SW Steakhouse
Orange Rose – Grey Goose L’Orange Vodka, Rose Wine, Fresh Lemon Juice, Mixed Berry Infusion
Strawberry Pomegranate Smash – The Hilhaven Lodge Whiskey, Pomegranate Liqueur, Pomegranate and Ginger Juice, Muddled Strawberry
The Dream – Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut Champagne, St. Germain, Preserved Hibiscus
Bacon-Cheddar Bread, Pretzel Rolls, Epi-Baguette, Herb Butter
Baby Iceberg Salad – Grilled Black Pepper Bacon, Tomato, Buttermilk Blue Dressing
Sauteed Hudson Valley Foie Gras – Aged Balsamic, Strawberry Sauce, Pistachio Bread Pudding
Foie Gras Custard – St. Germain Infused Peaches, Whipped Goat Cheese, Aged Sherry, Brioche
Oven Roasted Bone Marrow – Lobster Glace, Fines-Herbs, Grilled Crostini
Chile Rubbed Double Rib Eye – Medium Rare, Peppers, Onions
Dry Aged Bone-in New York – Medium Rare, Gougere, A5 Wagyu Tallow Butter
Fish n’ Chips – Alaskan Halibut, Vinegar Potato Crust, Potato Crisps, Lemon Beurre Blanc
Crisp Potato Rosti – Chive Cream
Black Truffle Creamed Corn
Shaved Brussels Sprouts – Smoked Onions, Smoked Bacon
Sardinian Gnocchi – Black Truffle, Maine Lobster, Parmesan Cream
Double Espresso, Ice
Funnel Cakes & Strawberries – Crème Anglaise, Salty Caramel, Chocolate Fudge
Toasted Cherry Bread Pudding – Port Wine Reduction, Sauteed Cherries, Vanilla Crème Anglaise, White Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream
Coconut Tapioca – Tropical Fruits, Passion Fruit Glaze
Peaches and Cream – Brown Sugar Crisp, White Chocolate Mousse, Marcona Almonds, Basil Foam, Vanilla Peach Ice Cream
When Wynn Las Vegas opened its doors in 2005 it promised to usher in a new era for fine dining in Las Vegas, Chefs like Alex Stratta and Paul Bartolotta supposedly cooking in their kitchen each night, but flash forward over a dozen years and the tune is obviously quite different, only SW Steakhouse from David Walzog still adhering to its original concept or Chef and every bit as popular as it always has been after a recent facelift.
Located along the Lake of Dreams, one of Wynn’s many waterfalls in this case sprawling back from the Parasol Up / Parasol Down Cocktail Lounge, SW Steakhouse occupies a space below the level of the gaming floor across from Walzog’s sister Lakeside Restaurant and although the inward facing façade appears fairly unimpressive the space itself is a formal expanse with plush seating, big tables and subtle lighting.
Decried by critics for high prices and the open layout, a sea of beige that admittedly does feel a bit less refined than the heavy woods and high ceilings of Carnevino or the darkened recesses of Jean-Georges Steakhouse, dinner at SW begins with check-in at the hostess podium and if one is lucky enough to have reserved early or rich enough to have negotiated otherwise a seat close to the lake offers a great vantage of both the room and a series of shows beginning at 9pm.
Proud to be one of only a handful of restaurants in the United States serving 100% certified Tajima Cattle from the Hyogo Prefecture, the A5 graded Beef available at $55 per ounce with minimum of four, it is likely with wide eyes that many unsuspecting diners have sat and starred at the SW Menu and although certainly not a spot for bargain hunters the menu is actually one of the most diverse of the Casino Steakhouses with a long list of Sides, Appetizers, Desserts and Entrees plus a sizable collection of Daily Specials.
Happy to see Chef Walzog on property, a quick pace moving him from SW Steakhouse to Lakeside and back while waiting for the entire party to arrive, it was with a team of servers including a female captain and several runners that the table was looked over and although a few small issues including a misfired side and odd delays in timing seemed a bit ‘off’ for Wynn the evening was mostly smooth sailing over the course of nearly three hours.
Opting to start with Cocktails and an imported Japanese Beer, prices ranging from $15-$22 more or less expected with both The Dream and Orange Rose brisk but elegant with a Wine and Spirit backbone bolstered by floral and fruity flavors, it was not long after an order was placed that the first of three baskets of Bread arrived, the Bacon and Cheddar Muffins as well as the salty Pretzel dangerously addictive both with and without Herb Butter slicked in Olive Oil.
