From
Las Vegas
Guy Savoy's Cathedral
A Place for Serious Devotees to
Celebrate the New and Old Cult of
Gastronomy
By
André Gayot
Read Our Restaurant Review of Guy
Savoy
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High ceilings fit for a
cathedral
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When you open
the monumental and somewhat intimidating dark
wooden door into Guy Savoy’s super chic
Las Vegas Strip restaurant, you should also
open your eyes and your mind. Veer left into
the Champagne
bar on the second floor of the Augustus Tower
of the Caesars Palace. The Champagne officiator,
the seasoned Bernard, who probably knows your
first name and your pedigree, will walk you to
the main hall. Raise your eyes and you will get
the subtle message. The high ceiling tells it
all: the proportions are that of a cathedral,
emphasized by the presence of an oversized
ogival window, which is only missing stained
glass to finalize the impression that this is a
place where services are held to honour a cult.
Architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, who designed
the original
Guy Savoy as well as parts of the new
Louvre in
Paris, has designed a deliberately simple
yet elegant high temple of gastronomy, seating
75. A few paintings dot the grey walls
alternating with dark wood panels, so nothing
is meant to distract the attention that serious
diners should only devote to their plates.
Décor, of course, is not edible.
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"Colors of Caviar" à la
Savoy
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You
have to know a little bit about Guy Savoy to
situate and appreciate his cuisine. First,
Savoy is the youngest and probably the last of
the legends who invented "Nouvelle
Cuisine." Younger than the Bocuses, the
Guérards, and the Senderens, but completely
sharing their enthusiasm and their new approach
to cooking, taking advantage of their
experience and their mistakes, he is most
likely the only one who is able to interpret
and amend the ten commandments of the
“Nouvelle.” Second, Savoy is a kung fu master,
adept in Zen philosophy. For him, whether in
life or in cuisine, frills and flounces are
unnecessary. Hence the Zen-like décor and the
rare bill of fare.
Let’s
peruse the menu to detect what’s really Savoy’s
world of savors. Take the “colors of caviar,”
for instance. Obsessed with the color green,
Savoy dismisses traditional blinis as the
accompaniment of caviar and invents a bed of
green beans for the black pearls of the Caspian
sturgeon. With a white vinaigrette and sabayon,
not only does the caviar shine under new
colors, but it acquires a sublime taste. The
experience is an unforgettable adventure,
albeit costly.
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Red cabbage "nage" for the foie
gras
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Where
in the world could this idea of setting these
royal eggs on a modest garden vegetable
possibly stem from? Although Savoy is not a
devotee of molecular cuisine and won’t admit
it, he does flirt with the concept a tad. His
idea consists of sublimating the essence of the
product by determining what is the catalyst or
the detonator that will trigger a chain
reaction, rather than just marrying it with the
more or less usual compatible and accepted
companions. The problem is, research for the
miraculous formula can end up in a sheer
contradiction. Savoy knows that the research of
originality is not a goal in itself and
proceeds cautiously and prudently in the
uncharted territories of the alchemies of
savors.
Another
example of his well-contained research lies in
his treatment of another royal product, foie
gras. What apparently could be more antinomian
than a roasted foie gras and a soup? Even if
you call it a “nage,” a red cabbage soup is
just a basic peasant dish. However, the pairing
works just fine, as a spoonful of “nage” to
wash down the foie gras makes you discover an
extraordinary new facet of the already
delightful liver.
Savoy
also shows his unique savoir-faire and earns
his
top chef ranking with his signature dish:
the “côte” de gros turbot, in which the fish is
steamed with spinach and a poached egg on a
slotted platter atop a soup bowl filled with
fish bouillon. Flavors percolate, infuse and
interact, creating an exceptional bouquet of
combined aromas.
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Oyster in ice
gelée
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He has
not forgotten his young days at the illustrious
Troisgros, either, where apprenticing in the
classical techniques of the French culinary
traditions, he learnt—he says—everything from
the famous brothers/chefs/restaurateurs. He is
proud and grateful to be considered one of
their most faithful and truest heirs. This
heritage looms large with the more classic
dishes like the roasted veal chop with a
truffle potato purée with veal jus, the roasted
duckling with citrus scented turnips, or the
crispy veal sweetbreads. Lucky for us, in many
of his dishes, Savoy is quite generous in his
use of black truffles. His oysters in ice gelée
show how he combines the traditional with the
contemporary.
A
cheese cart presents twenty or more varieties
of the best French cheeses, while a dessert
cart also makes its rounds. Many of Savoy’s
best are based on fresh fruits, with the
exception of the delicate chocolate ganache
infused with Tonka beans. The impressive
1,500-bottle wine list is mainly French,
naturellement, and ranges from old and
rare vintages to affordable choices. The
service is as perfect as it gets.
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Guy Savoy cooks the traditional
way: Guinea hen in a pig
bladder
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In
order to meet his high standards, Savoy sent
his son Franck, who managed his Parisian
restaurants, (Le
Chiberta,
La Butte Chaillot,
L'Atelier Maître Albert and
Les Bouquinistes), to Las Vegas one year
prior to the opening to find the best workers
and products available locally.
He
proclaims he is happy with the "local"
ingredients, except for the truffles which he
imports. Along with his charming wife Laura,
Franck, as general manager, will run the show
in Las Vegas, while Guy promises to do frequent
stints. Two of his executive chefs from Paris,
Damien Dulas and Laurent Solivérès, will
alternate behind the stoves in Las
Vegas.
Savoy’s
successful arrival puts him at the top echelon
of the Las Vegas restaurant scene. Not only
because he is a world celebrity, but also
because he is the simplest and most open-minded
man you can meet in this industry. He is a real
person, not just a name. After worshipping his
food at his cathedral in the desert, you may be
tempted to address him as His Eminence, but he
is the kind of human being you would like to
call your friend.
The seven-course Prestige Menu is
$290.
Restaurant Guy Savoy
Caesars Palace
3570 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702-731-7286
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