Harvest by Roy Ellamar
Pear Harvest – Grey Goose La Poire Vodka, Rekorderlig Pear Cider, Panllini Limonello, Madagascar Vanilla Syrup, Southwest Prickly Pear Juice, Fresh Lemon Juice, Bruleed Pear
Lobster L’Armoricaine – Binchotan grilled Lobster, Tomato-Espelette Confiture, Aligot of Raclette & White Asparagus
Foie Gras Mille Feuille – Puff Pastry, La Belle Farms Foie Gras, Morel Mushrooms, Fava Beans, Sauce Vin Jaune
Red Miso-Yuzu cured Ahi Tuna – Tomato & Avocado “Poke,” Rice Cracker
Blue Lizard Farms Arugula Gazpacho – Salt seared Pork Belly, Kumquat Kosho, Local Pea Shoots
Smoked Salmon Toast – Wild King Salmon Rillette, Farm Egg Remoulade, Poppy Seed Brioche
Grilled & Chilled Asparagus – California Delta Asparagus, Fried Artisanal Farms Egg, Reggiano, Kochujang, Sesame Oil / Japanese Tomatoes – Cooke Farm California Tomatoes, Macadamia Nuts, Smoked Shoyu, Spring Onions, Radish Sprout, Goat Cheese / Snap Peas & Shoots – Cortez Farm California Peas, Lemon-Anchovy Dressing, Cilantro, Shallot Bread Crumbs, Ricotta Salata
Steak Tartare – Painted Hills Oregon Grass-Fed Tenderloin, Black Garlic Soy, Furikake, Arare, Kettle Chips
Kona Kampachi – Line-Caught Hawaiian Kampachi, Nori Chip, Cherry Blossom Ponzu, Serrano Peppers, Ginger Oil
Roasted Octopus – Savoy Cabbage, Watercress, Chorizo, Black Garlic Aioli
Naan Bread – Cucumber Raita, Beet Top Pesto
Grilled Pork Chop – Tails & Trotters Oregon Pork, Lemongrass-Chili Rub, Pea Shoots, Shaved Apple Salad
Wild Alaskan Halibut – Line-Caught Alaskan Halibut, Bok Choy, Snow Peas, Radishes, Dashi Butter
Crushed Potatoes – Beehive Seahive Cheese, Crème Fraiche, Green Garlic
Tempura Asparagus – California Delta Asparagus, Kimchi Dip, Furikake
Blueberry Crumble – Puff Pastry, Lemon-Yogurt Sorbet
Chocolate Ganache – Praline Cream, Hazelnut Sponge Cake, Toasted Praline-Cappuccino Ice Cream
Coconut Panna Cotta – Strawberries, Chartreuse Jelly, Lavender Cookies
Sticky Toffee Pudding – Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Bacon-Caramel, Chocolate Ring
Opened in the final days of 2015 and still a hidden gem half-way between the Bellagio Conservatory and Ballrooms currently hosting the SALT Conference, it was on an atypical Thursday that two diners sat down in the lounge at Harvest by Roy Ellamar, a “Snack Wagon takeover” by Josh Smith of Bardot Brasserie providing an impetus to revisit a restaurant that continues to do great things with some of the best Produce and Proteins in Sin City.
Originally described by Ellamar as “an homage to the origin of food,” and slowly growing in creativity and content to meet a challenging clientele that is half-conference attendees and half-culinary interested tourists, 2016 saw the restaurant begin to entice locals by offering a series of Guest Chef events, everyone from Off-Strip favorites like Dan Krohmer to Superstars like Michael Mina taking their turn behind a dim-sum style push cart where they can interact with guests as they prepare 2-4 unique dishes.
Having visited and wrote about Harvest early on, but since forgetting about the place when making dining plans largely as a result of its location and lack of press, it was with warm greetings from the recently returned Nick Servedio that patrons were seated at high-tops overlooking the bar and renovated Sensi kitchen-space, the smell of smoke and shellfish soon recognizable as Chef Smith wheeled by his cart featuring a pot poached Lobster tails ready for a tableside cooking display.
Ever a sizable and compelling space, the multi-million dollar overhaul still looking as fresh as it did sixteen months prior, it was after a quick perusal of both Harvest’s frequently-updated menu and an Ipad of mixed drinks that decisions were made to begin the meal with a full range of Snack Wagon treats before moving on to more substantial plates, a Martini titled “Pear Harvest” refreshing and light, perfect for the warmer months despite the expected ‘Strip-Pricing’ of $17.
