Fabulous evening last night at the Leopard at des Artistes! Very 'old school' Italian in terms of the elegance of service, with fish deboned tableside. Bar was ... interesting  ... and is someplace I would definately go when I am in the mood to jot down character studies for a new book or screenplay.

When we arrived, one darkly handsome, well dressed man (bow tie, jacket, pocket hankerchief)  informed us he was "time traveling." Two women sat at a table in the bar area, eating salads very slowly.

Our table, pictured above beneath the famous mural, was quite nice. Our unofficial host for the eventing, Italian by birth and in the wine trade, ordered all the wine: Regolo Sartori Rosso Veronese di Ripasso from the heart of Valpolicella Classico region (the same as Amarone), Castello Banfi Belnero, Banfi's Proprietor's selection of Sangiovese from their Brunello Vinyard that is elegant and expresses their terroir and our winemaking philosophy.

The cuisine was very good and fresh - I liked the portion size (tiny) and can see why the prices are considered high, given the attention and quality of each dish. Overall, a very positive experience.

The menu as I recall is three-course, and the wines a good representation of the area.

Restaurant in St Maximin

Couvent Royal
3 star hotel
Place Jean Salusse - 83470 St Maximin
Phone : +33 (0)4 94 86 55 66 - Fax : +33 (0)4 94 59 82 82

This is a fabulous restaurant, especially when the weather is great and one can sit outdoors. Arrived just when it opened and thought the menu quite good and creative. I will find the pictures and load them, here is a link to the web site.

Like most top restaurants in the region, this restaurant is in the middle of nowhere (the village is charming, yet it is a remote village and it is quite a drive). The village is charming, and tiny and in contrast to its ancient crumbling walls of historical structures are the vibrant teenagers who flirt with one another and skateboard near the abbye. 

It made me curious to as to whether teenagers were engaging in the same behavior under the same tree near the same wall three hundred years ago.

Now here it is described on the web site:  "In the shaded square of a quiet little village in the Haut-Var, this beautiful home adjacent to a 12th century abbey invites you to sample all the pleasures of a true gourmet experience. From the vegetable garden of the Hostellerie to the depths of the Mediterranean Sea, chef Benoît Witz passionately draws into the regions bounties. Sunny and original, the menu evolves with the seasons, displaying the depth and richness of his talent: Courgette flower and crispy bacon risotto, pressed duck and foie gras... "

I agree with all this, despite the flowery language. The settign is magical and I have to admit that now, six months later, I can't quite recall the food yet remember is was quite good, up to yet not exceeding expectations as all the cuisine in the region is so spectacular.

Hôtelier: Alain Ducasse
Manager: Sebastion Pilat
10, Place du Général de Gaulle
Celle en Provence, La, 83170 France

Tel. +33 (0)4 98 05 14 14
Fax. +33 (0)4 98 05 14 15
contact@abbaye-celle.com

Chef : Benoît Witz

Maitre D : Eric Adam

Sommelier : Cédric Vernice
 

The hotel is actually in the middle of nowhere, and tiny narrow roads and construction turned what we were told would be a twenty-minute drive into 90 minutes. Yet when you see the pictures below, you will see it was well worth the effort. Absolutely one of the best lunches in the area – and one of the most reasonable since we only had time for the short menu.

Chemin des Fontanettes – 38121 Chonas L’Amballan 04 74 58 81 52

With its sleek, dramatic design, STK exemplifies the new female-friendly, NYC steakhouse geared to a younger, hipper crowd.

Under the direction of executive chef Todd Mark Miller, cuisine is playful and creatively presented. Grilled steaks come in three sizes—small, medium and large—and can be paired with six choices of sauces. In keeping with the new steakhouse trend, Miller gives equal focus to innovative non-steak cuisine.

A starter of chunky roasted beets ($11) arrives atop a tangy pool of curry-accented yogurt. Jumbo lump crab ($18) with avocado and kefir lime plates up on discs of green melon. Shrimp cocktail ($16), thick and meaty, and seductively silky raw tuna ($14) are day-boat fresh, both served on ice in an unconventional rectangular platter.

