If I told you there is a restaurant (not French or seafood-y) that does wild French turbot as well as any French or seafood restaurant, you’d be intrigued wouldn’t you? What if I then mentioned that this same place – not vegetarian by any means – also did some of the most sophisticated vegetable dishes around? And what if I further rhapsodized about a superlative glazed Asian pork belly – not made by Asians – or Indian short ribs with curried pumpkin not cooked by any Indians (dots or feathers?) You’d be dying to know where I was talking about wouldn’t you?
Click here to hear this script spoken in the mellifluous tones for which ELV is known.Well, die no more, but if you want food to die for, I suggest going to CUT Steakhouse, in the Palazzo. CUT is a Wolfgang Puck restaurant, and an offshoot of the Richard Meier-designed original in Beverly Hills, but to say only that would be to damn it with faint praise.
This CUT is designed by ABA Design’s Todd Avery, and helmed by Mathew Hurley, and presided over by one of the best front of the house teams in the business. You may not see Leonardo, Harrison and Beyonce here as often as you will in the original, but the vittles you’ll be eating are every bit as good as what the stars ignore on their plates as they play to the paparazzi in the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.
And what comes on those plates is special indeed. Begin with one of the best bread plates in town (perhaps only Savoy and Robuchon can top it), followed by salads and starters that don’t have a weak link in the bunch. Warm veal tongue with salsa verde may not be your idea of a pepperoni pizza, but it is simple and sophisticated food of the highest order. Likewise, the bone-marrow flan with mushroom marmalade and parsley salad, and the fava bean and artichoke salad signal to you that you’ve graduated way beyond the steak ‘n taters template of the classic American steakhouse.
About this time you’re probably wondering how I can get this far into a review of a steakhouse and not mentioned the steaks? That’s because, as superb as they are, ordering a steak at CUT or anywhere else these days, is just too much work. Illinois corn fed wet-aged, Nebraska dry-aged, Idaho Wagyu, true Japanese Kobe from Kagoshima Prefecture….Ay Chihuahua! There’s just too many choices! That being said, the beef here is every bit as good as Carnevino’s, and a little cheaper to boot.
But ordering a steak doesn’t let Chef Hurley strut his stuff like he does with a rotisserie duckling with lavender and thyme honey gastrique, cauliflower romanesco, Austrian oxtail boullion, or English peas with Black Trumpet mushrooms.
About the only thing I don’t like about CUT is that they charge two bucks a pop for superlative sauces like Bordelaise, Bearnaise, and creamy horseradish. But since I love the wine list, and am secretly in love with head sommelier Lindsey Whipple (shhhhh, don’t tell the Food Gal!), all is forgiven.
CUT Steakhouse
In The Palazzo
3339 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702.607.6300