Scotch 80 Prime
Coffee
Strawberry Rhubarb Crostata – Orange Blossom Ice Cream
Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée – Seasonal Berries, Crystallized Sugar
Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake – Graham Cracker Crust, Lemon Curd, Blueberry Leather
Vegan Almond Coconut Tart – Mango, Blackberries
Scotch & Cigar – Smoked Semifreddo, Espresso Panna Cotta, Orange Cream, Toasted Hazelnuts, Coffee Cake
Chocolate Layer Cake – Chocolate Cake, Dark Chocolate Icing, Vanilla Bean Milk
Sorbet Tasting – Cantaloupe Sorbet, Lychee Sorbet, Guava Sorbet, Dark Cherry, Tuile
Warm Butter Toffee Cake – Toffee Sauce, Crème Fraîche Ice Cream
Banana Bread Pudding – Banana Bread, White Chocolate, Kahlúa Caramel
Tableside Fire & Ice Banana Split – Hand-turned Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Caramelized Bananas all the Fun Toppings (Oreo Dust, Caramel, Fudge, Salted Peanuts, Boozy Cherries, Maraschino Cherries, M&Ms, Brownie Bites)
Chocolates – Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel, Milk Chocolate Salted Caramel, Crème de Menthe Chocolate, Crispy Chocolate
Although Scotch 80 Prime has yet to achieve the acclaim of its predecessor, a recent change at the top suggests big things are coming, longtime N9NE Steakhouse Chef Barry Dakake’s departure making way for Daniel Ontiveros while the Pastry program has already been overhauled by former Andre’s and Alize star Tammy Alana.
Now part of Sin City’s culinary landscape for nearly fourteen months, The PALMS “From Dust to Gold” revamp since yielding Vetri Cucina, Kaos, Mabel’s and more, it is at the Casino’s east end that guests will find the Steakhouse lined in art and scantily clad ladies, the former from names like Hirst and Basquiat and the latter pouring drinks in dresses that seemingly defy the laws of physics.
Undoubtedly built to be beautiful, gold and marble the room’s dominant elements beyond all the paintings, it was shortly after seating in a plush booth that servers stopped by, water and Coffee both provided and continually kept full as Aerosmith played overhead at modest volume.
Visited next by PALMS Executive Chef Steve Barr, he and Daniel currently working the kitchen and exploring new ideas for an upcoming menu change, it was not long before Chef Tammy stopped by to describe her approach to Scotch 80, a total of ten items including three hold-overs from Thomas Bell who departed on good terms to pursue other opportunities.
Served in two courses, the first all of Chef Alana’s new additions, guests were immediately challenged with where to start, a distaste for melted Ice Cream inevitably suggesting the elegant Strawberry Rhubarb Crostata perfumed by Orange Blossoms followed by the soon-to-be signature “Scotch & Cigar” that riffs on the idea of Tiramisu with developed notes of smoke in the glass and a crispy Cocoa stogie intended to be dunked like a Cookie.
Catering to less-adventurous palates with classic Crème Brûlée, the elongated form a throwback to Tammy’s days fifty-six floors above and just as delicious, fans of Chocolate will also not be let down by Layer Cake featuring moist Sponge and smooth Ganache given added texture by Pastry shards plus a glass of Vanilla Milk to tame the richness.
Lighter by way of seasonal Sorbet, the Guava particularly impressive, Chef Bell’s sizable Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Pie next found itself re-imagined as Blueberry Cheesecake brightened by Citrus while guests avoiding all Animal products will be fortunate to indulge in an Almond Coconut Tart topped with Mango cut like a flower by Blackberries from Harry’s family farm in California.
Wise to keep Banana Bread Pudding and Butter Toffee Cake, both served warm and sharable for just $12, the tableside show of “Fire & Ice” Banana Split will set diners back 3x more to witness a bit of modernist technique, though this time moreso than prior the base was satin-smooth while the addition of Hot Fudge plus Salty Caramel Sauce made a big difference in addition to the other “Fun Toppings.”
FIVE STARS (DESSERT, SCENE AND SERVICE): Although Scotch 80 Prime debuted strong in May of 2018 the menu has been slow to change, a Chef shuffle surely part of the reason but the hiring of Andre’s Pastry maven Tammy Alana already offering guests a great reason to visit while a savory revamp from Chefs Steve Barr and Daniel Ontiveros is soon to follow.
RECOMMENDED: Strawberry Rhubarb Crostata, Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake, Scotch & Cigar, Chocolate Layer Cake, Banana Bread Pudding.
AVOID: Not technically something to avoid, but more a question of cost and capacity, the guests’ love of Ice Cream and showmanship will dictate the “worth” of a $36 Banana Split versus up to three alternative Desserts from Chef Tammy.
TIP: Having only recently completed the Scotch 80 Prime menu Mrs. Alana’s next project will be Pastries and Desserts at The PALMS’ 24-hour Lucky Penny.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor.
www.palms.com/eat-and-drink/scotch-80-prime