Our order of the “small” T-bone steak (10 oz. for $26) looked so big we asked the waiter if we received the large by mistake. Accompanied by a red wine sauce ($2) the meat was fine, but usurped by the decadent and addictive side order of savory, plump, rectangular shaped parmesan truffle fries ($9) stacked log-cabin style on a round plate. Skate wing, the “it” fish of the moment, is served with ponzu and shitake brown butter. Other alternatives to steak include chicken, Hudson Valley duck breast, roasted lamb, lobster and wild striped bass, ranging in price from $24 (including both the organic chicken breast and the skate) to $46 (the intriguing sounding “surf, turf, & earth”—tuna, black truffle and foie gras.)

STK’s wine list is impressive in both its layout and inventory, many bottles reasonably priced. A short header explains what characteristics to look for in the bottle selections that follow, organized by grape varietals. For example, Syrah/Shiraz is described as “powerfully flavored and full bodied, known for its flavors of spicy blackberry, plum and pepper,” while flavors attributed to Cabernet Sauvignon include black currant, dark berry, cedar and vanilla. Though the servers seemed well versed on the wines, the descriptions make it easy for a beginning oenophile to select wines on his or her own.

As good as the service and cuisine is, the main attraction here is the upbeat scene in the sensual, candlelit lounge as well as the main dining spaces. New York-based Icrave Design Studio created an exaggerated, theatrical look based on the starkly lit set designs of Robert Wilson. Large parties may enjoy the white leather “pods” in the center of the dining room. At these comfortable, elevated tables, diners are illuminated by soft spotlights and reflected by a large mirror in the back of the room, thus becoming players in the restaurant-as-theater motif.

If you’d rather play the role of a voyeur, ask for a table in the garden room near the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, which overlook busy Little West 12th Street. Here, especially late nights on weekends, you’ll be treated to a parade of shiny stretch limousines and “Page Six” quality celebrities heading towards TenJune (located directly below STK) and the other hip clubs lining the street.

What makes STK a “modern steakhouse” instead of simply a stylish restaurant that also serves steak, are the design and theme. Traditional cattle horns of the old-style steakhouse now take form in the fiberglass horn-like sculpture on the wall above the bar. Baked potatoes have been reborn in the parmesan truffle fries. And the option of ordering a small or medium sized steak instead of having to deal with a single-sized, huge chunk of meat is clearly a plus when your post-dinner goal is to party. And at STK, you don’t even have to leave the restaurant to do so. Sweet.

STK
26 Little W. 12th St. (betw. 9th Ave. & Washington St.) 646-624-2444
 

• The Restaurant at Meadowood

• Go Fish

New York City

• Stk - All the World's a Stage

• BLT Rocks in Manhattan

I, too, was rather surprised when Sinatra, Theo Schoenegger's new restaurant at Steve Wynn's Encore Resort, turned out to be a fine dining destination in the fullest sense of the word. A skeptic by nature, I was under the belief that the more gold records, Grammy awards, and Oscars a restaurant had on display, the more mediocre the food. Yet the restaurant was packed, and the young, trendy crowd, like me, was not of a generation to have known Mr. Sinatra.

Once seated and presented with our appetizers, I could see that Mr. Sinatra's spirit has found a talented young partner in Chef Theo, who had been the Executive Chef at the award-winning Patina in Los Angeles. The room is buzzing with excitement and anticipation of the delights to come while Ol' Blue Eyes softly croons in the background.

I exchange a few words with Jonathan, the helpful sommelier (who is aspiring to Master Sommelier status) in the hopes of choosing good vintages from the manageable wine list. Yes, you can find Chateau Petrus 2000 on the list for $10,000, and if you have a favorite region or producer, you can be assured it is on this list. Yet foodies who like to find affordable, hidden gems can find good offerings on this list, such as the delicious Tuscan Testamatta Casa Mata 2005 (from Tuscany, $56).

Sipping our wine, we survey the fashionably dressed crowd speaking a babel of languages. Three expensively and dramatically dressed women, sporting micro-miniskirts and the latest plastic surgery techniques, swoop down on a group of friends, all Russians, enjoying dinner. Near the garden, a young couple is oblivious to all around them in this ultra romantic setting with its open, airy room soft lighting, and mirrors. Floor to ceiling windows highlight the gorgeous, flower strewn Tuscan garden available for al fresco dining in warm weather.

