Alize, The Palms

The Amazing, Expanding, Traveling Stomachs ... One Night Only: Alize', The Palms Hotel (4/22/08)

You may be wondering ... how did Jay and Brenda end up having dinner at a restaurant not located on the Vegas strip?

That's an excellent question.

Lemme 'splain.

I was looking for a romantic, elegant restaurant ala' Victoria & Albert's for us to celebrate our anniversary a wee bit early. I considered the Top of the World restaurant located at the Stratosphere Hotel, but their menu didn't do much to pique my interest. And to be completely honest, I wasn't sure if I could make it through the meal without bellowing "Top o' the world, Ma," at least half-a-dozen times. I did, however, like the idea of having dinner with the Vegas cityscape sprawling far below us like a never-ending, neon dream. So I then found myself considering the Eiffel Tower Restaurant at the Paris Hotel. The menu certainly sounded more interesting and appealing, but it seemed like their prices were on the high side, especially for their tasting menu.

Obviously we've been spoiled by our experiences at V&A.

With a deep sigh I continued to search, and somehow ended up finding a place called Alize' which is a four-diamond AAA rated gourmet restaurant. They had purty pictures on their website and their vittles sounded drool-worthy and best of all - they offered a seven-course tasting menu for $125 per person. Woohoo, baby; mission accomplished!

Tuesday evening arrived and we cleaned up all nice and presentable-like since this was dinner to celebrate our 9th anniversary a month and a few days early. Our wedding anniversary is on a Thursday this year ... the only thing we can do to celebrate on the actual date is go to bed early. And I don't mean that the way you think ... Jay has to be at work at 5:30 Friday morning.

Don't we look handsome and pretty?


Since the Palms is located a fair distance from Mandalay Bay we opted to take a cab. One of the best things about Vegas hotels is that they each have a non-stop parade of cabs just waiting outside their front entrances to whisk guests away to anywhere else they'd rather be. So in short order we were on our way to the Palms, a hotel we'd never visited and quite frankly never heard of before our search for the perfect meal.

Conversely, one of the worst things about Vegas hotels is that many of them don't do a very good job of pointing patrons towards their dining establishments, especially the more upscale restaurants. To be fair, some are better than others, but the Palms was worse than most. We had to walk all the way through their casino before we found an employee we could even ask for directions because there weren't any signs pointing us to the restaurant. And then ... fasten your irony belts ... it turned out that this employee had never heard of the restaurant. She told us she was a new hire and she didn't know what Alize' was and would we like to play some Keno?

Silly lady...we don't gamble with the victual funds. Somewhere in the far, far distance I think I heard a high, thin voice carried on the wind: You're no daughter of mine!

Thankfully we found a security guard who at least knew of the restaurant we were In Search Of and he halfheartedly pointed us towards a remote, paneled corner of the casino, telling us to "keep an eye out for the podium." I wondered briefly if that was supposed to be a warning ... watch out, that podium's dangerous ... or a helpful bit of advice ... it blends right in with the paneling, like a changeling.

Eventually we found the podium, which was tucked as far out of the way as possible, and we checked in with the hostess, were ushered into an elevator, and then sent hurtling up to the 56th floor of the hotel. Alize' was lovely, with elegant, understated decor - and that makes perfect sense because the city of Las Vegas was the real decor, showcased on all four sides of the restaurant through floor-to-ceiling windows framed with rich gold draperies. The tables were all covered with heavy, cream-colored linen and the place settings included a gorgeous, large decorative plate that reminded me of Cloisonne'.

Place setting - pretty!


Here is the view from our window, just to give you an idea of the kind of vista Alize' affords its patrons; that very bright hotel in the foreground is the Rio.

On a Clear Day You Can See Forever ...

And when our waiter saw us playing with the camera he offered to take a picture of us for us ... what a novel idea!

Another picture of the Handsome Hubba and his Lazy Lady


Remember what I said earlier about looking for a Vegas restaurant that offered a "reasonably" priced tasting menu? And how excited I was to have seemingly found one in Alize'? You'd think based on all that time and effort I spent searching for just the right establishment that we would have ordered the Chef's Tasting Menu for dinner, wouldn't you?

Yeah, I would have thought so, too.

But the truth of the matter is that their tasting menu for the evening just didn't have many items that appealed to either Jay or me. So, with just the briefest of discussion:

"I don't want anything on the tasting menu."

"Me either."

"We could make up our own tasting menu."

"That could get expensive."

"When has that ever stopped us?"

"Good point."

And just like that it was settled. We would, in the words of Jack Buck, go crazy folks. Everything you see that follows, with the exception of the amuse bouche and the palate cleanser, were items Jay and I ordered from the standard dining room menu. Gluttons...gorgers...feasters...hogs... we're lucky that they served us our choices on fine china rather than dumping it all in a trough.

The meal started off with an Amuse Bouche. It's too bad that we have no idea what this was because it tasted quite good. Some kind of food wrapped in chilled phyllo dough perched on a creamy little sauce puddle ... mmmmm, mystery yum!

Amuse Bouche ... unknown but not undelicious!