Treated to the sounds of The Ratpack throughout the evening, a large animatronic Frog later scaling the wall and serenading the crowd with Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World” before two lighted spheres barely visible from anywhere but waterside danced about, it was perhaps twenty minutes after ordering that four appetizers made their way out from the kitchen, a classic Wedge Salad upgraded by thick-cut Bacon and Blue Cheese melted beneath tangy Buttermilk Dressing about as good as it gets for Iceberg Lettuce while Walzog’s Bone Marrow stepped in a previously unseen direction with a thick lacquer of Lobster Stock that made the rich spread taste a lot like Shellfish Custard.
Dining with another fan of Duck Liver, his preference for a seared preparation making it mandatory that both styles available that evening be ordered, it would be difficult to decide which version was ‘better’ as both were quite good, the lack of caramelization on the Steak made less relevant by Pistachio Bread Pudding beneath while the Mousse was creamy and well balanced between sweet and savory, but served with far too little Brioche for spreading or sharing.
Moving next to entrees and sides, the Wagyu passed over in favor of SW’s signature Rib-Eye, a Dry Aged Bone-In Strip and the newly added Fish n’ Chips, those unafraid of spice and bored with the typical Steakhouse cuts would be well advised to invest $125 in the 42oz Chile-Rubbed Steak with two Ribs and lots of Peppers and Onions, the flavors all playing well off juicy flesh still sizzling in its pan and every bite far more interesting than the $72 Bone-In that lacks in flavor compared to that at Carnevino, Jean-Georges or the recently opened MB|Steak at Hard Rock where the exact same 18oz portion can be had with better texture and richness for $14 less.
Underwhelmed by the Fish n’ Chips, a smallish-filet of Halibut that is baked beneath a crust of Malt-Vinegar Potatoes and served alongside overcooked Hashbrown Sticks on a bed of Lemon Beurre Blanc, SW Steakhouse makes up for a lack of creativity in its sides by way of quality and luxury ingredients, the Potato Rosti on a pedestal with Chive Cream a showstopper by any definition while Creamed Corn is still thick enough to have a tooth, though probably a bit more impressive during Black Truffle season.
Not a fan of Walzog’s Brussels Sprouts, the Crucifers coming across like soggy slaw rather than the crispy orbs served elsewhere, sides were completed by a late-arriving daily special of Semolina Gnocchi with chunks of Lobster and a few flakes of Summer Truffle in Parmesan Cream, the mixture expectedly rich though quite delicious and thankfully portioned large enough to go around considering the cost of $24.
Cleansing the palate with a double Espresso, its arrival nearly fifteen minutes before Dessert not exactly ideal but better than long after, it was with mild curiosity that the description of a $100 Louis XIII 23-Karat Gold Bar Dessert was read twice, the decision to place a premium on variety eventually seeing Pastry Chef Svetlana Almonte send forth a quartet of sweets tallying $54, the Coconut Tapioca fairly harmless with the Passion Fruit easily scooped aside while both the Bread Pudding and Peaches and Cream were elegantly presented with fresh Fruit, great textures and restrained sweetness, the $22 Funnel Cake and Strawberries largely served for show with the fried Dough hung from metal Branches above a trio of luxurious Sauces.
THREE STARS: Arguably the most expensive house of grilled Meats in Las Vegas, a fairly inauspicious title considering the competition, SW Steakhouse is a perfectly acceptable choice for those looking to enjoy a Steak and quality sides, but in the era of every Casino having its own signature spin on the genre there is nothing here all that compelling save for lakeside setting and even that seems a little contrived when compared to the dining rooms at Costa di Mare or Mizumi.
RECOMMENDED: Bacon Cheddar Bread, Oven Roasted Bone Marrow, Chile Rubbed Double Rib Eye, Crisp Potatoe Rosti, Peaches and Cream.
AVOID: Epi-Baguette, Dry Aged Bone-in New York, Fish n’ Chips, Shaved Brussels Sprouts, $14 Coconut Tapioca.
TIP: 5:30-10:00pm daily, but don’t trust Opentable about availability as “sold out” times are almost universally available by calling the reservations department directly.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor.
http://www.wynnlasvegas.com/Dining/FineDining/SWSteakhouse
