Travel and Food
LAS
VEGAS
If you had made me a bet about which trip I would take next, I would
have lost.
Actually, you could have made that the next ten trips and I still would
have
lost. However, a few weeks ago I found myself in the go-go
multi-amusement and
multi-cultural world of Las Vegas. Yes, as I expected there were slots
machines
in the airport as I got off the plane and again in the lobby of the
hotel; but
my stereotypical expectations ended there. My youngish grandchildren
were with
me and it was my son who suggested that this would be the perfect trip
for the
family. For about four days, I agree.
We stayed at the Bellagio which had extraordinary service at every
level,
including the rapidly delivered excellent food to the rooms. The
restaurants
were good. The food was hardly a give away but not extortionate.
Tourism food
and attractions are no longer a come-on in Las Vegas; they are now the
main
source of income.
Somewhere in my head it had registered that many of my friends who were
the
best restaurateurs had established family outposts (the Maccionis,
Le
Cirque) or branches (Wolfgang Puck, Wolfgang Puck Bar &
Grill, Trattoria
Del Lupo) in Las Vegas or just moved there (Rick Moonen, Restaurant
RM). When
I learned that Joël Robuchon had joined the migration, I had to
take it
seriously. I wasn't let down: he is still one of the world's greatest
chefs
especially of the French persuasion. He has two places at the MGM
Grand. One—L'Atelier
de Joël Robuchon—is like his place in Paris, a long
counter with wonderful
food; but for the ultimate experience, go loaded with money and have
the
concierge at your hotel make a reservation at Joël Robuchon at
the Mansion
well in advance. All these elegant places seem to fill up.
For the younger set, reserve seats for "O" the Cirque de
Soleil water performance—unbelievable! Go to the shark aquarium
with all sorts
of undersea lethal beauties, rays, etc. Do not miss the White tigers
and lions.
I think that you can easily miss the magic shows. I didn't bet and
still
enjoyed every minute.
**************************************************************************************************************
Le Cirque
Bellagio Hotel & Casino, 3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas.
Reservations (877) 2-DINE-LV or (877) 234-6358
Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill
MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, 3799 S. Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas. No
reservations needed. Call (877) 880-0880 for general information.
Trattorio del Lupo
Mandalay Bay Hotel Casino, 3930 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las
Vegas.
Reservations (877) 632-7800
Joël Robuchon at The Mansion
MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, 3799 S. Las Vegas Blvd, Las
Vegas. Reservations (702) 891-7925
L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon
MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, 3799 S. Las Vegas Blvd, Las
Vegas. Reservations (702) 891-7925
Restaurant RM
Mandalay Bay Hotel Casino, 3930 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las
Vegas.
Reservations (877) 632-7800
"O"
Bellagio
Hotel &
Casino, 3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas. Tickets 888- 488-7111 or
702-693-7722. If you are a confirmed guest of Bellagio, you may contact
The
Concierge at Bellagio by calling 888-987-7111 for assistance with
seating for
“O” based on availability.Children under the age of five
are not permitted into
the “O” Theatre. Guests under the age of 18 must be
accompanied by an adult.
VENICE
RESTAURANTS
10/2/07—I am fairly newly returned from one of my favorite
places, Venice. In
addition to the beauty of the light—think Guardi and
Turner—the magic of the
buildings and the glorious art such as the walls and ceiling of San
Rocco, I
find the constant soft motion of the water soothing and I adore the
food even
though some say that it is not great.
It tends to be local fish and seafood fairly simply or traditionally
prepared.
A traditional example would be fish in saor which is first grilled or
fried and
then marinated in a sweet and sour marinade made with onions, raisins
and
vinegar—fabulous starter. New are the plates of crudo,
raw fish and
seafood, as well as the raw fish tartars and carpaccios. There are
meat-serving
exceptions, at least one on this list.
The names for the fish and seafood are often different in Venice than
in the
rest of Italy. Someplace, I have a list. I will try to find it and post
it.
Even the vegetables have different names: sparese rather than asparagi
for asparagus. In any case, I manage to order to my satisfaction. There
has
been an innovative incursion in the form of raw fish such as paillards
and
seviches. It should be noted that butter is seldom used nor is cheese
normal
with seafood dishes. One night, I got into a conversation with two
women at the
next table when I asked the waiter if there was cheese in the pesto.
The women,
Florentines, assured me that pesto was always made with cheese, pine
nuts, etc.
However, when the waiter returned he confirmed my idea that there would
be no
cheese in this pesto. Some of the pestos are thick and darkish like a
puréed
vegetable and others are bright green thin like liquid sauces.