Not as intimate or low-lit as the tables surrounding a kitchen full of hard-working Chefs, but instead a lively space perfect for a quick bite at the bar or shared plates with pals, it was with dueling carts roaming around the lounge that Chef Smith first stopped by with his two offerings for the evening, the first a taking a poached Lobster Tail and placing it briefly on a Binchotan Grill before plating it atop the sort of Aligot Michel Bras would be proud of plus sauce imbued with Lobster Coral while the Foie Gras Mille Feuille was even better than the sum of its worthy parts, the compressed Puff Pastry lightly coated in Sugar around a Mousse of Duck Liver plus a rich Pan Sauce, early-season Morels and Fava Beans.
Next greeted by the name on the marquee, Chef Ellamar ever humble in explaining how a recent trip back to Hawaii had influenced much of the current menu, the night’s second Snack Wagon featured small bowls of Ahi cured in Miso atop diced Tomatoes and Avocado alongside a chilled Soup of Arugula warmed by Pork Belly straight from a searing hot Salt Rock, the Smoked Salmon Rillette on Toast a tasty two-mouthfuls each while the weekly updated Market Snacks brought in fresh produce from California yielded three salads, the most memorable a spin on Bibimbap made with grilled Delta Asparagus, Red Chili Paste and Sesame Oil with a Sunny Side Egg on top.
At this point opting to defer all further choices to Mr. Servedio and Chef Roy, several items from sections titled Ranch, Ocean, Boards and Sides to follow, Harvest’s Steak Tartare comes from a place quite unlike most of the chopped Beef choices on the Strip by placing Grass-Fed Tenderloin in the setting of Poke with briny Kettle Chips for serving while the Kona Kampachi dials in the Asian sensibilities of Nobu by way of sweet-heat alongside clean and snappy flesh, the Roasted Octopus unfortunately a little overpowered by the spicy Pork Sausage while the crisp Naan Bread from the old Sensi oven was as good as ever with Cucumber Raita and green, both in terms of color and waste-reduction, Beet Top Pesto.
A lot of small plates, but adding up quickly as bold and balanced flavors compel diners to enjoy every bite, entrees prove to be more substantial and are easily shared by a couple when paired with few sides, the Line-Caught Halibut flaky and capable of holding its own against Dashi Butter plus bitter Vegetables while the Pork Chop from Tails & Trotters in Oregon was so fatty and tender it could just as easily be mistaken as something straight out of Spain, the fragrant Rub playing well off accoutrements including Carrot Puree embued with Truffles while sides of Smashed Potatoes and Tempura Asparagus were simple yet elegant, the ‘Kimchi Dip’ textured like Cream Cheese but with a bit of heat and a whole lot of funk.
Having done away with the Dessert Cart previously served in a style similar to the Snack Wagon, the size of the restaurant simply making such a thing impractical when the pastry team can execute better within the confines of a kitchen, Harvest’s seasonal updates include a skillet-baked Blueberry Crumble that gets the classic right by way of small bits of Puff Pastry and tangy Lemon Sorbet while the Chocolate Ganache riffs on the flavor of Nutella with a bit of Tiramisu influence by way of Cappuccino Ice Cream, the Coconut Panna Cotta inspired by Chef Ellamar’s trip back to the Islands a great choice for those seeking something light while everyone else should make it a point to order a Sticky Toffee Pudding that would make fans of the one at Gordon Ramsay Steak wonder why they’ve been subjecting themselves to that room for so long when they could be eating something richer, smoother and more balanced in a place that is far less an assault on the senses.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS: Improved from the past, and only likely to get better as small changes are made to a menu and space that are both incredibly flexible thanks to the amount of space and quality of sourcing, Harvest remains a rarity in the land of Celebrity Chefs and menus stocked with nothing but Salmon, Scallops and Burgers, the Snack Wagon Takeovers just another sign of a team thinking outside the box and challenging customers, both local and visiting, to do the same.
RECOMMENDED: Whatever the Snack Wagon is offering, Naan Bread, Tempura Asparagus, Grilled Pork Chop, Sticky Toffee Pudding, Panna Cotta.
AVOID: The Octopus was a bit lost amidst the Chorizo and the Kettle Chips with the Tartare could have used a bit less salt.
TIP: Snack Wagon Takeovers are announced as they are planned, by Social Media and occasionally on the website though the menu itself is infrequently updated.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor.
https://www.bellagio.com/en/restaurants/harvest.html#/Overview
