Carnevino
Cheese Bombolini
Rosemary Focaccia with Lardo and Butter
Stracciatella – Beets, citrus, Sicilian pistachios
House-Made Pastrami – Duck egg, cracked pepper
Grilled Octopus – Pickled vegetables and limoncello
Prosciutto di Parma ‘Riserva’ – Apples, Puffed Bread
Carne Cruda – Chopped to order steak tartare with raw mushrooms, fennel
Affettati Misti – Mortadella, Lomo, Coppa, Fennel Salami, Head Cheese, Jingle Bell and Piquillo Peppers
Gnocchi – Gorgonzola, arugula and figs
Beef Cheek Ravioli – White truffles, brown butter
2” 240+ Day Dry Aged Riserva Strip
90-Day Bone in Ribeye
Veal Chop – 20oz Bone in
Charred Brussels Sprouts with gremolata
Fried Eggplant with tomato & ricotta
Mascarpone & Guanciale Mashed Potatoes
Spinach with garlic & hot peppers
Cesare’s ‘Tuscan Fries’
Chocolate & Peanut Butter Torte – Peanut brittle, salted caramel
Vanilla Cheesecake – Pomegranate, roast apples
Caramel Panna Cotta – Vanilla poached pears, candied pecans
Vanilla Semifreddo – Citrus, caramel sauce
Double Espresso over Ice
Attempting to craft a memorable Las Vegas weekend for an old friend who has been everywhere and eaten almost everything it was to Nicole Brisson and the staff at Carnevino that my mind turned when looking for something ‘unique,’ and two weeks following a tour of the aging facility on Dean Martin with the Chef and her team a group of six sat down in the grand dining room for an $1100 meal crafted by Chef Brisson and head server, Shep, the man who’d arranged the tour and easily one of the city’s best front of house staff.
High ceilinged and energetic as ever, with Batali’s eclectic mix of rock playing just-loud-enough overhead, it was in two bottles of affordable wine that the group partook (after cracking some jokes about the general absurdity of the list) and placing ourselves in the hands of the restaurant a four-course feast unfolded, the opening volley of creamy gougeres proving as good as ever while lardo and butter gilded many rosemary rolls.
Moving onward to antipasta, as the White Stripes churned overhead, a six-pack of plates began the meal proper and with stretchy stracciatella, tender tartare, and prosciutto as well as house made charcuterie all shining strongly none of them could trump Mario’s signature charred octopus splashed in spice and acid, nor the off-menu reference standard pastrami served with two sunny side duck eggs – a plate that left us mopping the plate clean and requesting more bread.
Next offered a pair of primi, the $80 white truffle supplement added to signature beef-cheek ravioli proving a pricey and unimpressive upcharge that was additionally unrequested, it was additionally interesting that the tender gnocchi saw only one slice of fig offered with one plate while a trio graced the other – a skimpy portion either way, considering the cost of the four pastas alone trumped $180 inclusive of tax and tip.
Moving onward to the main event, a trio of meats that were hand selected by Shep and the Chef, suffice it to say that the grill is where Carnevino again showed its ‘stuff’ and with several calling the olive-oil drizzled Veal Chop the best they’d ever tasted it was straight to the steaks that other’s attention turned – the sizable 90+ day dry-aged ribeye every bit deserving its signature status while a 2” Strip, aged nearly 9 months, was supple and aromatic – the top notes of truffle melting to flavors of beef and butter and ending with a blue cheese linger unlike any other steak on the market.
Impressed somewhat by sides, mostly by the potatoes and eggplant but less so by spinach that was lost amidst bold spice and garlic, it was with a double espresso refresher that the palate was transitioned to dessert and although the signature bombolini were not served this time around there was a different favorite for everyone at the table amongst the four items served – the crispy chocolate and peanut butter torte as good as ever while both the winter citrus semifreddo and delicate cheesecake were exercises in refinement, each presenting bold flavors amidst light textures and perfectly suited to end a meal so heavily invested in meat.
FOUR STARS: Not quite as impressive as my last two visits to Carnevino, largely as a result of the exceedingly disappointing and pricey pastas, the restaurant still stands as one of the most unique experiences in Las Vegas and although the Riserva is indeed a pricey piece of meat, the care and effort involved cannot be overstated as everything from sourcing and selection to aging and presentation is unquestionably world class.
RECOMMENDED: Riserva Steaks, House-Made Pastrami, Grilled Octopus.
AVOID: White Truffles in late January, Spinach Side Dish.
TIP: Those interested in seeing the aging facility would be best served to contact the restaurant directly as public visits are generally not offered, though for those willing to invest the effort I can certainly say it is a learning opportunity like no other.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor
http://www.carnevino.com/home.cfm
