According to a very highly placed source at the Venetian, Thomas Keller will soon bring his Burgers and Half-Bottles concept (still not opened in Yountville, CA) to the Venetian. It will occupy the space formerly occupied by the gone-but-not-missed Lutece, and will have outdoor dining and pedestrian access directly off of Las Vegas Blvd South (i.e. The Strip). In these downscaled economic times, ELV thinks this is a wise move.
Category: Chefs
SAMOSA FACTORY
Here’s what ELV knows about Indian cuisine:
It’s spicier in the South than the North on this sub-continent. But it’s still pretty darn spicy up north. It’s more vegetarian in Goa than in Delhi, but they still eat a lot of tasty vegetables in the capital. The cooking in the north is done with various meats (not beef) done in oil and ghee (clarified butter), and that of the south is more steamed and seafood-y. The rice and flatbreads are wonderful, and the aromatics, the best on earth.
THE COUNTRY CLUB GRILL at Wynn
If you want to read a bad review of a good restaurant, look no further than last Friday’s R-J piece on The Country Club Grill at the Wynn. By “bad” ELV means poorly written…in that the piece fails to mention the chef: Rene Lenger; the designer: Todd Avery; the sommelier who provided such good service to the reviewer: John Paddon; or the fact that the bread is soooo good at all of the restaurants at Wynn because of master baker Boris Villat (something our town’s main newspaper restaurant critic should know).
Other than that, she got most things right. Lenger’s food is wonderful and the steaks are very good (although expensive, and the “prime” designation has been severely cheapened over the past decade, and the Wynn doesn’t dry-age its beef as it should.)
To hear ELV’s review of The Country Club Grill, with pictures of the fabulous design, and written when David Walzog was chef (he’s top toque at SW Steakhouse these days), but still valid today – click here.
The Country Club Grill
At the Wynn Hotel and Casino
3131 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702.770.3317