Restaurant Guy Savoy
Breads and Echire Butter (Seaweed, Olive, Rosemary Walnut, Mustard, Bacon, Brioche, Baguette, Epi)
Champagne Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose
Foie Gras Black Truffle Sandwich
Tomato and Basil Waffle
Le Burger
Octopus in Cold Smoke – Croquette with Quinoa, Tomato Gelee, Smoked Eggplant, Crispy Capers, Rice Tuille, Chipotle Puree
Lobster and Crab Salad, Raw and Cooked Spring Vegetables, Tapioca Citrus Vinaigrette
Foie Gras with Crispy Quinoa, Red Cabbage, Verbena Infusion
Roasted Dover Sole, Steamed Eggplant, Pickled Pearl Onions, Balsamic Jus Reduction
Peanut Crusted Duck Breast, Duck Leg Confit, Beet Napoleon
Pan Seared Quails, Vegetable Cannon Stuffed with Mushrooms, Citrus Sabayon
Fine Cheeses, Blueberry Compote, Honeycomb, Onion and Raisin Walnut Breads
Noir
Chateau de Fargues Lur Saluces 1990 Sauternes
Mignardise Carte – Chocolate Tarte, Pineapple Tarte, Lime Zest Cheesecake, Citrus Marshmallow, Apricot Baba Au Rhum, Madeline, Peach Clafoutis, Chocolate Ganache, Chocolate Pudding, Crème Caramel, Rice Pudding, Honey Saffron Ice Cream, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Strawberry Sorbet, Earl Grey Sorbet
Take Home Spice Cake
Wowed by a first visit to Guy Savoy at Caesars Palace when Franck Savoy was still the man in charge, the reasons for a delayed return to the Augustus Tower temple of gastronomy are largely related to too little time and too much travel, but invited last minute to sit down for a few a la carte items after a particularly trying two-months and past 24 hours the timing proved perfect, nearly every bite absolutely superlative under the toque of Chef Mathieu Chartron.
Still one of the most serene rooms in the city, the minimalist art and white walls a strange departure from the more elaborate decorations found at the Paris namesake though the divided rooms and well adorned lounge reminisce of the space along the Seine, it was with Champagne and three signature canapes that the experience started, the bread cart soon parked tableside with no less than a dozen options from which to choose.
Gilding supple loaves with smooth Echire butter that makes one regretful of times they have ever had to settle for less, it was with choices navigated that the night’s amuse arrived – the newly hatched item straight from Innovation-Inspiration Menu thrilling with a creamy croquette of octopus and quinoa served atop a glass dome as the flavors of eggplant, capers, tomatoes, and peppers each came across full and robust alongside a plancha-finished tentacle clearly benefited by a previous slow poach and showy ‘cold steam.’
Progressing to starters there was clearly a differing focus between mine and the whims of my tablemate, yet as delicious as the seared slice of foie gras that I received was in a verbena broth reined in by the flavors of red cabbage it was my friend’s salad that truly wowed both of us – the sizable bites of crustacean every bit as fresh as expected while the textural variations of vegetables and tapioca stabilized dressing were entirely enthralling, each bite offering something entirely different with the slightest bit of heat left to linger on each bite.
Having debated the Dover Sole, but opining for other things in assuming the whole fish a bit much for two, a surprise visit from Chef Chartron saw us gifted two tasting-sized portions of the delicately roasted flesh and taking a path infrequently traveled by presenting the fish with pickled vegetables plus the bold taste of balsamic an entirely different side of a classic was seen, the light buttery notes accentuated by the acid with just enough sweetness to offset a dusting of earthy mixed spice.
Finding service a bit more serious than one might have preferred, particularly as we were seated in a side room separated from the majority of those present in the main dining area, entrees arrived paired to a second round of bread and with portions quite substantial it was here that my selection proved superior to that of my dining partner, the tender quails losing some of their definition amidst sabayon served straight from an eggshell and mushroom stuffed vegetables that trended a touch too bitter while rosy duck breast was succulence studded in peanuts, the crispy confit and stack of beets with cheese no less divine.
Turning attention next to the cheese trolly, a somewhat limited selection that thankfully saw each option aged nicely along with honeycomb, blueberry confiture, and two additional varieties of bread it was with slow indulgence that a feature so rarely seen in Las Vegas was enjoyed and progressing to dessert with a long-lingering splash of Sauternes a second trolly was presented along with a pure-black plate entitled Noir, the dark chocolate fondant and sorbet dancing with a tinge of peppercorn while each of fifteen smaller sweets were as memorable as those from my first visit, the rice pudding perhaps the best in the city while the Vanilla Ice Cream rivals the best tasted to date.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS: With world class ingredients and a Chef that continues to up the ante on top of a menu of classics that those unfamiliar are encouraged to experience if it is at all within their means, Guy Savoy remains one of Las Vegas’ top tables for those serious about fine dining, though overly serious service at times fails to replicate the ‘joie de vivre’ seen at the flagship overseas.
RECOMMENDED: Lobster and Crab Salad, Roasted Dover Sole, Peanut Crusted Duck Breast, Rice Pudding, Vanilla Ice Cream.
AVOID: Those turned off by bitterness would be advised to steer clear of the quails as Savoy’s kitchens have oft embraced such flavors, as noted by his famous foie gras preparation with ‘bitter infusion.’
TIP: Those interested in a truly intimate experience would be advised to peruse the Caesars’ Palace website as the Kitchen Table Krug Menu and cooking classes are both offered to those wanting a more immersive night out.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor
https://www.caesars.com/caesars-palace/restaurants/guy-savoy
