Table 10
Lychee Drop – Plymouth gin, Soho lychee liqueur, guanabana juice
Dinner roll – whipped butter
China Ranch Dates – bacon wrapper – marcona almond – port sauce – Maytag blue cheese
Flame Roasted Marrow Bones – toasted baguette – sea salt
Candied North Country Bacon – Noble Tonic #1
Lobster Rangoon – cream cheese, sauce trio
Braised Beef Cheek Poutine – hand cut fries, curds
Foie Gras and Truffle Popcorn – sea salt
Alaskan King Crab Benedict – La Quercia ham, quail egg
Smokey Mushroom Pasta – tasso ham – smoked mushrooms – parmesan reggiano cheese
Butternut Squash Raviolis – brown butter sage sauce – parmesan reggiano cheese + toasted pistachio
Maple Leaf Farm’s Crispy Duck Breast – warm duck confit + pear salad – walnut pesto – flower petals
Lobster Mac n’ Cheese – Maine lobster meat – Vermont cheddar cheese – panko crust
Rack of New Zealand Venison – juniper berry reduction + pistachio
Beignets – coffee anglaise
Emeril’s Banana Cream Pie, White Chocolate Malassadas, Spice Carrot Cake
Banana’s Foster Bread Pudding – caramelized bananas – whipped cream – chocolate shavings
Not a Chef known for failures, all four of his Las Vegas restaurants still going strong in an environment that often fancies whatever is new as opposed to what is actually ‘best,’ it was during a Special Event book signing hosted by Emeril Lagasse himself that I originally met new Table10 Chef de Cuisine James Richards and sensing the new toque’s passion it seemed only a matter of time before he made some changes, the first of these beginning less than one month ago with a “Snack Bar” looking to raise the stakes for Happy Hour while also allowing the kitchen staff a chance to play.
Appropriately named as the menu is offered only at hightop seats overlooking the sprawling kitchen in back, the idea behind Snack Bar is essentially serving a few classic Emeril bites alongside chalkboard specials priced at less than ten bucks, the freshly made share plates beginning at 4pm and offered in limited quantities depending on ingredient availability for each.
Considered by many a misunderstood place, the other Lagasse Restaurants clearly focused of Fish, Steaks and Tailgate favorites, items on the Table10 Snack Bar show the range of a kitchen equally capable of making a good pasta or searing a rack of Venison, both items sampled from the nightly dinner menu with the Lobster Mac and signature Smokey Mushroom Noodles from Pasta Shop each a bonafide sharable bargain for less than $20, the “American Beauty” Duck living up to its name with flower petals decorating rosy flesh and a salad tossed with crispy confit thigh.
Offering comfortable seating, the highback bar stools soft and wide enough that diners will want to stick around sipping cocktails while watching Richards and team hard at work, no trip to the Snack Bar would be complete without a plate of Emeril’s Candy-like Bacon bolstered by Barrel Aged Nobel Tonic, not to mention locally sourced Devils on Horseback or the huge plate of Roasted Marrow Bones served simply with Bread and Sea Salt, the rare item cracking double digits and still a bargain at just $11.
Getting onto daily whimsy, the King Crab Benedict unfortunately tipped a bit briny by too much Tasso served in the hash on top, better balance was found in shredded beef cheek complimented by crisp French Fries and bubbling cheese curds, the duck fat popcorn studded with Black Truffles and Foie Gras surprisingly successful for something that at first seemed silly while the “Rangoon” were greaseless golden Potstickers far better than any to be found in Chinatown at a slightly higher price.
Never to pass up Dessert at a restaurant from my very first “favorite” Chef the trio of Carrot Cake, Malassadas, and Banana Cream Pie proved no less perfect than ever while Snack Bar Beignets achieved the rare feat of being neither too sweet nor too doughy, the Bread Pudding finally making its return after a long absence reason enough to pay Table 10 a visit with the caramelized banana base and plenty of butter given levity by a touch of booze, shaved dark chocolate, and airy whipped cream.
FOUR STARS: Taking a chance by thinking outside the box, something locals can only hope more Casino kitchens might do, the Snack Bar at Table 10 is poised to reinterpret the concept of Happy Hour by putting creativity back in the hands of its Chefs and whether for a full meal or just a few bites the results are quite impressive for the price point, the restaurant as a whole equally so.
RECOMMENDED: Candied North Country Bacon, Lobster Rangoon, Smokey Mushroom Pasta, Maple Leaf Farm’s Crispy Duck Breast, Desserts (all of ’em.)
AVOID: Alaskan King Crab Benedict was far too salty while Butternut Squash Raviolis could have benefitted from a pinch more.
TIP: As yet, the Snack Bar Menu is only available by walking to the back of Table10 – something one might hope Social Media may soon broadcast to generate a buzz and lure repeat visitors back.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor.
http://www.emerilsrestaurants.com/table-10/
