Bazaar Meat by Jose Andres
Beef and Oyster Tartare – Fried Egg, Oyster Sauce, Pan de Cristal
Tortilla Sacromonte – Eggs, Kidney, Sweetbreads, Crispy Bone Marrow
Josper Roasted 3-lb Turbot
Baby Carrots – Greek Yogurt, Smoked Pepper, Sherry Vinegar
Baby Corn – Mayonnaise, Chile Piquin, Popcorn Powder
At times a fan of Jose Andres, but often underwhelmed considering the aggressive pricing at some of his more ‘trendy’ spots, it was with an ardent supporter of the Spanish celebrity chef that a return trip to Bazaar Meat was booked, and although the enormous menu still seems pricey all-things-considered a five item sampling showed no lack of creativity or quality with the $35,000 Josper grill turning out one of the best pieces of fish Las Vegas has ever seen.
Still a happening place, though only 1/4 filling the enormous dining area on a Friday evening just after 8:00pm, it was at a plush four-top adjacent the charcuterie counter that our party was sat upon entry and quickly greeted by both the dining room manager and an eager sommelier it was to my discretion that ordering was deferred, a focus on items previously not experienced taken, though signatures like the carpaccio and lamb neck tempted given the superb quality of each when ordered before.
Louder in décor than in decibels, the music dialed back from a year prior despite still embracing the likes of The Black Keys, Arctic Monkeys, and Broken Bells, it was with conversation pus a few excellent Spanish wines that time between ordering and opening plates passed, yet when a duo of appetizers arrived after perhaps twenty minutes the chatter almost immediately ceased, the focus falling entirely on a traditional Spanish omelet topped with rich offal of varying textures alongside a tartare of tender meat and briny chopped oysters melded by egg yolk that was exquisite on its own and even better atop crispy oiled bread.
Again impressed by the skilled hands of the culinary team when not getting overly ‘cute’ to the detriment of ingredients that are arguably second-to-none amongst local steakhouses, it was as the last bites of tartare were being enjoyed that the whole turbot was presented tableside, and returned to the kitchen for fileting it was with gratitude that the whole fish was returned to the table on a large board for self-service, the charred skin something that no doubt would offend many Francophiles despite being crispy and absolutely delicious while the flesh itself was the very definition of moist, each bite rich yet delicate with the cheek meat particularly succulent, as was that scraped from alongside the belly and skull.
Still offering a dessert menu that borders on offensive when taking into account both the quality and cost of each piece, it was instead in two Josper roasted sides that the rest of our appetites were invested and although the $17 baby corn was clever the cobs were unfortunately a bit overwhelmed by the accoutrements, a far more balanced bite found in the $12 baby carrots that saw blackened root vegetables in several colors tinged in light heat with a vibrant finish of natural sweetness amidst fresh yogurt.
FOUR STARS: Still an imperfect vision, mostly due to pricing and occasionally getting too ‘cute’ for its own good, Bazaar Meat by Jose Andres remains a worthy destination for those looking for something beyond the traditional Steakhouse, the city’s only Josper Grill a definite feather in the cap for a chef not for lack of accolades, though one still wonders why so little attention is paid to dessert when the ones at Jaleo, China Poblano, and Ku Noodles are all quite good.
RECOMMENDED: Josper Rosted Turbot, Baby Carrots, Tortilla Sacromonte.
AVOID: Baby Corn.
TIP: Currently offering a Summer Tasting menu that features several signatures at prices and portions that don’t require a large group in order to best be enjoyed, those curious to see what Bazaar Meat is all about are encouraged to take a closer look before the end of the month.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor
http://slslasvegas.com/dining/bazaar-meat
