wynn resort (Las Vegas)

[chefseanbrock]

what happened to jimmy sneed?????

[cbarre02]

Please refer to prior posts

[Joel Bussjaeger]

Thanks SO much, vegasreporter!

Now the only problem is seeing how many meals we can squeeze into a Mon- Fri visit!

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i've eaten at every restaurant on the las vegas strip and experienced plenty of highs and lows. if u need any suggestions let me know.

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Michael MInas at the belagio should not be missed

[vegasreporter]

I had dinner Thursday night at Tableau. The chef is Mark LoRusso, who ran Aqua at the Bellagio and comes from San Francisco (Michael Mina protege I believe). The restaurant is difficult to find. There are no signs anywhere, and the map is confusing. Look for the high-dollar baccarat room, go to the back and make a right. You'll run into Tableau. I didn't know what to expect at Tableau. Many of Bellagio's restaurants were disappointing, and I had finally decided not to risk any more money there. I wish I had tried Aqua because the food was superb at his newest place. Unfortunately, I didn't come with a huge appetite. For starters, we had crab raviolis. There were three delicate creations, filled with dungeness crab. Superb. Foodie girl, your're going to kill me. I can't remember the sauce. Sorry. I was on a date and decided not to take notes. For dinner, we each had halibut in this divine lobster sauce with tortellinis. Clearly this chef loves his pasta. The fish was very fresh. I say this because many restaurants claim their fish is fresh but my nose knows differently. And as we know, freshness can uplift a meal or destroy it. OK, the service was good. Everybody was polite and the waiter knew the menu. The staff didn't seem to be in a rush. Tableau only has 80 seats or so. That's good. We know what happens when an upscale restaurant has to serve hundreds of people a night: the food suffers. The only annoying incident of the evening: my waiter brought me some Grand Marnier in this very small kraft and forgot to bring my glass. But I'm not one to complain. It by no means spoiled the meal. That's for sure. Plus, my date went well. I think I got out of there for less than $150 (including tip and a glass of wine). I intend to return. When you've found a winner why gamble? Oh, the decor was nice. Nothing eye popping.

[Foodie-Girl]

I had dinner Thursday night at Tableau. The chef is Mark LoRusso, who ran Aqua at the Bellagio and comes from San Francisco (Michael Mina protege I believe). The restaurant is difficult to find. There are no signs anywhere, and the map is confusing. Look for the high-dollar baccarat room, go to the back and make a right. You'll run into Tableau. I didn't know what to expect at Tableau. Many of  Bellagio's restaurants were disappointing, and I had finally decided not to risk any more money there. I wish I had tried Aqua because the food was superb at his newest place. Unfortunately, I didn't come with a huge appetite. For starters, we had crab raviolis. There were three delicate creations, filled with dungeness crab. Superb. Foodie girl, your're going to kill me. I can't remember  the sauce. Sorry. I was on a date and decided not to take notes. For dinner, we each had halibut in this divine lobster sauce with tortellinis. Clearly this chef loves his pasta. The fish was very fresh. I say this because many restaurants claim their fish is fresh but my nose knows differently. And as we know, freshness can uplift a meal or destroy it. OK, the service was good. Everybody was polite and the waiter knew the menu. The staff didn't seem to be in a rush. Tableau only has 80 seats or so. That's good. We know what happens when an upscale restaurant has to serve hundreds of people a night: the food suffers. The only annoying incident of the evening: my waiter brought me some Grand Marnier in this very small kraft and forgot to bring my glass. But I'm not one to complain. It by no means spoiled the meal. That's for sure. Plus, my date went well. I think I got out of there for less than $150 (including tip and a glass of wine). I intend to return. When you've found a winner why gamble? Oh, the decor was nice. Nothing eye popping.

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***Hey vegasreporter, thanks for the Tableau review. No, I'm not going to kill you over forgetting a sauce...LOL. When you're on a date the focus should be on your DATE not the food (-:

But, when you're asked to report back to folks on eG or other websites it's nice to remember most of what you ate. I think that's part of the reason I go for the tasting menu approach...at least I can take a copy of the menu with me...LOL.

OK....good comments on Tableau and I'm going to follow your lead and we'll probably spend the first day just walking around the hotel finding everything so we don't have a problem as Tableau seems to be hidden from what you said.

I am curious as to your disappointment on Bellagio's restaurants...maybe we aren't on the same page as far as what we like in food.

