I was in the mood for an outside cafe (or at least the illusion of outside, i.e., the Las Vegas Venetian with its fake blue skies and clouds), a really delicious salad and an oaky chardonnay. Every restaurant or cafe seemed to have $40+ entrees, overpriced mediocre wines by the glass and $12 bottles of water. But, we were already at the Venetian and for anyone who has tried to valet or garage park at any of the hotels on the strip, you know just getting in and out can be a 30 minute ordeal.
We passed a French bistro that we dove into and sat at the bar, thinking we’d just have an appetizer and leave. Pinot Brasserie inside the Venetian looked familiar and I realized as soon as I looked at the menu, that I had eaten there twice before, once with a girlfriend and once on my own during some long conference week.
Our bartender (and also our waiter btw) was Irish, not French. And, most of the wines were from California, not France, but to be honest I was thrilled about the latter discovery given that I was in the mood for oak and butter in my chard and the French don’t really deliver that style.
Catering to yanks, the menu had reasonably priced oysters (even by non-Vegas standards, chef Eric Lhuillier was classically trained in France and worked in a number of highly-acclaimed kitchens in France before falling in love with surfing and the California lifestyle. I got lucky – oysters and a choice of a couple of buttery chardonnays although I opted for the fairly safe Jordan (2008). My friend commented about how ‘gritty’ the oysters were, thinking it might be a turn off until I reminded him that I was from the Northeast originally and accustomed to oysters from Maine, which is about as gritty as they get. Below the seared scallops with green lentils, red pepper and beurre noizette ($33).
Poultry and the fish were both incredibly tender with or without the sauce.
- From snapper to cod, his cooking is divine.
- The chocolate soufflé is always on the menu – sprinkled with white powdered sugar, it is a great ending to the meal with a fresh pot of coffee. BTW, if you don’t finish your wine before the meal is over, he’ll put it in a to-go ‘wine’ glass for you. Remember this is Vegas and you can walk the town glass in hand.
- Other fabulous things on the menu include a Potato Leek Tian, a Caesar Salad (the salad was okay btw, nothing special) and mussels simmered in garlic beurre blanc and yellow frisee served with a truffle vinaigrette. They also serve a traditional foie gras with squab breast, wrapped in cabbage leaves, beurre noise and date compote. I’d also recommend the duck breast and foie gras duck rillette served with maple aigre-doux sauce. Bring it on!
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