On warm evenings, I like to eat at the tables that many of the
restaurants set
up in the streets out side their restaurants. Somehow, due to the
informality,
I always find someone interesting to whom to talk. There are
restaurants with
actual gardens such as the Antica Loocanda Montin in the
Dorsodouro and Agli
Alboretti near the Academia. I didn’t visit either this
trip, but have very
good meals at both in the past.
Generally during warm days, I stay pool-side at the Cipriani
(Giudecca
10…tel: 041 2408507). See my blog for
my preferred lunch there, generally at two, followed by a trip by hotel
boat
leaving from a private dock opposite San Marco into town for
sightseeing or
shopping or a combination, followed by a late dinner. The pool
installation and surrounding garden is a private club (Il Gabbiano:
The
Seagull) for hotel guests and locals. However, at the hotel corner
is a
restaurant on a terrace under an awning that puts out an extraordinary
buffet
in addition to the menu. It is open to the public as is the nighttime
restaurant, Cips, on a dock at the back of the hotel
overlooking the
Piazetta. Both of these are open to the public, but be sure to reserve.
Expensive.
A new find for me this trip was Antiche Carampane, old harlots
(San Polo
1911, rio terrá de la Carampane; tel: 041 5240165; closed Sunday
and Monday;
all credit cards). It is hardly a novelty for others. It was
recommended to me
by two Venice-savvy friends. The owner is a delightfully welcoming
woman and
her equally nice husband walked us two travelers to the bus, vaporetto,
one rainy night under umbrellas. The nearest bus stops at Ca Rezonico.
Be sure
to get a map and wear comfortable shoes. It is a walk.
From the very first dish I had there, I knew it was a find. It was a
simple and
perfect dish of grilled-in-the-shell-with-olive-oil canestrelli—the
tiny
scallops of the lagoon rather than capesante (sea scallops) and
cappelunghe
(slim young razor clams). Other starters were a crudo (raw) of oysters,
salmon,
shrimp, crayfish and tuna as well as a polenta made with olive oil and
the of-the-season
porcini—all very gala. There was a pasta with crab. One main
course was a
largish cube of grill-marked rare tuna with a thin pesto, baby arugula
and tiny
tomatoes grilled in a bunch (a trick I will try). There are historic
Italian
made dishes as well.
For dessert, there was the best version of what is called a
“lemon sorbet” that
I have had. I heartily suggest it. It is whisked up to a semi-liquid
froth to
be eaten with a spoon or sipped. I saw it being made at another
restaurant
where lemon sorbet was whisked at the table with prosecco and grappa.
Unusually, they serve excellent house-made cookies.
The wine list is excellent and reasonably priced (as is the food) with
a good
selection of the red wines that I prefer even with seafood. I had a
superb Capo
di Stato a Vennegazzù wine of Count Loredan Gasparini that he
developed
especially for official events of the city of Venice. My event was
special, but
not official. The wine is made from the Bordeaux blend of Cabernet
Franc,
Merlot and Malbech (his spelling) from vines of reasonable
age—fifty years—on
his property.
Nearby is Da Fiore (San Polo 2202/a, calle dello Scaleter;
telephone 041
721308; closed Sunday and Monday; all credit cards; reservations
essential),
one of the long-time famous Venice restaurants. I was originally taken
there in
the time of the owner’s parents by Marcella and Victor Hazan. The
owner is a
charming man named Maurizio. The wine steward who has been there for
years
although seemingly very young is intelligent and nice and also
doesn’t make a
face when I order red wine at this almost entirely seafood place. The
food
reflects the lightening-up changes in Venetian food without being
overly
trendy. The selection of seafood is fabulous and there is the crudo I
had.
However, by far, the best dish was an unheralded grilled slice of plump
eel—terrific. Reservations are essential. The place is costly.
Even more famous with Americans and even more expensive is Harry’s
Bar (San
Marco 1323, calle Vallaresso; telephone: 041 5285777; always open and
all
credit cards), at the corner of the street and the street along the
canal not
far from San Marco. I seldom go there due to cost and to the mob scene
of
celebrities and would be socialites sitting at the welcoming low round
tables
on the bar room level. However, one day I was in town on my way to the
biennale
of arts when it began to pour. As the vaporetto stop is just
across from
Harry’s, I dashed in to get cozy and stay dry. It was good timing
as vastly
prefer the place at lunch when there are more Italians—even
locals, some simply
at bar tables reading the newspaper—and the pace is less hectic.