These are places I've been to and REALLY like at Bellagio: Circo, LeCirque, Picasso, Michael Mina, Olives and Prime. I finally stopped going to Prime only because it's just TOO much food no matter how you end up sharing.

So, how did you feel about these restaurants?.....Just curious.

Do you have plans for trying any of the other Wynn restaurants before June 19th?

P.S. Glad your date went well!

[sand]

Here's a first hand report from a non-VIP visitor.

Las Vegas Advisor Open Forum

Obviously, Wynn needs to "shake out" some of the initial bugs, but I wonder if some of this stuff will be systemic.

[Foodie-Girl]

Just returned from a 5-night stay at WYNN and had some pretty incredible meals:

ALEX: Drop-dead beautiful room and happy to see the maitre d' from Le Cirque made the move. He's French, efficient and not in any way snobby. I've never seen anyone who SO enjoys (or gives the impression) of making sure everything runs smoothly at a meal.

My husband did the tasting menu and me and my friends ordered from the ala carte menu. Everything was great and it was nice to see they didn't force the entire table to order the tasting menu. They managed to time it so no one just sat and watched my husband eating with nothing in front of us...not an easy trick but they pulled it off.

BARTOLOTTA: Italian Seafood...WOW on this place too. Whole fish flown in from the Mediterranean is their speciality and we were not disappointed. They serve it tableside and do all the work (deboning/filleting)...loved it.

RED 8: Though not a big fan of Asian cuisine it made for a great lunch stop. Another beautiful space/excellent service and tasty appetizers to fill the void until dinner.

DANIEL BOULUD: Well, it ws SO damn good that I ate there twice...LOL. Be sure to sit OUTSIDE...I'll keep the reason as a surprise...just do it.

Our one meal outside the hotel was terrible and it wasn't until we walked into the restaurant that the bad memories of our initial meal came flooding back. We were seeing a show at the MGM so it seemed like a convenient idea....wrong, wrong, wrong. I'm not saying where we ate (as I was practically drawn and quartered on another forum for giving a restaurant a bad review) but it was a disaster.

Overall we really liked WYNN. It's definitely not Bellagio and doesn't try to be. It's low-key...easy to navigate and has a top-notch staff. No big surprise because a large percentage of them came from Bellagio.

They are well-trained and will do anything to fix a problem and make sure you are a happy guest.

Sorry I don't have all the food in my head...I just wanted to relax and enjoy...but I'm sure my husband can help me come up with a few courses if anyone is interested.

While there were definitely a few glitches still to be addressed in the hotel itself and I will admit to being super-critical I can say there were no problems in any of the restaurants we visited. Service/atmosphere/quality of food/presentation...all first-class.

And now back to my own mediocore cooking......)))-:

P.S. regarding the Las Vegas Open Forum Report....I used the cashier numerous times (conveniently located next to the guest elevators and never waited on line).

I agree...the "deli" is NOT good and should be revamped. Cold, tasteless corned-beef sandwich.

As for problems with the rooms...I had several with my room and they should have been taken care of before any guest arrives. But, on the plus side the staff responds immediately and, after a few complaints, knocked $100 off my room bill for my inconvenience. They were even willing to send a valet up to pack up my clothes, etc and move me if I so desired. I was on the 57th floor and really didn't want to move so it was my choice to stay.

It's very hard not to compare WYNN with BELLAGIO and that's unfortunate because BELLAGIO is a hard act to follow. I think many, including myself, had expectations of WYNN that couldn't possibly be met.

I love WYNN for different reasons...it's new/different/very easy to navigate and the restaurants (those I tried anyway) were better than I could have imagined and NEW experiences. I've always enjoyed the restaurants at Bellagio but after so many visits it's nice to try new places.

Edited June 25, 2005 by Foodie-Girl (log)

[sand]

Foodie Girl, where the restaurants and/or hotel full? I walked through the hotel on Saturday morning (Belmont day), and was surprised by the emptiness. The race book had maybe of handful of gamblers playing, and there were lots of empty tables in the casino (except for the $50 minimum crap table).

Any trouble with the valet and/or taxi line (if applicable)?

[Foodie-Girl]

Foodie Girl, where the restaurants and/or hotel full?  I walked through the hotel on Saturday morning (Belmont day), and was surprised by the emptiness.  The race book had maybe of handful of gamblers playing, and there were lots of empty tables in the casino (except for the $50 minimum crap table).

Any trouble with the valet and/or taxi line (if applicable)?

