JEAN GEORGES STEAKHOUSE - LAS VEGAS

JEAN GEORGES STEAKHOUSE

ARIA HOTEL, RESORT AND CASINO

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

I have always wanted to eat at a Jean Georges restaurant.  He is one of the most acclaimed chef's in the world.   Jean George Vongerichten is a heavyweight in the culinary field.  At Aria, Jean Georges  challenges the traditional American Steak Houses by adding a strong dose of energy and world class appeal to this stylish and contemporary experience.  I dined early before the crowds and was greeted and seated by a courteous hostess.  While my seat was a row table with people on the right and left, I was placed staring at the wall.  I chose the Chef's Tasting Menu for $85.  Compared to New York and Hawaii this was a super good deal for the price.  Started with a Tuna tartar dish.  Fresh Ahi Tuna on slices of Avocado with dices of radish.  This was excellent.  Light but tasty.  My second dish was a Terrain of Froi Gras served with a jalapeno and green apple relish and crsipy french bread.  Loved the pepper, apple and flavor of this dish.  Next came scallops on a bed of butternut squash spaghetti.  Perfect combination of flavor and texture here.  The main course which was filet of beef was most disappointing.  The meat had no taste and the Ponzi sauce that surrounded the filet should never have been on the plate.  Could not eat this dish.  Total lack of flavor.  The dessert saved the night.  A decedent chocolate volcano cake with vanilla ice cream.  This was a home run and perfect finish to an almost perfect meal.  If the steak could have held up, this would be a 10.

JEAN GEORGES STEAKHOUSE AT THE ARIA

TUNA TARTAR

TERRAIN OF FROI GRAS

SCALLOPS

FILET OF BEEF

CHOCOLATE VOLCANO CAKE WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM

GORDON RAMSEY AT THE LONDON

GORDON RAMSEY
NEW YORK, NY 

It has always been a dream to eat at Chef Gordan Ramsey's restaurant.  I watch his television shows in London and the U.S. and enjoy his passion, attitude and cooking skills.  To me he is the ultimate Chef.  How was his restaurant?  Well, the service is polished and exceptional.  Probably the best we have enjoyed besides Babbo.  The staff takes care of everything from start to finish.  If you spill a dish, they are there with a new plate and fresh plate of food.  They explain the wine and where it comes from like Babbo.  The dining space at Gordon Ramsey is small and intimate.  Probably 30 tables max.  This assures great, no rushed service.  We enjoyed a three hour dinner and felt very comfortable in this very expensive and exclusive restaurant.  I will not go into the prices, but it is expensive.  Were talking $100 plus per person without drinks or tip.  We enjoyed the Menu Prestige which is a Tasting Menu.  Keli enjoyed a 3 course dinner of Scallops, Lamb and Chocolate Moose.  The Tasting Menu was good but not great.  Babbo's is better to be honest.  We started with the Hudson Valley Foie Gras with spiced plumbs, truffle vinaigrette and thyme infused brioche.  Nice piece of Foie Gras but the rest of the stuff did not seem to blend with the dish.  Second dish were Maine Diver Scallops with curried cauliflower, pressed mango and spiced chickpeas.  The scallops were absolutely perfect and the curry was a great match for intense flavor.  The next dish was probably one of the best dishes of my life.  Up there with the pasta with mushrooms at Babbo.  It was a Filet of Turbot with an organic egg yolk inserted in the middle of the fish filet.  When you cut the fish, the egg yolk explodes and surrounds the fish in intense flavor.  This dish made the evening and meal.  Nothing else came close in flavor.  Next came Colorado Lamb Roasted in Goats Butter with fava bean tapenade, confit potatoes and lamb vinaigrette.  Good lamb and sauce but nothing to write home about.  Shirley had the Poached Poussin
which is young chicken with chanterelle and almond crepe, braised cabbage and cranberry jus.  The chicken was the moist and tender like nothing I have ever tasted.  To end the meal we enjoyed an aged Cheddar plate and a Concord Grape Creme.  The cheese was so..so. and the Grape thing tasted exactly like grape jelly you get out of a jar.  Not exactly the best desserts.  Keli hit a home run by ordering the Chocolate Moose.  This was rich and decadent.  Truly perfect chocolate flavor.  I love Chef Ramsey but would not return and pay this kind of money for dinner.  The service here is exceptional.  The food is good.

Best Fish Dish Ever.  Turbot Filet with Egg Yolk in Middle