Deglazed

Hi my name is Leslie and I am Las Vegas-aholic. There are many vices Vegas can tempt, and one of my financial downfalls is the restaurant scene. The others belong on a different blog, but here, I can emote about Tomas Kellers, Bouchon. In short, “Ideal Vegas Dining.”

The big French Bistro is on the 10th floor of the Venetian, so there are no casino onlookers or distant chimes of slot machines. The wait staff is polite and friendly and not pretentious which is a breath of fresh air, so to speak, for Vegas fine dining. Our waiter didn’t know enough about the menu, but this doesn’t bother me too much. He asked if we wanted the big oysters or little oysters, but by the time he brought us our half-shells, the shucker had tutored him in the actual varietals.

The food was as flavorful and fresh as French Laundry, but much more recognizable in presentation. The endive and watercress salad was perfectly dressed, not too oily, not too heavy. The flavor of the lettuce could still be appreciated.

If you are ever going to order Steak Frites outside of France, this is a damn good place to forget anything you know about nutrition and chalk this meal up to “when in Vegas…”

If you still feel concerned about portion control, calories, carbs and blah blah blah, and you are not a raw vegan, the leg of lamb, sopped up with some jus, almost brought a tear to my eye. Sliced into medallions, it was just the right amount of medium rare, tender, non-gamy roast, with fava beans and polenta. It seemed simple, but it takes a lot of work to get each element on a plate just right, and they did for each plate. Well Done.

Side note: I am perplexed by one thing, and this is not specific to Bouchon, but they are guilty of this…Why can’t I ever get a cappuccino made the way I had in France or Italy? Does anyone else know to what I am referring? Inevitably, I receive a latte with a sculpted mound of dry foam on top. I am looking for equal parts milk to espresso, with a creamy, foamy layer on top. I am not one to order cappuccinos to my specifications. I reserve that side of my charming personality for more important things like the doneness of a steak. But the hunt is on and I could use some help.