800 Degrees at SLS
Burrata + Beets + Balsamic – Grilled Ciabatta
Meatballs – Wood-oven baked with tomato, oregano and Parmigiano Reggiano
Quattro Formaggi with Sausage – fresh mozzarella, garlic, oregano, olive oil with Smoked Provolone, Parmigiano Reggiano, Gorgonzola, Fontina
Zucca – fresh mozzarella, Parmigiano Reggiano, garlic, oregano, olive oil, butternut squash, caramelized onions, bacon, rosemary oil
Margherita DOC – Mozzarella di Bufala, Cherry Tomatoes, Basil
Located in the SLS, with a second local found outside The Monte Carlo at the other end of The Strip, it was largely an effect of travel and an ever expanding local ‘to-do’ list that had prevented me from visiting 800 Degrees until Saturday but armed with a $30 off $60 coupon provided by The Code for my birthday it was with a friend I sat down within the languishing casino, our 6:30 arrival seeing more than half the table games without a dealer and nearby restaurants Katsuya and Cleo less than 1/8 full.
Conceptualized by Adam Fleischman, the man behind Umami Burger and a growing empire of restaurants rolling out in the Golden State as well as parts East, the heart of 800 Degrees is the wood burning oven and capable of turning out a Neapolitan Pie in less than two minutes with any number of artisan toppings for under $15 it was only after careful deliberation that our selections were made, the $60 tab proving far tougher to target with just two diners than one would imagine but three pies and two sides achieving the goal with a glass of wine and iced tea to boot.
Exemplifying the ‘quick casual’ counterside ordering concept overtaking much of America’s mid-range dining culture these days, but left to collect items from the cashier when a number is called out, it was perhaps an unfortunate aspect of the size of our order and a few parties following us that the pacing of our meal was marred by having to stand up from the table thrice to gather the goods, but once everything was finally obtained one would be hard pressed to find fault in the quality of any of the cuisine served – a first bite of creamy burrata and beets tinged in balsamic speaking of high quality sourcing soon to be found in each of the oven-singed plates.
Obviously focused on the pizzas, but happy to partake in charred balls of meat slightly smaller than a Titleist or Ping, suffice it to say that the four tender orbs were amongst the city’s best for the price and with plenty of brightly acidic sauce left-over for dipping of crust it was onward to the Margherita DOC that our tasting progressed, each cherry tomato bursting with flavor beneath a bit of salt while milky mozzarella bubbled atop the smoky, pliable crust.
Said by some to be too ‘wet,’ but in reality a near-textbook rendition of the traditional Neapolitan pie, it was next in two ‘Bianca’ style discs that we sank our teeth and topping the Quattro Formaggi with a bit of crumbled sausage the smoke and savory composition sang, a similar bit of praise to be levied on the oft-praised ‘Zucca’ that matched tender butternut squash to briny bacon with caramelized onions and topnotes or rosemary tickling the palate in each and every bite.
FOUR STARS: No more expensive than Settebello, despite its Las Vegas Boulevard locale, and featuring far better ingredients than most ‘artisan’ pizzerias located throughout the 702 those looking for a top quality Neapolitan pie at a fair price would be well advised to check out 800 Degrees – one of those rare ‘chains’ doing things right, a rarity to say the least.
RECOMMENDED: Zucca, Margherita DOC, Meatballs.
AVOID: Larger orders are likely to require repeat trips to the counter, something a food runner would easily remedy at what would seem to be a low cost to the restaurant. Gelatos, additionally, are not made by 800 Degrees but instead by the SLS itself, the $3 per cup cost seemingly excessive compared to the scoops found around town.
TIP: Proudly offering a crispier style of crust, as well as gluten-free options for those so inclined, locals are encouraged to keep an eye on the SLS Social Media for “Social Sundays” during which 800 Degrees can frequently be had at 50% off.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor
http://sbe.com/restaurants/800degrees