And it wouldn't be a meal without a basket of fresh bread and a wheel o' butter. We've learned our lesson from past meals; as much as we love warm bread and butter, it doesn't do to over-indulge when there are other over-indulgences pending, so we limited ourselves to one slice each.

Warm, yeasty goodness of the non-beer kind


Brenda's first selection: Roasted King Crab and Fennel Bisque - Crispy Potatoes and Jumbo Lump Crab.

Creamy...Crabby...Divine!


When our server first placed this in front of me I had a moment of real disconnect because there wasn't any liquid in my dish, just a huge mound of crab and potato goodness. Before I could open my mouth and make a total fool of myself, the assistant server showed up at my side with a small tureen from which she carefully ladled the bisque.

This was an incredible start to the meal: large, sweet chunks of crabmeat mixed with salty, crispy bites of potato surrounded by a bisque so thick and creamy I probably could have used it on that yummy fresh bread in place of the butter.

Jay's first selection: Pan Seared Diver Scallops and Crispy Chorizo Ravioli - Roasted Peaches, Green Onions, and Manchego Cream Sauce.

Words cannot describe it ...


What have we here? Two perfectly cooked scallops, lightly seared on the outside with silky, tender meat on the inside and topped with roasted peaches. There were also two wonderfully crisp and spicy chorizo sausage raviolis nestled between the scallops and they tasted especially good with the manchego cream sauce. Delicious!

With the help of the restaurant's sommelier Jason chose a lovely bottle of white wine for us to enjoy with our dinner. The best part of this, aside from the wine itself, was the Italian sommelier who told us how much it pained him to recommend a French white burgundy: Puligny-Montrachet. White burgundy has always been one of my favorite wines, but we don't have them very often because they can be a bit expensive. This was a lovely choice, smooth with a mild aroma and a slight citrus taste.

A fine, fine wine that I'm sure we over-paid for.


Brenda's second selection: Pyhllo Wrapped Baked Anjou Pear - Roquefort Cheese, Fig Confiture, Spicy Pecans, and Pomegranate Vinaigrette.

It's time to crack open the dough and feast on the warm goo inside ...


Shocking! Brenda ordered a salad ... what could have prompted such a dietary deviation from the "protect the intestinal tract at all costs" norm? It's pretty simple: I wanted to try something different and was particularly interested in the baked pear with Roquefort cheese ... the salad component of this dish was incidental. You all know how I feel about mold-mottled cheeses .. they smell stinky and taste like funky toes, but I think this selection has gone a far way towards changing my mind ... a little. I am a big fan of Anjou pears, especially with cheese, and I suspected that the sweetness of the pear would help to offset the toe-taste of the Roquefort. And I was correct!!! The pear was smothered with cheese, tucked inside phyllo dough, and then baked to a golden brown - the end result was a savory-sweet delight that I am looking forward to trying at home. Flaky dough ... creamy, melted cheese ... warm, soft pear-y goodness ... pomegranate vinaigrette: a truly incredible combination of taste and texture, all on one plate.

Jay's second selection: Warm Duck Confit, Black Truffle, and Spinach Salad - Toasted Brioche and Sunnyside Quail Egg.

That's one busy salad ...

Look at all the plate action Jay's got goin' on with that salad ... and it's topped with a cute little fried egg. Incidentally, how does one fry an egg that small? I suppose since quail eggs are considered a delicacy there must be a special cooking method, but then again maybe not! Anyway, back to the salad which I did not try - Jay told me that it was a wonderful mix of flavors and he thought the egg was an interesting and tasty addition.

Before our respective dinners were served, Jay and I were presented with a wonderful palate cleanser that I admit to being somewhat skeptical of when it was first placed before me. I don't care for pineapple (among other things) and the idea of a sorbet which included said spiny fruit did not sound appealing. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this offering, which was neither too sweet nor too tart. It was refreshingly cool and clean and we both enjoyed it very much.

Palate Cleanser: Apple & Pineapple Sorbet.


Brenda's third selection: Roasted Carrot Risotto with Saute'ed Rock Shrimp - Parmesan and Marscapone Cheeses and Spring Pea Pure'e.

Looks like Gerber Baby Food, doesn't it?

A slightly daring choice for me in some respects, but overall this seemed like a relatively safe option. I was a bit taken aback by the bright colors of the dish because it wasn't what I had pictured in my mind, but the risotto, especially, was very good and extremely creamy thanks to the addition of the parmesan and marscapone cheeses. I don't think I've ever eaten rock shrimp before, and I'm still a bit undecided about them. Either they weren't cooked properly or else they were and I just don't like them - I thought they seemed kind of tough and stringy. I'm usually a fiend for shrimp so I was a little disappointed to find that I didn't care for this selection as much as I expected to. This was also one of those dishes that seemed to magically refill every time I took a bite, so it was impossible for me to finish. I made a good dent in it, but I did not clean my plate.

Jay's third selection: Seared Ahi Tuna - Saute'ed Foie Gras, Braised Lentils, Saute'ed Spinach Truffle Jus.

Next time, I think I may order this, too.