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***I was there Sun - Fri and my impression was that the hotel was not full. It took a little patience but I could always find a $15 blackjack table (minimum bet at night) without too much trouble.

The craps tables seemed very busy at night but not during the day...which is pretty common.

Daniel Boulud and Bartolotti were both packed but Alex was not crowded....maybe half full the night we ate.

We used a taxi twice, once to go to MGM to see Ka' and then to the airport at the end of the week. No lines either time.

[gmi3804]

We used a taxi twice, once to go to MGM to see Ka' and then to the airport at the end of the week.  No lines either time.

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So how was Ka'? (This is a travel forum too, right? ) And could you tell us the name of the restaurant? Criticism of your opinions shouldn't be feared if they're well-thought-out.

[Foodie-Girl]

We used a taxi twice, once to go to MGM to see Ka' and then to the airport at the end of the week.  No lines either time.

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So how was Ka'? (This is a travel forum too, right? ) And could you tell us the name of the restaurant? Criticism of your opinions shouldn't be feared if they're well-thought-out.

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***We really enjoyed Ka' but then we have not been disappointed in any of the Cirque shows we've seen: "O", Mystere and Zumanity. All a little different but spectacular in their own way.

Our dinner at Nobhill was disappointing in terms of disinterested service/overcooked lobster in the Lobster Pot Pie and other components of the meal that fell flat.

Used glasses were left sitting on our table as well as finished plates. No clearing of crumbs...just very slipshod service.

[Macarons&Mozart]

Hello all!

I am a frequenter of Vegas (I visit at least 2 or 3 times a year.) Each time I go, I absolutely fall in love with the dining. So many great restaurants! Before I go, I even have a dining 'schedule' that I loosely follow. Its the only way to stay on track! We usually stay for about a week, so I have time for a decent amount of sampling. I will be in Vegas next week, and will give some details of my dining trips.

Rob

Edited June 30, 2005 by Macarons&Mozart (log)

[Foodie-Girl]

Hello all!

I am a frequenter of Vegas (I visit at least 2 or 3 times a year.)  Each time I go, I absolutely fall in love with the dining.  So many great restaurants!    Before I go, I even have a dining 'schedule' that I loosely follow.  Its the only way to stay on track!  We usually stay for about a week, so I have time for a decent amount of sampling.  I will be in Vegas next week, and will give some details of my dining trips.

Rob

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Hi Rob!

I'm really looking forward to your report. I have another trip planned for 6 nights in August and always anxious to hear about the experiences of other foodies!!

[rjwong]

bump ...

I decided to give this thread a little bump since its initial beginnings.

I'll be staying at the Wynn Resort this Aug. (4th-7th). The room rates were a real bargain, so I took the offer. Yes, I know it's during the heat of summer. Mind you, once I get there, I'm staying put and not going out of the Wynn Resort. Well, that's the intended plan ...

For my three dinners, I'm going to Alex, Wing Lei and probably either Bartolotta or Boulud.

As for brunches/lunches, I was thinking of the Buffet, Tableau, the Country Club, and Red 8.

Overall, how do the Wynn restaurants compare with, say, the Bellagio restaurants? I understand that we all have our individual favorites. Mind you, I'm asking in terms of overall variety and quality of the restaurants as a group. I hope I'm making sense.

Thanks in advance!

[tetsujustin]

bump ...

I decided to give this thread a little bump since its initial beginnings.

I'll be staying at the Wynn Resort this Aug. (4th-7th). The room rates were a real bargain, so I took the offer. Yes, I know it's during the heat of summer. Mind you, once I get there, I'm staying put and not going out of the Wynn Resort. Well, that's the intended plan ...

For my three dinners, I'm going to Alex, Wing Lei and probably either Bartolotta or Boulud.

As for brunches/lunches, I was thinking of the Buffet, Tableau, the Country Club, and Red 8.

Overall, how do the Wynn restaurants compare with, say, the Bellagio restaurants? I understand that we all have our individual favorites. Mind you, I'm asking in terms of overall variety and quality of the restaurants as a group. I hope I'm making sense.

Thanks in advance!

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The collection of Wynn Restaurants are an updated and in my opinion better version of the bellagio restaurants. Note that I prefer Jean Philippe Patissarie to the Wynn's patissarie. Again, both places have their better points in cuisine but in my experience, Wynn's was better overall, though I think Bellagio could outpoint Wynn in it's lunch service. Alex is my favorite restaurant overall in Las Vegas just because of it's ability to be an oxymoron -- simple, yet complex. Bartolotta has the same quality. Having eaten at the current other "top notch" Las Vegas Guy Savoy and L'atelier (not the mansion) Robuchon, there was just something about Alex that would make me want to go back over the other two, which are fantastic restaurants in their own right.

