Pantry
La Colombe Pacific Blend Coffee
Cinnamon Sugar Donut Bites
Two Cheddar Chive Biscuits – Honey and Butter
Blueberry and Banana Nut Muffins
Abuela’s Huevos Rancheros – Fried Eggs, Black Beans, Corn Tortillas, Cotija Cheese, Avocado Crema, Salsa
Chicken & Waffles – Texas Pete Fried Chicken, Buttermilk Vanilla Waffle
White Chocolate Brioche French Toast – Berry Compote & Whipped Mascarpone
Strawberry Shortcake Pancakes – Strawberry Ice Cream, Vanilla Whipped Cream, Pure Maple Syrup
Long targeted as a place for breakfast given the beautiful space, quality ingredients, and collection of favorites including an ever-changing ‘pancake of the week’ it was finally with friends in town that I sat down at The Mirage’s 24/7 Pantry, a three course order marred only by the confusing menu where dashed-boxes unclearly delineate ‘exclusions’ to the mix & match bakery section while denoting highlights elsewhere, and not every “Take The Best Of It – Comes with Smash Browns” actually comes with the spuds, regardless of what the subtext says.
Offering breakfast all day, and the rest of the menu from 11a until 11p, Pantry is located at the back of The Mirage and with an open café up-front overlooking the gaming floor and a more cozy family-style dining area in back it was in the latter that we sat, a large four-top easily big enough for six set for just three soon greeted by a middle-aged waitress named Rina who dutifully pushed coffee (an excellent roast from La Colombe charged at $5 per pot, without free refills, though diners are left to discover that for themselves) before filling water and taking orders, the request for items to be coursed out loosely adhered to until it was reinforced after round two landed atop quarter-finished baked goods.
Told that the donuts could not be included in the ‘mix & match’ because it was “in a box, see” and then served only one biscuit, instead of the menu-listed two, because “it was part of the mix & match” as though one was supposed to infer this information for themselves, suffice it to say that at $9 the biscuit and two muffins were still a veritable bargain considering the quality and although the donut bites were a bit steep at $5 for six, the crispy sugar shell over a light brioche center was every bit as good as those at Puck’s Postrio which carry a tariff several dollars more – the addition of locally sourced honey, whipped butter, and two types of housemade jam the sort of small details I’d gladly pay a premium for whether dining near home or on the Strip.
Sitting, chatting, and enjoying the first round it was less than five minutes later that a man arrived porting two plates and setting aside the muffins and donuts while informing him to put the brakes on expediting the next course it was soon in chicken and waffles alongside huevos rancheros that we partook, neither served with the ‘smashed browns’ advertised on the menu but both again showing the work of a confident kitchen working with quality ingredients, the crispy tortillas beneath eggs and accoutrements featuring no lack of dynamic flavors or textures while as the spicy chicken featured skin that crackled to the tooth atop a supple and aromatic waffle more than ready to sop up plenty of pure maple syrup served in a sizeable sidecar.
Transitioning back to sweets, another pot of coffee elected even after assuming the upcharge based on the menu’s description, it was perhaps a gluttonous choice to pick both the pancake of the week and four-piece French Toast when eating with friends generally not the sort to indulge in such things but never one to shy away from over-ordering to experience the best of what a place has to offer it was honestly a surprise to even myself just how excellent Pantry’s griddles were, the decadent custard soaked brioche cooked golden and topped with rich mascarpone plus plenty of berries featuring far more chopped chocolate than one would have ever assumed while the fluffy flapjack trio was not only topped with housemade strawberry jam and freshly sliced berries but also imbued with strawberries and cream in the batter and layered between each cake, a large dollop of whip and a small ball of ice cream added to finish perhaps a bit unnecessary, though I certainly didn’t hear anyone complain.
THREE AND A HALF STARS: Confounded by a menu seemingly built to confuse and up-sell with the sort of service that is trained to turn tables it is almost as if Pantry does not know just how good the food coming out of the kitchen really is, particularly for a 24-hour spot on the Strip – a bit more attention to detail from the front of house would go a long way to giving the chefs the credit they deserve.
RECOMMENDED: Biscuit, Pancakes, French Toast.
AVOID: Donuts, ordering without asking questions and/or reading the menu thoroughly.
TIP: Pancake of the Week and off-menu specials can be found on the restaurant’s Facebook page or the small menu board behind the hostess podium for those visiting The Mirage.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor
http://www.mirage.com/restaurants/pantry.aspx#