Wow! Easily the best entree at the table - I'm lucky that Jay was generous enough to share. The tuna was wonderful, seared to perfection on the outside and oh-so-tender and flavorful on the inside. And then to pair it with foie gras? Quick, someone fetch me a fainting couch! Seriously, this was an absolutely incredible dish and we both highly recommend it should you find yourself dining at Alize' some evening.

And now ....

Jay and Brenda embrace their gluttonous natures with a Cheese Plate!!!

There is only one thing to say about this course: Best. Cheese. Plate. Evah. EVAH!

I can only surmise that the look of cheesy wonderment on Jay's face matched mine when our server placed this on the table before us. And all I can tell you is that everything was incredible and we loved the variety, which included a selection of three cow's milk cheeses, three goat's milk cheeses, and three sheep's milk cheeses. Each selection was about one ounce in size and was served with fresh fruit; each cheese also had a confiture or balsamic reduction as an accompaniment.

We took three pictures, to fully do justice to the presentation. The descriptions of each cheese that follow are taken directly from the cheat sheet the restaurant very kindly typed up for us before we left for the evening. That's service!

A cheese epiphany!




Explorateur: A triple cream cow's cheese made in La Tretoire, France; it has a creamy, ivory interior with a delicate, rich, and piquant flavor. This cheese was served with a Balsamic vinegar reduction.

Cabot Farms White Cheddar: An extra sharp Vermont cheddar made with cow's milk and served with red onion confiture.

Tete de Moine: A firm, ivory colored cow's milk cheese from Switzerland; it has a strong nutty, tangy flavor and was served with a Balsamic reduction.

Goats Milk Gouda: Mild, nutty, and creamy with a slightly sweet flavor a pale yellow color; this was served with an apple confiture.

Laura Chenel Fresh Goat Cheese: Fresh and un-aged goat's milk cheese with a lively, tangy flavor and a snow white color; this was served with a Balsamic reduction.

Hudson Valley Camembert: A soft ripened camembert style cheese made in New York from a combination of sheep's and cow's milk. It has a mellow, buttery flavor and was served with a Balsamic reduction.

Manchego: A firm Spanish cheese made in La Manch from sheep's milk. It has a golden color and a full, mellow flavor - buttery and slightly piquant; this was served with a pear confiture.

Roquefort: A semi soft French cheese with sheep's milk. It has a creamy interior with blue veins and a pungent, slightly salty flavor. This is considered the prototype for all blue cheeses and was served with a Balsamic reduction.

Hold up! That's only eight cheeses ... hmmmm, they must have forgotten to add one to the list. Oh well, eight out of nine ain't bad! And now you can see what we did to make the cheese plate even better.

Not possible, you say?

Oh, we beg to differ. Set your sights on this and disagree no more.

Tawny Port Flight:

Graham's 10-Year Tawny: Pink-amber hue. Full texture with good sweetness and a rounded, baked flavor.

Taylor Fladgate, 20-Year Tawny: Light amber color with mature, raisin-fruit aromas with hints of honey. The palate is rich and nutty with a wonderful balance, a clean, crisp finish, and a soft, lingering aftertaste.

Quinta do Noval, 40-Year Tawny: Olive-bronze in color, this is an exotic, intense old tawny with layers of penetrating aromas and flavors of caramel, burnt sugar, chocolate, toffee, nuts, and toasted spice in a dense, luxuriantly textured palate which is underscored by a fine, elegant acidic backbone.

All descriptions courtesy of another fabulous cheat sheet from the restaurant staff. They were just wonderful... and so were all three of these ports!!

Mmmmm, port-y goodness!


What's your refill policy?


You know us well enough by now not to question whether or not dessert was ordered, Of course it was ordered and it was eaten and it was good!

Brenda's dessert: Grand Marnier Souffle'

I loves me a good souffle'

I had just vented my souffle when I remembered to stop and take a picture before I completely inhaled it. There was a little pitcher of Grand Marnier / Creme Anglaise sauce to pour over the top - oh yum! The inside of this baby was hot and custardy while the top was lightly browned with just the right amount of firmness. Quite possibly the best Grand Marnier Souffle I've ever had the pleasure to eat. Sorry, Emeril ... this one was better than the one I tried at your establishment back in 2005.

Jay's dessert: Banana Souffle'with Peanut Butter Anglais.

Elvis's dessert dream!


Well, I don't do peanut butter and bananas, but Jay does and he said this was fantastic. I did take a taste of the peanut butter anglaise and I have to agree that it certainly tasted heavenly ... and then I went back to my own dessert. Jay really really enjoyed this selection - not only was it a fun spin on the whole "peanut butter and banana sandwich" joke, but he said it was very well prepared and extremely tasty.

Before we could take out a third mortgage to pay the bill and waddle out of the restaurant, there was one last item to be savored:

Friandise

Set before us were candies and chocolates that included handmade marshmallow, meringue, caramel and geleé. Who could resist? We saw them ... they had to be eaten!

Do I spy a wafer thin mint???

We enjoyed every aspect of this meal: wonderful ambience, attentive service, a creative menu, and deliciously prepared food. If you're ever in Las Vegas and are looking for a quiet, romantic dinner you could do a lot worse than to try Alize'. It's expensive, but absolutely worth it!