Chef Theo's cuisine is Italian, with a New York and yes, Los Angeles edge. "I create flavor combinations in my sleep," he tells me when I compliment him on the food and explain my surprise. We order the Cappesante, seared Maine diver scallop, celery, and kumquats, and are impressed by the freshness and flavor. We also share the lobster salad - a special, made up of hearts of palm and candied bits of citrus, and Tonnato, Blue Fin tuna chopped, seasoned, and served in an elaborate square configuration.

Appetizers are small yet intense, with ultra fresh, perfectly seasoned flavors that do whet the appetite for more. As this is an Italian restaurant, select a delicious looking pasta from the menu, such as agnolotti (small pockets filled with ricotta and herbs, parmesan sauce and chives), and rigatoni (shrimp, fresh tomato, basil). For entrees I enjoy my cioppino, a very light presentation of bass, lobster, shrimp, clams, and fennel in a tomato saffron broth. "This dry aged steak is great," says my friend, of the 14oz dry aged New York strip with cipolin onions he ordered. "And I love this mushroom!" he says of the king trumpet mushroom by his steak.

We could not stay for dessert, but the cuisine and service here are first rate. You will definitely want to order many courses here, including pasta and the many delectable side dishes to fully experience Chef Theo's cuisine. If you visit during the warmer months, be sure to book a table in the patio. It is like you are in Florence all over again.

Sinatra Wynn Encore Resort 3131 Las Vegas Blvd S Las Vegas, NV 89109 (702) 770-7000

You expect to be guided to your table by hostesses that are slightly too friendly and attractive for comfort. And since you've been eating at high-end steakhouses for more years than you care to remember, you are secretly hoping something will happen that will make the evening memorable enough to tell your friends back home.

Welcome to Botero, the new steakhouse at the Wynn Encore resort in Las Vegas. Created by nightlife impresario Victor Drai (I loved his restaurant in Beverly Hills) and Executive Chef Mark LoRusso, this is arguably one of the sexiest restaurants in Las Vegas with a vibrant, upscale crowd that looks as if they live and eat well. In fact, the crowd actually looks like the models in the advertisements you see in the other restaurants, pools, and lounges on the hotel's promotional channel.

Botero, however, goes beyond looks. This is Las Vegas, baby!

"Excuse me," I tell the helpful waiter who comes to my table to deliver my glass of Au Bon Climat Central Coast Chardonnay. "We have to be at the Le Rêve show by nine, and my friend is on his way," I explain, looking at his empty seat. "Can I order for us both now?" The waiter smiles and makes note of our theater time in his little book. He reassures me this happens all the time and that the theater is only a five-minute walk down the hall.

So far, so good. I order "Steak Your Way" for my friend, which is prepared in three possible styles - traditional, pepper steak, and chimichurri. Like the Goldilocks fairy tale, this steak is also available in three possible sizes: 12-ounce filets, 18-ounce dry-aged New York strips, and 20-ounce bone-in rib eyes.

Happily, my friend soon arrives and we dig into the restaurant's signature seafood tower. Virtually ever restaurant has one, though each is a bit different; and at the Wynn, every seafood tower I've had is spectacular. King crab legs, the largest and freshest shrimp I've ever seen, and the usual oysters and mussels adorn this large tower, which is structured on a more horizontal level so guests have a better view of King Neptune's bounty.

One of the joys of ordering food at the Wynn Resort is that the wine by the glass selection is large enough to present many pairing opportunities. Botero offers three sparkling wines (two of them high-end champagne from France, the others a Cava from Spain) along with five white wines.

With the seafood tower, my favorite pairing was the delicious Riesling from the Mosel, a 2006 Monchhof 'Urziger Wurtzgarten' Kabinett. Slightly off dry, with flavors of honey and fragrant white flowers, it was a perfect pairing with the lobster. I also really enjoyed another treasure, the 2006 Vincentt Giradin Vielle Vigne Chardonnay from Rully in the Burgundy region of France. These two wines should win awards in terms of the lengths the Wynn Encore wine buyer goes to just to find unusual and delicious wines.

