Sirio Maccioni and sons transport Le Cirque's elegant ambience from New York to the Strip in this handsome mahogany-paneled restaurant complete with a lush big top designed by talented Adam Tihany. The sophisticated and attractive contemporary cuisine always makes a strong opening statement with foie gras, which comes with such imaginative seasonal trimmings as mustard fruit pound cake and kumquat confit. Risotto, always exquisite here, also echoes the seasons. Equally inventive main dishes that have impressed us include the roasted Maine lobster with eggplant moussaka; Granny Smith fricassée and curry sauce; and the beef tenderloin and oxtail duo with bourguignon sauce, sautéed spinach and foie gras. Petit fours and the frozen coffee mousse over a walnut almond sponge are among outstanding sweet temptations. The grand setting also features a view of Lake Bellagio with its water-and-light extravaganza---a suitably spectacular backdrop against which to sip any one of 400 excellent domestic and international wines. |