Twist by Pierre Gagnaire
Canapes – Mascarpone Pan Souffle, Green Apple Tuille, Parmesan Gruyere Puff, Black Rice Tartlette with Radish, Butter Crackers, Nori Crackers, French White Sauce, Dirty Martini Gelee
Salted and Unsalted Echire Butter, Baguette, Cranberry Multigrain Toast, Cherry Walnut Roll
Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras – Chestnut Veloute, Julienne Celeriac, Tumeric Chips, Frisee Salad, Black Truffle
Sunchoke Soup – Julienne Truffle, 68 Degree Poached Egg, Winter Greens, Zezette
Sea Bass and Scallop – Endive and Leek Fondue, Black Truffle
Twist Poached Eggs – Grand Veneur Sauce, Bellota Ham, Melba Toast, Spinach Sabayon
Smoked Haddock and Scallop Souffle – Crunchy White Cabbage, Black Truffle, Sweet Truffle Butter
Palate Cleanser – Spiced Wine Gelee, Grapefruit Sorbet, Esplette Pepper, Celery, Yogurt
Tarte Tatin – Vanilla Ice Cream, Baileys Infused Caramel
Orange Marmalade, Exotic Fruit with Dragon Fruit and Orange Blossom Ice Cream
Latour – Manjari Chocolate Biscuit, Coconut and Praline Mousseline, Hazelnut Crunch, Black Currant Sorbet, Sicilian Pistachio, Caramelized Pear
Olive Gateau – Dacquoise Biscuit with Olive Oil Ganache, Fresh Lychee, Golden Raisins, Kirsch Cream
Basil Lime Sherbert, Clementine Syrup, Almond Meringue
Chocolate Souffle – Guanaja Chocolate, Coffee Ice Cream, Amaretto Chantilly
Chocolate Lemon Water, Pistachio Ice Cream, Caraibe Ganache, Dulce Chocolate, Golden Streusel
Grand Dessert: Pistachio Panna Cotta, Pears Soaked in Passion Fruit, Pistachio Crumble / Lychee and Pineapple in Clementine Syrup, Vanilla Cream, Dulce de Leche Chocolate / Apricot, Raisins, Figs in Kirsch, Saffron Jaconde, Lemon Cream, Almond Paste / Gianduja Ganache, Bailey’s Caramel, Coffree Meringue, Coffee Parfait / Huckleberry Compote, Coconut Gelee, Cassis Sorbet, Hazelnut Nougatine
Mignardises – “Froot Loop” Macaron, Chocolate Cup with Almonds and Quince Paste, Apple Tart with Whipped Cream
Reloading the kitchen in the wake of Ryuki Kawasaki’s departure for Thailand in early 2015 it was again to a former Sketch Chef that Pierre Gagnaire turned in Autumn, and sitting with three friends for dinner at Twist in The Mandarin Oriental for the first time since the turnover one could not help but wonder whether the giant of modern gastronomy had perhaps gone to the well once too often, the room and pastries from Chef Vivian Chang – formerly of Yardbird – ascending to levels befitting the rarefied air above The Strip while Frederic Don’s plates oftentimes seemed as out of place as the restaurant’s more ‘casual’ style of service.
As yet the least heralded of the French Masters calling Las Vegas home, Gagnaire’s high-risk/high-reward style and location in a hotel not offering comps to high-rollers like MGM or Caesars’ potentially dissuading all but those in-the-know, Twist 2016 sees many familiar faces floating about a dining room dressed in glowing baubles with pop-music admixing with French tunes overhead, and starting at the podium guests are offered a warm welcome followed by escort to the table, captains quick to offer cocktails plus the wine list while thrice pushing up-charged bottles of water as though poison were present in Lake Mead.
Admittedly known to the house, this my sixth visit as others possessed familial or industry ties far more notable, it was after greetings from several staff members that menus were offered and opting to go a la carte, with some ordering as little s one entree, it was almost immediate that warning flares were fired, the potentially low tab seeing runners and back servers largely take over with subsequent tongue-in-cheek platitudes dominating “all-time-favorite” presentations of items only last week added to the menu.
Still focusing on his signature multiple-plate style, canapes presented as a series of seven nibbles from which the brisk gelee and sweet green wafer were most memorable, bread service was surprisingly quick to follow and with the room at only perhaps 25% capacity for the 7 o’clock seating it was over two plates gilded with Echire butter that conversation flowed freely, the Cherry Walnut Roll easily one of the best complimentary table breads in the city.
Opting to focus on the seasonal Black Truffle menu for both appetizer and entree it was with a small slice of Foie Gras featuring a good sear that the proper meal began and with elevated expectations based on a similar soup in 2015 it was unfortunate that the version suggested online had been replaced by one featuring bitter celeriac and turmeric plus a warm salad, the sparse shavings of black truffle added in the kitchen offering little-to-no depth to an already rich and earthy composition.
Generous in a way, but at the same time clearly not doing due diligence to the ticket when sending out a complimentary course, a 2 x 2 offering from the tasting menu was presented before entrees and although half were offered the “Twist Poached Eggs” with vibrant greet Sabayon plus thinly cut Spanish Ham the others were presented a dish described as “Sea Bass and Scallop,” the flavor and texture identical to my entree minus the cabbage and thus not really a ‘bonus’ at all.
Presenting a spicy citrus sorbet to cleanse palates between similar savories, the complex flavors a good sign of things to come, it was in small bites that I slowly enjoyed a smoky fish souffle that unfortunately once again saw truffles muted amidst background ingredients before the meal transitioned to works from the pastry kitchen, all five menu items sent out at once, quickly flooding the table with plates.
No doubt likely to benefit from a new mindset when it it comes to sweets, the program previously a bit tired outside of the brilliant White Truffle Souffle offered under Kawasaki’s toque, suffice it to say that Chang’s skill set has already begun to flourish under the tutelage of Gagnaire and his love for exotic ingredients, conformity challenged at every turn with classics such as the low-souffle punched up by coffee and Amaretto plus a Martini glass sidecar of lemon, pistachio, and chocolate plus the elegant Tarte Tatin with Vanilla Ice Cream and boozy caramel, a cup of Orange Marmalade, Dragon Fruit and Orange Blossom Ice Cream unexpectedly complimenting flavors bite-for-bite.
THREE STARS: A touch perplexed by Gagnaire’s choice in Don, the previous Eastern influence of Kawasaki a better fit to the Chef’s recent inklings and likely to play better to Mandarin Oriental guests, perhaps it will take time for the savory half of the kitchen to reach previous best-in-the-city standards, the better bet for now being to take in the view while nibbling on bread and cheese followed by dessert.
RECOMMENDED: Twist Poached Eggs, Bread Service, Tarte Tatin, Guanaja Chocolate Souffle.
AVOID: The Black Truffle Menu shows little of the luxury ingredient’s characteristic complexity despite upcharges seeing appetizers starting around $45 each.
TIP: Peak seating appears to be 8:30pm on weekends, after which the room was over 80% full and quite loud with slowed service often seeing water glasses empty and even more casual cliches offered when delivering plates. Previous experiences, three with Gagnaire present in the restaurant, have never lacked in professionalism or catering to guests need, no matter the circumstances.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor.
http://www.mandarinoriental.com/lasvegas/fine-dining/twist-by-pierre-gagnaire/