With our other starters of Ahi tuna tartar and sesame crusted tuna medallions, we enjoyed trying the red wines, as tuna is considered the "cow of the sea." We start with the lightest red, the 2006 Foxen Pinot Noir from Santa Maria Valley in California. Dry and delicious, the wine has just enough fresh berry sweetness to contrast nicely with the Ahi tuna tartar. The seared tuna medallions, served with a crunchy oriental Napa cabbage salad, is a better match with both the 2004 Juan Rojo Tempranillo from Toro, Spain, and the 2005 Vinifera Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley.

Entrees arrive with more than enough time for the theater. I eye my European Loup De Mere (Mediterranean Sea Bass) hungrily. It is served whole, albeit with the bones removed, and stuffed with artichoke and fennel. My friend's steak looks delicious, and I take a bite - and sneak yet another bite when he dips into his jacket to pull out his Blackberry and check email messages. (Thank heaven for Blackberries!)

Throughout our meal, our waiter had been most attentive and is to be applauded for excellent service and seeing that we got to the theater on time. Next time I would allow enough time to experience the desserts created by pastry chef Patrick Florendo, for I have heard from other guests they are not to be missed. (Try the PB and J doughnuts with Concord grape jelly and tell me about it).

Le Rev was wonderful and quite an experience. Yet when I think back to that night, it was the Botero experience — the incredible atmosphere, the fun buzzing crowd, and the delicious cuisine — that I remember the most.

Botero Wynn Encore Resort 3131 Las Vegas Blvd S Las Vegas, NV 89109 (702) 770-7000

Yes, the name does conjure up images of Katherine Hepburn in some classic black and white movie where Hepburn played her usual type, a snobby, highborn Connecticut debutante. Yet Society is actually the Wynn Encore's fun, food-friendly casual dining restaurant, where even serious foodies can take a break from the high-end "be on your best behavior" restaurants and simply enjoy good conversation and great food.

Actually, Society is a very good name for a restaurant. The best! Why? Its name sums up what restaurants are really all about: friends and family celebrating good times over warm, comforting, tasty eats. Unlike other restaurants at the Wynn Encore, it is the perfect venue to take your family for a Sunday dinner or crawl in for breakfast after a night of clubbing at XS or Tryst.

Society is the creation of Executive Chef Kim Canteenwalla and partners Oliver Wharton, Sean Christie, and Elizabeth Blau, who helped orchestrate the creation of Wynn's upscale-restaurant filled Bellagio Hotel in 1988. I met her at the opening and have always been impressed by her restaurant marketing savvy.

The four partners have created a really fun, feel-good restaurant that is casual in tone, yet offers an upscale décor and affordable prices. Menu items have very cute, whimsical names like "Pigs in a Blanket" that generate a smile and sense of fun. The room is so warm, inviting, and chic you'll want to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner here - and you can.

Take breakfast. You can find happy patrons eagerly tucking into omelets, egg sliders, and sticky buns with warm caramel and crisp walnuts, and sipping freshly brewed strong coffee. I really enjoyed people watching, especially early in the morning when it's obvious many of the diners digging in have not been to bed at all. (Naughty, naughty!)

Society is fun for lunch too, especially when you are so busy playing the slot machines you do not have time to experience a drawn out, formal lunch. Though the items have cute names, the cuisine has a very polished underpinning. Take charred rare yellowfin tuna with wasabi, shiso, and cucumber salad that shows up as a "slider" (surrounded by a bun), or a filet mignon slider served with caramelized onions, horseradish cream, and French fries.

Parents with small children (or — more succinctly — adults who want to re-experience a child's sense of fun) will appreciate Society's dinner menu, which offers mac 'n cheese "bites" accompanied by truffle dipping sauce. Or choose the more upscale "Simple Grilled" entrée like the New York strip or Colorado lamb chops. Personally, I really liked the roast black cod with bacon and chive hash. It reminded me of my Boston days where bacon and cod were a natural pairing at Locke-Ober and other traditional Boston restaurants (after all, there's nothing quite like the holy trinity of cod, bacon, and potatoes to stave off the freezing winter cold).

