During our trip to Las Vegas in November, 2009, Wendy & I split off from the group (Ron, Dave, Ted, Tracy, Julie, and Terry) to dine at Hubert Keller’s Fleur de Lys in the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino.
We decided to indulge in the 6-course tasting menu prepared by Chef Wolf. The courses, along with the paired wines, are below.
The dining room is a very small stone room that still manages to be intimate and inviting. (Our table was the left-most against the wall, under the pink wall art, in the photo above). The wall art was actually an elongated frame that contained thousands of fresh-cut roses. At the end of the meal, the bread server (with whom we’d been joking most of the evening) reached up and plucked a rose which he presented to Wendy.
Dungeness Crab, Avocado, Watermelon Gazpacho
Gruet Rose, New Mexico, NV
Ahi Tuna Tartare, Shaved Fennel Slaw, Ginger Ponzu
Gruner Veltliner, Hirsch, “Hillengenstien”, Kamptal, Austria 2007
Truffled Onion Soup, Braised Duck Crepe, Red Onion Puree, Black Truffle
Chardonnay, Au Bon Climat, Santa Barbara, California 2007
Veal and Yukon Gold Potato Ravioli, Garden Peas, Sunchoke
Syrah Rose, Cuilleron, St. Joseph, “Lybel”, France 2007
Olive Oil Braised Hamachi, Pickled Shitake Mushrooms, Ginger Aromatic Sauce, Tempura Scallions
Riesling, Dr. Thanisch, Moel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany 2007
Stout Braised Beef Short Ribs, Root Vegetable Puree, Whole Grain Mustard, Cornichons
Malbec, Ben Marco, Mendoza, Argentina 2008
Coconut Tapioca Soup, Passion Fruit, Plantain, Strawberry, Kiwi
Moscato d’Asti, Dante Rivetti, “Riveto”, Piedmont, Italy 2007
Sauternes Poached Pear, Walnut Sable, Toasted Cinnamon Ice Cream
Moscato d’Asti, Dante Rivetti, “Riveto”, Piedmont, Italy 2007
Assortment of Petits Fours and Warm Madeleines with Warm Chocolate Sauce
We were certainly satisfied and impressed with the meal. Standout courses included the Truffled Onion Soup which was a very light onion soup (poured tableside over the delicate garnishes in the bowl), and the Olive Oil Braised Hamachi (which didn’t seem braised at all, but rather poached). Still, the flavor of the Hamachi was outstanding – subtle and gentle – and the texture sublime. Wendy & I didn’t agree on the flavor contribution of the pickled mushrooms (she felt they overpowered the gentle fish; I thought it was a nice counterpoint), but we both enjoyed the dish very much.
The Stout Braised Beef Short Ribs were well-prepared and the mustard/cornichons on top added a nice flavor, but the stout braise did not contribute appreciable flavor to the dish.
It was a pleasant evening, and a good start to our short visit to Las Vegas.
