Lakeside may have shortened its name, but it hasn’t shortened its list of tasty dishes. Instead, Executive Chef David Walzog removed “Grill” from the name and placed the emphasis on classic seafood. He makes use of a 650-degree oven for pizzas and instead uses it to broil these delicacies while sealing in the flavor. Walzog also takes off with vegan dishes, creating an entire menu of selections you would swear have meat.
For meat eaters, the new menu showcases iced shellfish, ocean-fresh fish and interesting lobster choices from across the globe. You can still pick up a steak if your heart desires, but we recommend going for the seafood menu. Dinner started with the Lakeside sampler, a trio of Maryland crab cake, chile-rubbed King crab leg and a turn on oysters Rockefeller. My vegetarian friend dove into a vegan clam chowder that used smoked oyster mushrooms for the clam flavor.
He moved on to the mushroom risotto with caramelized onions a cashew cream for a smoky fall flavor. The braised short-rib raviolis, a special for the evening, should be a standby on the menu. The delicate pasta balances perfectly with the robust short ribs.
Then came the entrees. We went for variety so we didn’t have to cut down our choices. From the vegan menu, the crab cakes seasoned with Old Bay used hearts of palm and soy protein for a very real tasting Maryland favorite. The fried gardene chicken breast even had my vegetarian friend worried that he was eating the real thing. From the seafood menu, the spice-crusted big eye tuna came in a romesco sauce with a green olive tapenade. Sauteed Atlantic sea scallops, two of them, were seasonally paired with a pear chutney and sunchoke puree. A half lobster tail was perfectly broiled and stuffed with lobster and crab meat.
Always save room for dessert here, although the chocolate bacon is sadly no longer on the menu. Sweet treats served dim sum style come on a Sweet Cart Named Desire. Executive pastry chef Kimberly Valdez serves up a variety of sweets including nutty, chocolaty, creamy and fruity. We dove into the Key lime tart, buttermilk panna cotta and peanut butter cup, while the seasonal bread pudding beckoned.
Be sure to check out the cocktail menu with playful concoctions such as the Pinky made with grapefruit vodka, pink lemonade and fresh rosemary for a brisk fresh twist or the Berry-politan, a less sweet version of the cosmo with red berry vodka, Cointreau, lime and a touch of cranberry juice.
Request a table next to the Lake of Dreams so you have a front row view of the singing light show with frogs and flowers as it goes off. You’ll get a kick out of every tourist begging the wait staff to take photos in front of the waterfall.
Lakeside, Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-248-3463
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