Eating Out: Indulgences

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by Michael Barbieri

Okay…So you’re in Vegas and you’ve hit it big! You’ve won millions and suddenly money is no object. Ah! Let’s see…Where do you want to stay? A 9,000 square foot Sky Villa with a cantilevered pool jutting from the side of the building, giving you the perfect view of the Las Vegas Strip? DONE! Need a new outfit? Maybe a few diamond trinkets from Cartier? Have the personal shopper send up a selection. You’ll check them out later… But how will you get around? A classic stretch limo? Nah! Just hit the Ferrari dealership at one of the big-name hotels and drive away with your own Italian sports car!

 

Las Vegas is a world of fantasy, and people the world over know of the fabulous luxury hotels, extravagant parties, and no-limits shopping sprees, affordable by only the rich and famous, usually. The Las Vegas culinary scene is much the same - celebrity-owned restaurants offer up outrageous and often very expensive treats, each seemingly trying to out-do the other, in attempts to satisfy their customer’s wild desires.

 

Here then, are some of the most remarkable foodie indulgences I’ve encountered on The Strip. And while I’ve tried many of these, there are others that will always await a diner with a larger bankroll than mine!

 

The Seasonal Discovery Menu at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon

 

At about $200 per person, this tasting menu is more like 10 treats in one, Sit back, and watch as the fantastic food keeps appearing over the next two hours! From the foie-gras parfait that begins the meal, to the scallop cooked in it’s own shell and served with micro-chives, to playful desserts featuring tequila gelee, cotton candy, or pop rocks, you’ll marvel at the presentation and be blown away by the flavors from Chef of the Century Joel Robuchon!

 

The Maine Lobster appetizer at Gordon Ramsay Steak

 

A divine butter poached lobster tail, stuffed with chorizo and served with a luscious brandied lobster cream sauce, you’d swear this was a main course, not just an appetizer. The sweet, buttery lobster meat will make your eyes roll back and all you’ll be able to say is “Wow!”

 

The Yamato Roll at SushiSamba

 

The most indulgent sushi roll I’ve encountered: Rice, topped with raw tuna, a slice of seared foie-gras, a dollop of osetra caviar, and flakes of gold leaf. At $19 for three pieces, it’s one of the more affordable items on our list, and with a rich, silky, mouth-feel, you can’t help but feel like a big shot when you’re eating caviar and gold in the same bite!

 

Caviar Tacos at R.R.R

 

Speaking of caviar, some of the best can be found over at the Cosmopolitan, where the social experiment known as Rose.Rabbit.Lie dazzles its customers by blurring the lines between restaurant, bar, environmental theater, and nightclub. The menu features small plates, including the caviar tacos. At $15 each, you might balk, thinking “That’s fifteen bucks for one mouthful of food!”, but with fresh, clean, black sturgeon caviar in a Yukon Gold potato shell, it’s one HELL of a mouthful!! As my friend said when he tasted one: “I felt that down to my TOES!!!”

 

The Rossini at Burger Bar

 

In the Mandalay Place shopping plaza, you’ll find a most unlikely spot for a pricey, indulgent treat: Burger Bar; a noisy, bustling burger joint/sports bar with a young clientele and a very casual vibe. Thing is…this joint belongs to Hubert Keller, owner of Fleur in Mandalay Bay and a rock star in the culinary world. Named after a famed composer and food lover, the Rossini is about as decadent as a burger can get - Kobe beef, sautéed foie-gras, and shaved truffles served on an onion bun with a rich brown sauce. At $60, it’s worth the splurge! Oh, and if you want an upgrade, you can always go to Fleur for the Fleurburger 5000 - same burger, same fixings, but accompanied by a bottle of 1995 Chateau Petrus. That’ll only run you $5,000!

 

The Queen’s Lobster at Hugo’s Cellar

 

Behind the slots and tables at The Four Queens in Downtown Vegas, is Hugo’s Cellar, enchanting its customers with old-world ambience and upscale continental fare. While there are many indulgences to be found here (Filet de Boeuf Atlantis, with bacon, crab meat and béarnaise sauce, or the Chateaubriand and Lobster for Two), my favorite is the Queen’s Lobster - succulent lobster tail meat, dredged in flour, sauteed in a white wine and cream reduction, with mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes and red pepper flakes! Heaven on a plate!

 

Duck Fat Fries at StripSteak

 

Don’t fill up on the bread!! That’s what your parents always told you. At Michael Mina’s StripSteak, that’s not a problem. Instead of the usual bread basket, diners are given three metal serving cups filled with delicious french fries fried in duck fat - each tossed with different flavors, and each with it’s own dipping sauce including garlic ketchup and truffle aioli! They’re insanely addictive!

 

There are even pricier treats to be had, of course: A bowl of Chef Guy Savoy’s signature Artichoke & Black Truffle Soup will run you a mere $70.

 

The Golden Opulence Sundae at Serendipity 3

 

This is served in a crystal goblet lined with sheets of edible gold leaf, and made with Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream, chocolate syrup made from Amedei Porcelana, one of the worlds most expensive chocolates, exotic candied fruits from Paris, gold covered almonds, chocolate truffles, marzipan cherries, Grand Passion Caviar (a sweetened dessert caviar infused with essence of passionfruit!), whipped cream, a gilded sugar flower and a dusting of gold leaf flakes! Price tag? $1,000!

 

And you can finish off the evening at Joel Robuchon’s flagship restaurant, where there’s a cozy cognac lounge serving Hardy’s Perfection Cognac from the Essential Elements series dating back to the 1870’s. Only $990 for a 1.5-ounce pour.

 

Or better yet, have a scotch - the Macallan 1947 is a steal at $3,800 a shot!

 

 

 

Just remember…You’re in Las Vegas. Find a little splurge and treat yourself. You deserve it!