Back to your original question, as an overall standpoint I think the strong points of Wynn are better than any other hotel (Wing Lei, Alex, Bartolotta, Red 8, I can't comment about Okada because I only ate there when Takashi Yagihashi was there) and their weaker points such as the buffet and new american and lower end concepts such as the Country Club, Tableaux, and that cafe on the green thing are either comparable or only slightly lower (in my opinion) in a quality standpoint.

On that note, I would also like to say haven't been to every single one of their food outlets, and I've heard Boulud Brasserie really was disappointing. If you go, be sure to report back!

And also I would just like to say at the Wynn, you've really got to open that pocketbook especially versus other spots on the strip. haha. However, vacations are hard to come by for me, so I'm willing to break open the bank.

Have a great time! We want an extensive report.

[rjwong]

And also I would just like to say at the Wynn, you've really got to open that pocketbook especially versus other spots on the strip. haha. However, vacations are hard to come by for me, so I'm willing to break open the bank.

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tetsujustin, thanks for the recommendations!

And just to let you know, if I'm going to open my pocketbook to Wynn, the least Wynn can do is open up their pocketbook to me, right??

I'm certain the high-end restaurants will be great. It's the "second-tier" places I'm concern about. Will there be a huge drop in quality if I go to one of their "casual" restaurants?

[Macarons&Mozart]

Whenever I go to Vegas, I find myself taking most of my meals in the Bellagio (we stay there) and Wynn. Tetsujustin wrote a great post above- they both have their plusses, though Wynn's restaurants seem to have a bit more flare and freshness. Just line tetsujustin, Alex is also my favorite, as you well know, Russell! Although, Guy Savoy is a close second...very close. In some aspects, I think Savoy even out-performs Alex.

Let me advise against Boulud. It is horribly overpriced, uninteresting, and not prepared well.

Hope that helps.

[BryanZ]

In early August 2007, I spent a few food-centric days in Las Vegas. My full trip report can be seen here. This is an excerpted report on my The Buffet at the Wynn:

Had breakfast/lunch at The Buffet at the Wynn. I feel kind of bad admitting this, but here’s a freeloader tip for anyone going to most of the big Vegas buffets. If you can get in just around the transition period, you can try two sets of food for the lower-priced of the meals. For instance, we went to breakfast shortly after 10:00 AM but weren’t seated until about 10:35-40 after waiting in line. Breakfast technically ends at 10:30 and lunch starts at 11:00, but they’re obviously not going to charge the lunch price to people who have been waiting since 10:00. They’re also not going to force the people out who sat down at 10:40 to eat breakfast when the lunch change over occurs at exactly 11:00.

So my mother and I paid our $17.95 thinking we’d only get breakfast, but after my first plate I stood up to return to the food stations only to find that nearly everything had been changed over the past 15 or so minutes. A notable feat to say the least. Because of this I was able to try the Wynn’s breakfast and lunch buffet offerings. I will say I was a little bit disappointed in this buffet. I think part of it is because I’m older and can’t get as excited as I used to about the buffet experience. I also thought that the “16 live cooking stations” thing was kind of a farce. Sure, they’re cooking some of the food behind the buffet line, but it’s not like they’re cooking a la carte as Steve Wynn’s deep, gravelly voice assured me they would on the Wynn’s television channel. Like at most buffets of a certain quality there were a couple legitimately tasty items, but some of the stuff wasn’t all that appetizing. It’s an appealing space—the main hall evokes the solarium vibe of the lobby, but I found myself enjoying the food at the Bellagio’s lunch buffet and the natural light and poolside setting at the Mandalay Bay buffet more.

Edited August 19, 2007 by BryanZ (log)

[rjwong]

Sunday night: Wing Lei

I was wanting to try this place, based on several favorable posts that I read.

Panned grilled pot stickers

Not bad.

Peking duck before tableside service

I was looking forward to this dish.

Peking duck, part one: The skin

The duck skin tasted wonderful, all wrapped up!!

Hunan spicy lamb

My friends kept commenting how tender the meat was.

Chinese bok choy

Crispy and spicy shrimp

Unfortunately, they didn’t serve them with the heads on ...

Whole lobster

The lobster tasted very good.

