Okay, we admit it. The pun was totally intended with that title, though we’re not saying people haven’t done that before (come on, it’s Vegas). But on a slightly more serious note: where does a food aficionado like yourself go when you’re ready to hit the Strip on an empty stomach? The LA Times guarantees these places will give you your fill before you hit the town for The Hangover-type adventure you’ve been itching to recreate. Bring on the tigers and the Satchels.
At the top of the list is The Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas’s Twist, with an impressive three Michelin Stars under Executive Chef Pierre Gagnaire’s belt and a cuisine that reflects such quality. The resto itself is not over-the-top; all it does is boast a quiet confidence that allows its bite to speak rather than its bark.
La Times’ next pick is Bar Masa, renowned chef Masa Takayama’s new resto at CityCenter. It doesn’t try to be a Ginza Sushiko, and it’s okay with that (and so are we). It has set-price shabu-shabu meals at $500 per person in a locale the size of an airplane hangar, and a standard sushi menu with fresh seafood flown in daily from Tokyo’s Tsukiji market.
The article also mentions Madrid native Julian Serrano’s self-titled restaurant, Julian Serrano. Its main cuisine of choice: paella, an authentic dish from Spain that is popular because of its deliciousness. It is proclaimed as the most authentic in the U.S., as expected. Because of the legendary long cooking time for a true paella dish, it’s recommended you order some generously-portioned tapas while you wait for this magic.
You can’t expect a food review without mention of Jean-Georges Vongerichten, without a doubt one of the most iconic chefs in the U.S. and haute enough to grace our February/March cover of Haute Living Miami in 2009. His Las Vegas-located outpost, Jean-Georges Steakhouse, is a little more low-key (which is not typical Las Vegas style, but hey, who are we to judge?) yet posses a sophistication that resonates with its cuisine. Where other restaurants have a subtlety in their first-courses and sides, this resto gives these obscured foods equal importance. It also boasts a mean-flavored Wagyu steak for $240 a person, but the Australian Angus 300 New York strip gives a little more bang for your buck. If anyone knows steak, it’s this guy, and the LA Times knows this.
The Times’ last mention is Silk Road in the Vdara Hotel, recommended for breakfast as well as those who like a little fun design with their food. Its design by Karim Rashid is LEED-certified, which certainly makes our conscience happier. Its style is a bit futuristic, containing sweeping views of CityCenter’s architecture. Regarding its cuisine, one of the highly-recommended items is the Turkish eggs, poached and layered with free-range turkey hash, and topped with fiery kirmizi (a Turkish red pepper) butter.
DonSource: LA Times
