Las Vegas comes of age

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When we think of Las Vegas, certain associations spring to mind – flashing lights, towering hotel complexes, elaborate stage shows and out-of-place rollercoasters. It is known for its novelty and its excess, but until recently, fine dining is perhaps not a concept you would associate with the entertainment capital of the USA. However over the past seven years, Vegas Uncork’d has been helping to cement the city’s reputation as a luxury food and wine destination, drawing internationally-renowned chefs to the Strip for a four-day celebration of gourmet cuisine organised by Bon Appétit magazine.

And the list of names is certainly impressive – Michael Mina, Joël Robuchon, Nobu Matsuhisa, Todd English, Gordon Ramsay and Guy Savoy were just some of the names at this year’s Grand Tasting. With over 200 stalls set around Caesars Palace’s palatial Garden of the Gods, the Grand Tasting is a standout event and is undoubtedly the best way to sample the best of Las Vegas’ up-scale food and wine scene.

Over four days and 25 events, there are plenty of opportunities to discover how Las Vegas has transformed its identity from the king of the $1 buffet to setting the standard for world-class food and resturants. Nowadays, you are more likely to stumble across Restaurant Guy Savoy in Caesars Palace than a fast-food joint or burger bar. But that’s not to say that Guy Savoy isn’t exclusive.

Glass witnessed firsthand why the two-Michelin-starred restaurant is considered one of, if not the ultimate destination for deluxe dining in Las Vegas, with an invitation to the opening of the “Krug” Chef’s Table inside the Guy Savoy kitchen. With only six seats around the Chef’s Table, this is intimate fine dining at its best, with an eleven-course menu to match, (and that’s without the bread cart … and the cheese cart … and the dessert cart.) Some of the highlights include the selection of beautifully presented “bouchée” paired with Krug Grand Cuvée, and the artichoke and black truffle soup with toasted mushroom brioche and black truffle butter – the culinary equivalent of stretching out onto a persian rug by a warm fire.

Restaurant Guy Savoy is French cuisine at its most refined, only rivaled perhaps by L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon at MGM Grand. Once named “The Chef of the Century”, Robuchon has garnered a reputation for putting dramatic twists to traditional French dishes. Only those with a strong stomach are advised to try the sea urchin and pea soup, however. For guaranteed satisfaction, try the crispy langoustine fritters with basil pesto, which come recommended by guests and waiters alike.

In Vegas years, Guy Savoy and Joël Robuchon – who have had restaurants on the Strip since 2005 and 2006 respectively – are veterans of the Las Vegas haute cuisine scene. New restaurants open as often as every month here, and things change quickly. One internationally known brand to debut in Vegas this year is Hakkasan at MGM Grand, which provided the setting for the kick-off party on the first night of Vegas Uncork’d. With 80,000 square feet spanning five floors, not only is it the only Hakkasan restaurant in the world to feature a nightclub, but the club is one of the biggest on the Strip.

Glass started off on the ground floor with signature cocktail The Hakka, (a heavenly blend of lychee, passion-fruit and Belvedere vodka), and travelled up through the floors via the exclusive LingLing Lounge and then finally to the dance-floor which will see DJs Tiesto, Calvin Harris and Steve Aoki occupy the DJ booth throughout 2013 and 2014. During civilised hours, the restaurant serves cuisine from the Hakka region in China, cooked to perfection by International Development Chef Ho Cheen Boon. The snapper with Assam sauce and crispy roasted duck are proof of how Hakkasan has expanded from its flagship in London, Mayfair to restaurants around the globe.

Over the years, Vegas’ food and wine industry has reached a level of scale and sophistication that no one could have conceived of back the days of the $1 bargain buffets. And the trend has almost come full circle, as can be seen with a trip to Caesars Palaces’ upscale Bacchanal Buffet. This all-you-can-eat fine-dining buffet may seem like a contradiction in terms, but that didn’t stop the crowds queuing for over seven hours during Thanksgiving, just to get a table.

Las Vegas will always be in the business of excess, and perhaps it is this determination to do things “bigger and better” that has propelled its food and wine industry to where it is today. Every year, more world-class names and brands come to put their mark on the Strip, pushing standards higher and higher; which can only lead us to wonder – who will be the new faces at next year’s Vegas Uncork’d?

by Jo Gilbert

More information for Vegas Uncork’d 2014 will be available soon via the Vegas Uncork’d website. Vegas Uncork’d is organised by Bon Appétit

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