Ma pao tofu (vegetarian)

Peking duck, part two: The meat

Here’s the rest of the duck. I definitely want to order that again.

Desserts, compliments of the sommelier

Apparently, my friend and the sommelier recognized each other. Thus, the nice gesture on the sommelier’s part.

Wing Lei was a very fine Chinese restaurant. Looking how they “toned down” the tasting menu, I wouldn’t call it haute Chinese cuisine. It’s unfortunate that they felt they need to accommodate the visiting diners to that level. Perhaps, I’ll have to ask for the “other” tasting menu that’s off the menu.

Wing Lei

Edited August 24, 2007 by rjwong (log)

[docsconz]

RJ, what would you consider "haute Chinese?"

[rjwong]

RJ, what would you consider "haute Chinese?"

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John, the tasting menu that you and molto e had at Wing Lei is what I consider "haute Chinese." Each course was plated for each diner. Each course is based on Chinese cuisine with a certain Western emphasis on presentation. I'm curious, John: Were you eating each course with chopsticks and/or forks & knives?

The Chinese dinner I had with my friends at Wing Lei is what I consider your typical Chinese banquet-style meal. Each course is presented and served communally. Does that make sense?

The tasting menu I saw at Wing Lei when I was there was quite different from the tasting menu you two had a few months ago. Perhaps I should have asked for THAT tasting menu, even though it wasn't on the menu ...

[rjwong]

Monday

It’s time for a buffet. Here’s my quick post on Monday brunch.

The decor was definitely gorgeous!

Plate one

Plate two

Floating island and Key Lime tart

The food was okay, not too flavorful to be honest. Mind you, the desserts were pretty decent. At about $20 for lunch, it’s not a bad option.

[rjwong]

Monday night: Bartolotta

I’ve eaten here before. I told myself if I ate here again, I would order the branzino, so matter how big it was. And now, a few more photos of the restaurant:

Table setting

Risotto ai frutti di mare

The risotto was really good. Personally, it could have been a little creamier.

Whole branzino before tableside preparation

Branzino with salse, condimenti e contorni

Yeah, 700 grams of fish, and it’s mine, all mine. The branzino was absolutely delicious with the added green salse. With the included contoni, it was ... abbondanza ...

Dessert

I’m glad I returned to Bartolotta. And yes, I would go back again.

Afterwards, I encountered an interesting financial roller-coaster ride. I started playing the slots. I did well. Then, I noticed a hot craps table game going on. I was watching for a while and decided to join in the fun. Beware! Don’t get caught up in all the excitement of the game! I did just that, and I had four dollars in chips left. Yes, I was depressed. So what did I do? I went to Red 8 and ordered some won ton noodle soup which hit the spot. It was pretty good. It calmed me down a bit.

Then I went back to the slot machines, and fortunately, I won back what I lost at the craps table. I was happy. Your mileage may vary.

[docsconz]

RJ, what would you consider "haute Chinese?"

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John, the tasting menu that you and molto e had at Wing Lei is what I consider "haute Chinese." Each course was plated for each diner. Each course is based on Chinese cuisine with a certain Western emphasis on presentation. I'm curious, John: Were you eating each course with chopsticks and/or forks & knives?

If I remember correctly, we ate with chopsticks.

The Chinese dinner I had with my friends at Wing Lei is what I consider your typical Chinese banquet-style meal. Each course is presented and served communally. Does that make sense?

Perfect sense. Thanks.

The tasting menu I saw at Wing Lei when I was there was quite different from the tasting menu you two had a few months ago. Perhaps I should have asked for THAT tasting menu, even though it wasn't on the menu ...

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If I remember correctly, our tasting menu was not the regular printed one, but arose from a discussion with our waiter culminating in their offer to create a surprise menu for us. Some of the dishes we had including the lobster and the duck were served from a single platter, though they were apportioned by our excellent waiter.

[molto e]

RJ, what would you consider "haute Chinese?"

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If I remember correctly, our tasting menu was not the regular printed one, but arose from a discussion with our waiter culminating in their offer to create a surprise menu for us. Some of the dishes we had including the lobster and the duck were served from a single platter, though they were apportioned by our excellent waiter.

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Doc,

I remember two tasting menus available the night we dined at Wing Lei, the peking duck menu and another tasting menu. We were going to order a la carte until the chef offered to cook for us. I think the diner must make his desire known to the kitchen at Wing Lei so the kitchen understands what level of tasting is desired.

Molto E