FIX
Iced Tea
Prosciutto Wrapped Dates – Chorizo, Roasted Piquillo & San Marzano Sauce
Lobster Tacos – Grilled Mango, Cilantro
Duck Prosciutto Flat Bread – Fromage Blanc, Onions, Pecorino Cheese, Rocket
Wood Grilled Bruschetta – Greek Yogurt, Citrus, Blackberry Jam
Duck & Waffles – Confit, Fried Egg, Maple Bourbon Syrup
Ultimate Very Adult Mac & Cheese – Truffle Oil, Prosciutto
100-Day Dry Aged Bone-In Tomahawk Ribeye with Lobster Whipped Potatoes and Sweet Corn Spoon Bread
Double Espresso on Ice
Warm Doughnuts – Apple Pie Filled, Rum Raisin and Cinnamon Apple Dipping Sauce
Warm Banana Bread – Coconut Ice Cream, Malibu Anglaise
Chocolate S’mores – Flourless Chocolate Cake, Graham Crunch, Milk Chocolate Pudding, Burnt Fluff
Noting up front that our table was spared the Las Vegas Boulevard upcharge, present at nearly every restaurant stretching from Mandalay Bay to the Stratosphere as we were dining as the guests of Brian Massie, it was just prior to 8pm that myself and a friend sat down at Bellagio’s FIX and with a warm welcome from hostesses up front, and superlative service throughout, the menu selected by Executive Chef Renieri Caceres proved every bit the innovative expression of American comfort foods that it is billed to be.
Unabashedly trendy, with a low-lit space that spans a long stretch of the gaming floor next to the Via Bellagio shops, FIX is the oldest of Chef Massie’s Light Group ventures and although a bit more ‘clubby’ than some might prefer as music bumps overhead the noise never once inhibited conversation, though the $20 cocktails fueling surrounding tables at times did incite the occasional loud moment as we dined on ten plates from which only the tiny lobster tacos proved underwhelming in any way.
Served in four courses, from a trio of servers who kept water and iced tea flowing while providing ample descriptions of each course throughout the night, it was with the aforementioned tacos alongside three additional appetizers that the evening began and although impressively plump dates stuffed with spicy chorizo were delicious atop smoky tomatoes while delicate cured duck dazzled atop a cracker-crisp crust it was the bruschetta and emulsified balls of Greek yogurt that proved the undeniable stunner of the opening act, a light citrus note melding the sour spread with lightly charred toast while a sidecar of jam and flakes of sea-salt were available to be added according to taste.
Progressing next to an intermezzo, not originally offered as part of the menu but provided on request, round two arrived on piping hot cast iron and with crispy waffles, a fried egg, and maple syrup aged in bourbon barrels offering a breakfast-y backdrop the confit duck starred at the center, an intensely crisp skin overlying supple flesh with gaminess that rivaled the best renditions of the classic French dish that I’ve tasted to date…on either side of the Atlantic.
Not especially a ‘steakhouse,’ but offering both wet and dry-aged steaks, it was with round three of the evening that Chef Caceres really went all-out and eschewing otherwise excellent sounding cuts it was to a 100-day-dry-aged Tomahawk that we were treated, each medium-rare bite imbued with a bleu-cheese funk far more impressive than that of Tampa’s famous Berns just one week prior and easily on par with the aged product offered at Carnevino, though not quite approaching that of their inimitable Riserva (in texture, flavor, or price.)
Quite sated by the richness of proceeding courses, not to mention lobster mashed potatoes, batons of flash-fried grilled cheese with truffle imbued fondue, or reference standard spoonbread traditionally offered with a crispy pork shank I’d very much like to try next time around, it was with a trio of desserts that the evening would end and although both the hot donuts with a duo of rich sauces and the tender, tropically themed bread pudding were quite delicious it was the server-recommended S’mores that shined brightest, each bite reinventing the campfire classic with textures ranging creamy to crunchy as smokiness and light salinity prevented the composition from trending too sweet.
FOUR STARS: A ‘mid-range’ option in the ever-swanky Bellagio, with prices expectedly trending a bit higher than one would likely pay elsewhere, FIX has been doing “upscale comfort food” for longer than most and although Chef Massie’s duties have now expanded beyond the Strip to Hearthstone the kitchen still seems to be firing on all cylinders while service and setting are energetic without being annoying, a rarity at similar restaurants…particularly here in Las Vegas.
RECOMMENDED: Wood Grilled Bruschetta, Duck & Waffles, Warm Banana Bread, Chocolate S’mores, Dry Aged Beef (ours was the ‘nightly special’ detailed on the menu and may not be available at all times)
AVOID: At $24 the Lobster Tacos simply did not offer enough lobster or flavor to justify the cost. $20 cocktails spiked with all sorts of oddities such as Red Bull and Gum Drops also seemed a bit excessive, though neither of us opted to imbibe.
TIP: Open until 1am and offering a prix-fixe deal for those checking in on social media those looking to dine at FIX on a budget are advised to check it out, a 3+ course affair with several options available for just $60.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor
http://fixlasvegas.com/
