Tag: NobHill Tavern

Helen’s Birthday

ELV’s friend Helen celebrated a birthday not long ago, and asked him where she should go for a celebratory meal. Her requirements were: great food (but nothing unpronounceable), not too dressy, good service, comfortable but not stuffy surroundings, kick-ass cocktails…and chocolate.

She didn’t want sumpin’ too hi-falutin’, but did want every bite to be memorable; so our staff suggested NOBHILL (not really a) TAVERN, and even though Chef Sven Meade wasn’t in the house, his team made sure every bite was.

For the chocolate, we repaired to L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon next door for a feast of Kamel Guechida’s creations.

And it was good. Actually, everything* was great.

And our friend Helen turned 26 in style.

The End

NOBHILL (not really a) TAVERN

In the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino

3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South

Las Vegas, NV 89109

702.891.7337

www.michaelmina.net

http://www.mgmgrand.com/dining/nobhill-tavern-restaurant.aspx

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* The sustainable paddlefish caviar was so good we hardly miss oscetra anymore; Michael Mina’s signature lobster pot pie, while expensive ($54), is rich, seafood comfort food at its best; the steak-off between American Black Angus and A-5 Kobe from Japan was a meat education in itself; and no one in town does a better free-range chicken than the deep-fried beauty they put forth here.

NOBHILL TAVERN

Let’s get a few things straight between us, shall we? NobHill “Tavern” is many things. It’s an attractive restaurant with stylish decor, good service, and an interesting wine list. It is also the domain of one Sven Mede, a German by birth who cut his teeth at Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons in Oxford, England; came of age at Bradley Ogden, and now struts his considerable talent in the service of keeping the Michael Mina brand intact and in good form throughout Mina’s MGM-Mirage restaurant empire.

What NobHill “Tavern” isn’t is a tavern. It doesn’t remotely resemble one (uber-designer Tony Chi took care of that), nor does its food pander to anything like the lowest-common-denominator denoted by those words. If Mina and his minions are trying to capture the culinary zeitgeist of the seminal Gramercy Tavern in New York City, we can forgive them that. But if they’re pulling this verbal sleight-of-hand as a way of seducing the slack-jawed hordes in the MGM to give the place a taste, they’re doing a disservice both to the know-nothings and to those who might appreciate Mede’s cosmopolitan food stylings. Because if you wander into this “tavern” expecting tavern-like food, you will be disappointed. If your expectations are much higher, you will be enthralled.

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