If you want to
go at night, this is the place to have the concierge (portiere)
at your
hotel book the table and try to get you in downstairs. Upstairs has the
food
but not the style and flavor. Of course, I started with one of their
justly
famous Bellinis. As white peaches were in season, it was perfect. All
their
pastas are house made egg noodles. The famous tagliolini gratinati
al
prosciutto (white noodles rich with cream and eggs and ham, coated
lightly
with grated cheese and passed under a broiler) were perfect as was the
risotto
black with the ink from the small seppie (really the small seppiolini
(baby
cuttlefish) with which it is made. This made a perfectly adequate
lunch. Dinner
would have more food and bigger prices. I might have had their famous
carpaccio
of beef. The rain ended and I went out to the show and got a little
mind food.
It is possible to get meat in Venice. One of my long time favorites is Al
Assassini quite close to the opera house, La Fenice (San Marco
3695;
telephone: 041 5287986; closed Sunday; only Visa). This is another
place where
I eat on the street weather permitting. The host is charming, remembers
all
guests and their preferences and sports, along with his staff, a
specially
designed tee shirt, new each year. The menu is unusual as it changes
each day
of the week Monday is for white meat. I had a spectacularly good
rabbit.
Tuesday is for braises and stews and Wednesday for specialty meats and
so on
through the week except for Friday which returns to fish.
Not far from the Rialto Bridge, is the tiny Alle Testiere
(Castello
5801, calle del Mondo Novo; telephone: 041 522 7220; closed on Sunday
and
often—this is Italy—on Monday. The place is so small that
is hard to get a
reservation. You may have to settle, as I did, for 9:30. It is worth
it. I
cheered up with a bottle of Castello d’Ama 2003. This is a great
Chianti made
by an excellent woman wine maker. It is not as expensive as some
authorities
would have you believe, but is a rarity in Venice.
My meal started with moscardini (tiny baby octopus) stuffed
with puréed
mushrooms and grilled. My friend had a thin slice of raw fish served on
what
was called a gazpacho sauce and turned out to be a slightly spicy,
thin, smooth
purée of tomatoes and red peppers. The fish was topped with
match strips no
longer than an inch, cut through the skin at either end, which gave a
fine
crunch. One main course was grilled tuna with a sauté of mixed
mushrooms,
porcini, chanterelles and chiodini (the little nail shaped mushrooms)
sprinkled
with wild fennel fronds (which, it turns out, are called finochetti)
as well as lentils. Sadly, I cannot remember the other main
course—too much red
wine? However, I can strongly recommend the side dish (contorno)
of
grilled eggplant slices (cut across and perfect), radicchio Treviso
(the
longish red endivish ones) as well as endive.
Don’t bother with dessert.
Possibly the most amazing—quite possibly due to my snobbery about
hotel
food—meal of the trip was on top of the famous Danieli Hotel at
the Ristorante
Terrazza (Riva degli Schiavone, 1496; telephone: 041 5226480). I
had seen
its lights twinkling seductively for many years but had never gone nor
had close
Venice habitué friends. In my own defense, I should add that it
doesn’t get
mentions in many guidebooks. We decided to go and once again I had the
invaluable concierge at Cipriani call for me. I wanted to be sure that
we had a
table at the water’s edge overlooking the grand canal and the
Lido beyond.
The short trip from the elevator to the restaurant was not
prepossessing and
had a sneaking suspicion that I might rue the experiment. Once we got
to the
terrace, the view was staggering. Man and nature conspired to make it
even more
spectacular during the course of the evening. A storm broke over and
beyond the
Lido sending great bolts of lightening streaking down the sky. These
seemed to
be echoed by the panoply of fireworks on the Lido to celebrate the
opening of
the film festival. It was ravishing and mercifully dry even without the
awning
that stretched over the terrace.
The next pleasure was the food. The quality of the ingredients set the
tone in
the opening fish soup, a carpaccio of swordfish, a millefeuille of
tomatoes and
a plate of San Danieli ham and even a pasta e fagioli minestrone.
On to
simple and excellent main courses: the special small sole (sogliola)
of
the lagoon perfectly cooked (best of the trip), a mixed fry (fritto
misto)
of shrimp and calamari, steaks on beds of rucola (arugula) and
a
wonderfully browned and rare order of small, rib lamb chops. We
indulged in
some extra grilled vegetables and a somewhat less fancy Venegazzu.
The final pleasure was the bill, which was quite modest by the
standards of
Venice (no more person than many of the small places we had been
frequenting)
and down right cheap by comparison with the rest of Europe.
Obviously, Venice has many more places of note; but I didn’t go
back to them
this time and there still some places suggested by friends that I still
haven’t
tried—a great excuse for going back.
