Having just returned from Las Vegas, I have a new appreciation of the restaurant scene in this city of sin. It's been years, probably about a decade, since visiting this burgeoning food mecca. It's not just about the casinos and cheap buffets any more.
Celebrity chefs have moved in and are expanding the choice of cuisines from French to Italian to Japanese to haute Chinese.
My first visit was to Bouchon in The Venezia Tower, part of The Venetian Hotel. Situated on the 10th floor of the tower, Bouchon is in a class of its own. Set apart from the hustle and bustle of a Vegas hotel, this serene setting is welcoming. A bit of Paris, a little oasis surrounded by topiaries, wait staff dressed in appropriate white aprons and black ties, and Thomas Keller's attention to detail cuisine.
The best breakfast I have had in years was offered for $22. Now, you are thinking...$22 for eggs? But, not just eggs. Thomas Keller's eggs, sunnyside up and cooked to perfection. Along with the eggs came an endless pot of coffee, juice of choice, a breakfast pastry (I had the incredibly flaky cheese danish), potatoes Lyonnaise, toasted brioche with house made cherry jam and unsalted butter, and...sauteed fresh spinach leaves with a hint of shaved garlic. Enough food to keep your stomach from growling for hours.
Service was spot on. Coffee cup filled at appropriate times, water glass always replenished, and constant awareness of what a diner's wish may be. Elegant. Quiet. Refined. Bouchon was all of this and more. I ate breakfast every morning at this favorite dining establishment for three days. By day three, I was greeted by name. A table outside by the fountains awaited me, and warmed epi bread enveloped in white linen napkin was presented with my coffee. Bouchon. It's not to be missed when in town. First come, first serve for breakfast. Reservations required for dinner.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
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