You can also drop into Society for coffee and dessert. A grown-up option is the brulee cheesecake. Yet, given the venue, why not be a kid again and order the peanut butter and jelly bar with crunch peanuts, chocolate mousse, and concord jelly. Either way, Society is a very colorful, lively option for a fun-filled meal.

Society
Wynn Encore Resort
3131 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 770-7000

The scene changes every twenty minutes." Leave it to Mr. Wynn to create a new twist on the "restaurant as theater" theme. Previously, the concept referred to the elevated theatricality of the dining experience. However, in Las Vegas patrons expect to be dazzled, and Switch delivers a novel experience. The inspiration for this vibrant, stylish restaurant with its brilliant orange crocodile fabric, Venetian glass murals of large sunflowers, and vividly colored carpets came when Wynn's in-house designer, Roger Thomas, who decided to focus on Switch's location near the flower-filled atrium. If the décor isn't novel enough, Switch also features a bourbon bar paying tribute to this classic American spirit.

Though not a spirits drinker, I came to appreciate good bourbon studying for my diploma for the Wine and Spirits Educational Trust. At Switch Bourbon drinkers have the opportunity to indulge in the world's best boutique bourbons. You will find 23-year-old Rittenhouse Rye, Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve, and infused bourbons with Meyer lemon skin and vanilla.

"Champagne, Madame?" asks the sommelier, wheeling up a gorgeous champagne cart. "A little bubbly to celebrate the moment of the Switch?" "Thanks," I say, still watching the walls and the ceiling change color and theme. It's a bit like sitting in a theater and seeing black-clad stage hands move the set around while you wait for the next scene to begin. Once the walls and ceiling have stabilized, I turn my attention to Marc Poidevin's menu.

We start with a dramatic presentation of a chilled seafood tower, including seasonal oysters, Alaskin king crab legs, bay scallop cerviche, and lobster. If you think gorgeous looking and fresh tasting seafood is all this dish is about, you have the wrong restaurant. In drama nearly equal to the changing of the walls, a white-clad server pours an Aladdin's lamp of dry ice into a vessel near the top of the tower, creating a seductive mist.

We pair this seafood appetizer with various by-the-glass suggestions from Wine Director Desmond Echavarrie, a very charming gentleman who is about to take his Master Sommelier exam. If you read my reviews regularly, you already know that I am mid-way through the Master Sommelier program and have tremendous respect for anyone attempting this incredible test of wine, spirits, and service knowledge. When you make a reservation here, be certain Mr. Echavvarie is in attendance so he can guide you to excellent, well-priced choices in superior vintage years.

For myself, I found the seafood tower paired very well with the 2007 Chablis "Fourchaume-Premier Cru" from J.M. Brocard (Burgundy, France). The Fourchaume vineyard produces delicious, well-balanced chardonnay with a touch of refreshing citrus and a deep mineral character.

After the enormous seafood tower, I don't feel I can enjoy a full dinner, so I order Marc's lobster salad - a light, delicious, and refreshing dish consisting of artichoke, avocado, asparagus, and truffle vinaigrette. However, the seafood starter only whets the appetite of my friend, who orders a seven-ounce filet he pronounces delicious. Switch is not a steakhouse in the purest sense, but the steak here is quite good and you can order New York Strip Steaks, Porterhouse, Veal T-Bones, Hanger steak, and Colorado lamp chops. You can also find a wide variety of pasta and risotto, which is conveniently offered as a side dish.

Seduced by the European ambiance, we decide to order cheese for dessert instead of sweets. Though Switch does not offer a cheese plate on the menu at present, the waiter is more than happy enough to have the kitchen create one for us. It is brought to the table with grapes and toast, and like the French, we enjoy it with the last of our Chateau Les Ormes de Pez 2001 Bordeaux.

Switch is a fantastic experience. You will find the cuisine delicious, and the fun and excitement of the décor change is something you will never forget. If you are bringing a friend, keep the Switch a secret and watch their reaction as the walls come down.

Switch
Wynn Encore Resort
3131 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 770-7000