GAYOT's Blog

by Bob Barnes

Earlier this month, the Bellagio began its Epicurean Epicenter Series with an exclusive four-course pairing of the wines of the Williams Selyem Vineyard from the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County, California. The sold-out event began with a reception of passed appetizers accompanied by the 2005 Blanc de Noir Brut Magnum. We were then escorted into the Tuscany Exhibition Kitchen, where Master Sommelier and director of wine Jason Smith partnered with Williams Selyem executive winemaker Bob Cabral in describing the wines that would be paired with Le Cirque executive chef Gregory Pugin’s creations. Continue reading “The Bellagio Epicurean Epicenter Series” »

by Sophie Gayot

In 1990, Joël Robuchon was named Cuisinier du Siècle, Chef of the Century. The title, which did not come easily, was based on his impressive, extraordinary talent, so-well-controlled creativity, religious respect of produce and the purity of his flavors. Luckily for us, his gifts are still going strong in this century.

Since moving from Poitou (a Western region of France) to Paris in 1978, Robuchon has distilled his undisputable cooking skills throughout the world with ultra-fine dining establishments like Restaurant Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas (a GAYOT.com Top 40 Restaurant since its 2005 opening), and the L’Atelier concept. I have to admit that when I saw the first Atelier under construction in Paris in the winter of 2002, I was skeptical about having Robuchon’s delicacies sitting behind a bar on a bar stool, without having the possibility of sharing these culinary pleasures with more than one or two persons (it’s not easy to have a larger party along a bar). Oh, boy, was I wrong! There are now nine Ateliers around the world, with the latest addition in Singapore.

Continue reading “Joël Robuchon, A Stellar Chef” »

by: Sophie Gayot

We are always sad to see restaurants close, but we are always happy to see more opening to please our palates. For the GAYOT.com 2011 Restaurant Issue, we have selected 10 new restaurants that opened in 2010 and for which we foresee a great future, either for their cuisine, ambience, location, or a combination of all three.

Watch my exclusive video interview with chef David Myers who made the list for his French brasserie Comme Ca, which opened at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in December.

The other awards listed in the GAYOT.com 2011 Restaurant Issue are:
- Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S., Nine of these did not appear on last year’s list, and three of those are gracing the list for the very first time,
- U.S. Restaurateur of the Year
- Top 40 Cheap Eats in the U.S. – good choices for the budget-conscious
- 5 Rising Chefs – American chefs under 30 who are making their mark
- Top 10 Steakhouses in the U.S. – which celebrity chefs make the best steak?
- Top 10 Hotel Restaurants in the U.S. – Only 3 remain from last year
- Top 10 Insider Picks in the U.S. – published for the first time, this list reveals where to dine for a taste of local flavor, good food and good times
- Culinary Trends for 2011.
 

Continue reading “GAYOT.com 2011 Top 10 New Restaurants in the US” »

 

by Sophie Gayot 

Most times I dine at a restaurant, no matter where, I pop into the kitchen at the end of the meal. I do it to say hello, to get a tour, to shoot a video, to compliment the chef, or, on the contrary, tell him or her what did not work. Even if I didn’t enjoy the experience, there is always one thing I do: I have to acknowledge the very hard work that the kitchen team puts together trying to please our palates. They work under lots of pressure, standing up during the entire service, in a noisy environment (due to the air extraction devices), most of the time in artificial light with no fresh air, and under intense heat from the stoves. 

Continue reading “Dear Kitchen: Thank You!” »

by Sophie Gayot

by Sophie Gayot  

There are many dining options at the new Aria Resort & Casino located at the impressive CityCenter in Las Vegas, but I feel that Julian Serrano at his eponymous restaurant offers the “sunniest” experience. As evidenced by the photos below, from the food to the décor, dining here is all about colors. That’s not really a surprise coming from a Spaniard, but it is very well done. For more, read my review.  

  

Continue reading “Cuisine from the Iberico Sun” »

by Becky Sauer

 

Las Vegas’s CityCenter continues to add to its impressive roster of restaurants with the opening of Wolfgang Puck’s Brasserie Puck and The Pods by Wolfgang Puck at the Crystals retail and entertainment district. The latter is a casual all-day café while the former is a modern French restaurant offering reinterpreted classics such as Kobe flat-iron “steak frites” with marrow-mustard butter.

 

Find out what else is new on the Sin City dining scene with Las Vegas Restaurant News, Restaurant Reviews, Culinary Events and Las Vegas Wine Dinners.

by Leslie Cotterman

 

 

While other touted Strip properties couldn’t make it to the finish line (think Fontainebleau Las Vegas, Echelon), CityCenter rolled out its red carpet as promised in late 2009 (The Harmon and Veer Towers excepted).

 

 

 

Well-rehearsed staff populates every corner — don’t even try to maneuver this sprawling urban campus without letting them direct you to the closest tram station or one of the many restaurants.

 

 

 

That tram, by the way, is quite efficient, and shuttles passengers like clockwork between sister MGM MIRAGE properties Bellagio and Monte Carlo Resort & Casino, with a stop at CityCenter’s Crystals in between. So if the restaurant Michael Mina Bellagio is booked, you can zip right over to the chef’s American Fish at ARIA Resort & Casino.

   Continue reading “The Strip Grows and Glows Even More with CityCenter” »

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