, you should go online and review the menus and pricing. Expect to pay a lot of money at any of the high-end dining rooms in Las Vegas. And also consider that a $195 tasting menu can be supplemented with wines selected for each course, which can add an additional $100 or so to the bottom line.

My favorite tasting menu of 2010 was at Sage at Aria Resort in City Center. They do fantastic American style cuisine and they have an incredible cocktail selection-including a number of absinthe drinks. (Well, at least what we call absinthe today).

I've gone into restaurants in Las Vegas expecting to order ala carte. I'll ask the server if the Chef will prepare a tasting menu, tell them the number of courses we'd like to try and I've often found the staff to be very accomodating. So--if you fancy a dining room and that doesn't offer a tasting menu online, just call and they most likely will accomodate your request.

[pastameshugana]

For shame - Sage is dark the days we'll be in town...

[EHPete]

Fleur de Lys would be at the top of my list. I've also had a great tasting menu at Bradley Ogden and a very nice one at Alex.

[Will]

My wife and I are headed back to Vegas Dec 20th, and are looking for an experience. Being as our culinary voyeurism didn't develop until after we had left Vegas

So you just want to watch other people eat?

[David Ross]

Fleur de Lys would be at the top of my list. I've also had a great tasting menu at Bradley Ogden and a very nice one at Alex.

Fleur de Lys closed this Fall. However, Chef Keller is opening a new restaurant in the same space but the opening isn't set until the first of the year. The new restaurant is apparently going to feature a tapas style menu.

[Hoshe]

If you're willing to leave the strip I'd strongly recommend the Kaiseke menu at Raku (on Spring Mountain). IMHO it's the most interesting tasting menu in Vegas right now (at least since Bar Charlie closed). You need to book ahead for sure and you need to tell them you want to do the Kaiseke and if you want beverage (Sake and wine) pairings when you make your reservation. The meal will be pretty long (2.5-3.0 hours)so plan your evening accordingly but I definitely think it's worth it. Costwise, you're looking at a much lower expense than the big three on the strip and it sounded like you were looking for something Asian. The ingredient quality I think is on par with or better than anything you'll find on the strip right now. I can't recommend it more highly.

As far as the big 3, I personally enjoy Guy Savoy more than Joel Robuchon. I think you may get a more remarkable meal at JR, but after going once I've never felt any desire to go again whereas GS almost always makes my list for restaurants in Vegas I'd like to return to.

Hope this helps.

[annachan]

One great thing about Guy Savoy is that most of the items can be ordered half portions (the portions are extremely generous for half size). Instead of getting one of the tasting menus, my husband and I sort of created our own tasting menus from different items we wanted to try. Joel Robuchon was fantastic, but I did love Guy Savoy more. The dessert cart was unbelievably amazing, which was included in the meal.

[Honkman]

If you're willing to leave the strip I'd strongly recommend the Kaiseke menu at Raku (on Spring Mountain). IMHO it's the most interesting tasting menu in Vegas right now (at least since Bar Charlie closed). You need to book ahead for sure and you need to tell them you want to do the Kaiseke and if you want beverage (Sake and wine) pairings when you make your reservation. The meal will be pretty long (2.5-3.0 hours)so plan your evening accordingly but I definitely think it's worth it. Costwise, you're looking at a much lower expense than the big three on the strip and it sounded like you were looking for something Asian. The ingredient quality I think is on par with or better than anything you'll find on the strip right now. I can't recommend it more highly.

As far as the big 3, I personally enjoy Guy Savoy more than Joel Robuchon. I think you may get a more remarkable meal at JR, but after going once I've never felt any desire to go again whereas GS almost always makes my list for restaurants in Vegas I'd like to return to.

Hope this helps.

Do you remember how much you paid for the kaiseki menu at Raku ? We liked our dinners at Raku but a kaiseki menu would be even better.

[Hoshe]

I want to say the Kaiseke was somewhere between $95-140 - sorry I know that's a pretty wide range. It was about 5-6 weeks ago so I forget the exact amount, but I remember thinking to myself that it was a bargain given the content of the meal. The kaiseke consisted of a combination of the special items available that day (on the blackboard), slightly modified/enhanced, along with 4-5 dishes completely off menu. Chef Endo prepared all the dishes himself, which made the meal all the more memorable.

[pastameshugana]

Do you remember how much you paid for the kaiseki menu at Raku ? We liked our dinners at Raku but a kaiseki menu would be even better.

I just got an email from Raku - the 10 course Kaiseki is 100, 15 course is 150, per person.

[jsmeeker]

I would add another vote for the "Discovery" menu at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon. I'm not looking up the website at the moment, but it ought to be open then. I do know lots of places are closed that time of the year. I've been to Las Vegas at that time of the year the past three years. But on one of those trips, I did go to L'Atelier. If you like it Frenchy, it's a great place.

[pastameshugana]

Well, last week we ended up at Rosemary's for a 5-course tasting menu. We were meeting local friends and they really wanted to try it. I must say, we were extremely happy and had an excellent time.

From the outside, it's a very unassuming place on the west side of town, a store-front operation. Inside, very nice, casual but well put together.

The tasting menu (which I didn't get a copy of...) was a great experience, and at $80/head was a great deal.

My memory has become fuzzy...but there was:

Salmon Tartar w/Watercress, Saffron Sauce & Caraway Cracker - memorable and spicy - would love to have on a lunch plate

Seared Sea Scallops w/Parsnip Potato Puree, Apple Cider Beurre Blanc, Crispy Prosciutto & Parsnip Strips - softest scallop I've ever put in my mouth - amazing.

Pan Fried Veal Sweetbreads w/Black Beluga Lentils & Bloody Mary Butter - 1st time for sweetbreads, and was apprehensive - I must say it was a highlight. It's hard to describe that flavor (any takers) but now I'm craving it!

Roasted Rack of Lamb w/Kalamata Olive Creamed Potatoes & Balsamic Reduction Sauce - the lamb was cooked just right, and was quite nice, but not very exciting after what had gone before.

Dessert trio: Chocolate mousse, Creme Brulee, and a Lambic beer concoction that was put together at the table with ice cream to make a sort of 'adult' root beer with a raspberry zing.

We were very pleased with the food/atmosphere/service.

Give it a shot!