Michael Mina
Welcome Champagne
Michael’s Signature Caviar Parfait – Hash browns, Egg salad, Smoked salmon, Whipped lemon crème fraiche, Osetra caviar
Joh. Jos. Prum 2012 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese
Tartare of Ahi Tuna – Sashimi GradeTuna, Garlic, Pears, Lemon, Chilies, Mint, Piine Nuts, Sesame Oil, Egg Yolk served with Toast
Hamachi sashimi – Ponzu glaze, yuzu vinaigrette, micro shiso
Honey Wheat and White Roll, Salted and Unsalted Butter
Heirloom beet salad – Kumquat, endive, Sherry vinaigrette, pistachio puree, “pistachio granola”
Dungeness Crab Ravioli – Artichokes, Garlic Cream, Burgundy Black Truffles, Black Trumpet Mushrooms
2012 Niagara Estate Inniskillin Icewine Vidal
Whole Roasted Foie Gras – Carved tableside with Poached Pear, Pear Puree, Spice Cake, Almonds, Foie Gras Mousse with Pear Gelee, Toasted Brioche, Allspice Dram, Long-peppercorn Pain Perdu
“Three Seas Tasting” – Tempura Maitake Mushrooms, Pan seared Dayboat Scallops, Bok Choy filled with Ginger Scallops and Mushrooms, Langoustine, Crispy Skin Tai Snapper, Bamboo rice with Dungeness crab and trout roe, Ginger vinaigrette, Radish, Japanese Pickle
American Wagyu Ribeye from Snake River Farms – Truffle Potato Puree, Braised Beef Short Rib, Cipollini Mushroom, Royal Trumpet Mushroom, Pinot Noir Reduction
Truffle polenta
Brussels Sprouts – Crispy Leaves over Tender roasted
1983 Don Pedro Ximenez Gran Reserva and 2012 Barossa Valley Elderton Golden Semillon
Blackberry Huckleberry Clafouti – Citrus Crème Fracihe, Macerated Blackberries, Buttermilk Sherbet
Chocolate Whiskey Cake – Gianduja Cremeux, Salted Caramel, Candied Hazelnuts, Cocoa Nib Ice Cream
Root Beer Float – Sassafras Ice Cream, Warm Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
Strawberry Crème Fraiche Panna Cotta – Crème Fraiche Biscuits, Strawberry Basil Sorbet
Having recently rekindled my fondness for Michael Mina’s Restaurants following a superlative meal at recently opened Bardot Brasserie it was finally on Saturday that I entered the famed restaurateur’s Las Vegas Flagship, the reasons it took so long to visit a combination of factors but the transition from fall to spring flavors more than enough reason to make up for lost time at the side of two friends well known to Chef Mina and the Bellagio team.
Tucked away behind the Bellagio Conservatory, and as such seemingly a hundred miles from the gaming tables and ruckus outside, it was just prior to 6:00pm that I checked in at the hostess podium and led swiftly to a four-top at the center of the room it would not be long before my dining partners arrived, the service already fawning preceding their arrival but becoming even more on-point once all were seated, a welcoming glass of champagne and an offer for the chef to cook for the table an offer no one in their right mind would refuse.
Sophisticate in decor but not a bit stuffy, the light from the Bellagio fountains illuminating the space before sunset with the room nearly full by 7:30, it was with conversation and bubbles flowing that service began, and with a team of waiters led by our young captain presenting each dish with detail and precision it in two of Michael Mina’s classics that we each partook, the caviar parfait originally created by the Chef during his honeymoon featuring all sorts of elegance and texture in its signature stack while the tableside prep of tartare was as smooth as satin, though admittedly so mild that the flavors didn’t truly pop without a touch of finishing salt.
Continuing light with Hamachi Sashimi, best enjoyed with chopsticks in order to appreciate the delicate texture of the flesh juxtaposed by crispy leaves of shiso, and next treated to tender beets atop two types of pistachios with kumquats adding just enough sweetness to accent but not overwhelm it was next to a spring menu teaser that we were treated and although I’m sure the beef ravioli currently featured is just fine and dandy I’m rather certain the soon to debut Dungeness Crab iteration is a significant upgrade, the sweetness of picked crustacean stuffed inside tender pockets kept in check by artichokes and mushrooms with garlic cream and black truffles rising up to bathe the palate with each and every bite.
To this point trending thankfully light it was at the special request of the table that our next course arrived on a large cart, and served alongside a beautiful Ice Wine it was with nearly the whole room watching that Chef Ben Jenkins carved the 20oz roasted foie gras tableside while a team of four arranged the table with all sorts of accoutrements, each buttery slice every bit as decadent as it would seem while the pain perdu, mousse, pears, and dram drizzle were equally exceptional – more fruit served on request with only perhaps an ounce and half of the liver going uneaten…and only because we were told there was more to come.
Undoubtedly acknowledging the effects of so much Foie, and as such sending out a plate described as ‘very light,’ it was next in the Three Seas Tasting that our party indulged and true to the captain’s word each bite on the oblong plate was indeed a study of refinement, every bite displaying its ingredients with maximum impact without weighing on the belly more than a bit – the kitchen coaxing all sorts of nuance out of scallop, langoustine, and snapper through proper preparation and pairing with ingredients to accent and emphasize the subtleties of each.
Still not finished, even with one member of our table ready to wave the white flag, savories would conclude in rare slices of American Wagyu set beside upscale traditional accoutrements and a deep, dark sauce of Pinot Noir and with the small piece of short-rib perhaps even more memorable than the ribeye itself a duo of sides would prove no less impressive, the textural sprouts beneath a pile of crispy leaves amongst the best in the city while the creamy polenta knows no local match in terms of texture or taste, the use of real truffles making all the difference in a city where oil so often is used to please the naive.
Jokingly suggesting that ‘all’ the desserts would be the best way to close out the night it was perhaps my ‘fault’ that what happened next did occur and with two varieties of sweet wine in hand it was to a quintet of servers that our evening would end, one of Michael’s signature Root Beer Float and Chocolate Chip Cookie plates landing before each diner along with one each of the restaurant’s current seasonal desserts, each an entirely different experience ranging from ethereal panna cotta to dense chocolate cake with the warm clafouti falling somewhere in the middle, each tender bite rife with fresh berries while tangy crème fraiche and buttermilk sorbet slowly melted at its side.
UNABLE TO FAIRLY RATE, BUT FOUR AND A HALF STARS BASED ON FOOD AND DRINK ALONE: Denied a bill with comments that “Michael took care of the check” it would be a fool’s errand to suggest that one could walk away from Michael Mina after such a feast anything less than impressed and although one particular pairing did not sit well with anyone at the table it would be equally disingenuous to say that any of the cooking was less than exemplary, everything from tried and true signatures to items not yet on the menu showing a deft hand with both proteins and produce on par with that at far more expensive restaurants fronted by French-born Chefs.
RECOMMENDED: The tableside Foie Gras is an absolute showstopper while the Caviar Parfait, Crab Ravioli, and Truffle Polenta were all equally memorable.
AVOID: If one truly wanted to quibble, the tartare did not really spring to life until a touch of salt was added, the only other issue being a dry white that simply did not play well with the ginger of the “Three Seas.”
TIP: Decidedly a pricey place to dine, those looking to experience Michael Mina on a budget are encouraged to investigate the $68 Pre-theater menu, a veritable deal for the quality of the cuisine with several of the Chef’s classics offered and even some of the signatures available for a supplemental fee.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor
http://www.michaelmina.net/restaurants/las-vegas/michael-mina-bellagio/
