Fleur de Lys; Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas

Ahhh, Hubert Keller .... You Had Me at Artisan Cheese Plate!

Jay and I were supposed to have dinner at Stripsteak this evening in a flagrant violation of our "no steakhouse" vacation dining policy, but once I determined that Michael Mina was too meaty to offer a cheese plate at his establishment I canceled that reservation faster than a cat can lick its butt.

On such silly and seemingly inconsequential details do our dining plans hinge.

At the suggestion of our dear friendies Chelsi and Jason, I took a second look at Fleur de Lys' menu and found myself growing very hungry. Chef Hubert Keller has created an interesting and tasty blend of French and American cuisine, he isn't afraid to offer foie gras for those guests who enjoy it, and, perhaps most importantly, his menu includes an assortment of artisan cheese! The cherry on top of this dining sundae: I was able to snag a $50 gift certificate for dinner through restaurant.com for only three dollars!

The restaurant was busy when we arrived, but thanks to a reservation made through Mandalay Bay's on-line system we were seated right away. Our table was near the rear of the dining room in a section along the fabric-covered stone walls that appeared to be reserved for parties of two. It was cozy and intimate and very comfortable. Fleur de Lys also has a private cellar master's table that overlooks the dining room as well as private cabanas along the outer perimeter of the dining room floor. The dining cabanas cost $200 to reserve - I checked just for the fun of it; if you and your guest really want to play with your food in relative privacy this might be just the ticket for you, but Jay and I would prefer private cabana dining out by the pool as the sun begins its evening descent behind the Spring Mountains to the west of Las Vegas.

Fleur de Lys offers several different dining options - guests can order ala carte, they can choose from a couple of pre-set dining room menus designed to showcase the best the restaurant has to offer, and early diners can choose from a special fixed price menu or a pre-theatre menu if they're headed to a show afterwards. Our server verified that we could use the gift certificate towards the price of Chef Keller's Elegance Menu, which was $89 per person for four courses, and this made us very happy since so many of the items we wanted to try were available in this format. We opted not to order the wine pairings with dinner this evening because it would have added another $60 per person to our final bill and we were "wined out" from our Puck luncheon earlier in the day. I did, however, order the tropical martini flight for some strange reason. Looking back on it now I'm sure price was a factor - the cost of one martini was $15 or I could get three small ones for $18 - since I was having a hard time reaching a drink decision, the sampler seemed like the way to go.

The presentation was terrific - colorful and playful - but two of the three drinks were just too sweet for my personal taste. In the bright, harsh light of a non-vacation day I don't think I would ever have ordered this but in the cool, dim, seductive atmosphere of fine dining in not-Stinktown, reason fled in the face of spendy-fun. From left to right in the picture below there is a Fleur-tini, the restaurant's signature cocktail which is similar to a cosmopolitan but somehow fruitier and more rich in flavor; an Apple-tini, which was way too sweet for this old Crohn; and a Peach-tini, which grew on me as the evening progressed but was still very sweet and a little thick and syrupy.

Pretty!


Bread service showed up next and we had our choice of fresh pretzel bread, sourdough rolls, garlic-herb bread, and a mystery bread that I'm sure had nuts and seeds and other deadly intestinal items baked into it. I kept it simple and chose the pretzel and sourdough breads while Jay selected the more interesting options. All of it was warm and fresh and oh-so-flavorful ... we had to be careful not to take refills when the serving team came back a second time to tempt us with more.

Pretzel roll and sourdough lump


Herb bread and danger disc


Shortly thereafter we were presented with an amuse from the kitchen: chilled salted codfish over potato salad with chili cream sauce. I wasn't sure what to make of this - at first it seemed too salty and too fishy, but once I managed to get a little bit of everything on my fork simultaneously the flavors and textures really meshed and I decided that I liked it after all. I do have to say, however, that I wouldn't go out of my way to eat this again!

Something seems fishy here ...


It was at this point in the evening that I think we may have given our server a moment of horrified delight by ordering the cheese plate on top of the four-course tasting menu. I explained that we were on a vacation mission to partake of seven different cheese plates over the course of our week-long Vegas visit; in order to truly enjoy Chef Keller's cheese selections we requested they be served before dinner rather than after. I also happened to mention somewhat stupidly that if we waited until after the entrees were served I would be too tempted to order port with the cheese and was, for lack of a better phrase, trying to behave myself at this juncture in our travels.

Below is the bread they brought out with our cheese plate. Is that crazy or what? Aside from the fact that none of the cheese selections were remotely spreadable, that is a massively generous serving of bread to accompany a cheese course and included two varieties: farmhouse sourdough and cranberry-wheat.

Yes, Virginia, it is possible to have too much bread!


And then there was the cheese - glorious, exalted, delectable cheese which caused a little, irreverent voice in my head to sing. "Gloria, in excelsis caseus deo, yum!"

From left to right in the picture below there were the following cheeses:

Tete de Moine: a firm, milky Swiss cow's milk cheese with a nutty flavor. Most restaurants that serve this cheese use a fun little tool called a girolle which creates those cool cheese florets that almost look too pretty to eat. We eat them despite their delicate appearance; we eat them right up.

Ossau Iraty: a classic firm sheep's milk cheese from the French Pyrenees with a sweet, buttery flavor. This is one of our personal favorites!

Majorero Pimenton: a firm, unpasteurized goat's milk cheese from the Majorera breed of goats on the Canary Island closest to Northern Africa. It's coated in Pimenton, a type of pepper that is used in Spanish cuisine - originally the pepper was used to protect the rind from developing unwanted mold and bacteria. Today it lends the cheese a unique appearance and also gives it a slightly smokey, spicy flavor.

Morbier: a mild, semi-firm French cow's milk cheese with a dark vein of vegetable ash streaking through the middle. Contrary to its smell, which is reminiscent of funky toes, the taste is mild and creamy.

Stilton: the King of Cheeses is a cow's milk cheese from Great Britain. It's blue. It's stinky. It's got a flavor that will burn the hair right out of your nose. And surprisingly enough, I didn't hate it!

There were also three accompaniments to the cheese: fresh honey-comb, quince paste, and grape-onion relish. Two outta three ain't bad, I suppose; the honey and the quince were lovely but what were they thinking by combining grapes and onion and vinegar? Bleh and double-bleh ... even Jason didn't like it.

Cheese me!!!


Perhaps the best part of the cheese plate, aside from the cheese itself, was our wonderful server. He was quite personable, and really opened up when we mentioned that we were in town for Vegas Uncorked. The big tasting event of the weekend was scheduled for that evening and I believe he was headed over there once his shift at the restaurant was complete. Aside from being so engaging he was also a good listener and about half-way through our cheese course he showed up with two port glasses and a bottle of something decidedly dark and luscious that was no doubt pining for fromage. He proceeded to pour two glasses and said that it was his favorite French "port" and he wanted us to try it since we'd mentioned earlier that we liked to drink port with our cheese.

Turns out it was Clos de Pauliles, a fortified French dessert wine that smelled of toffee and raisins, tasted of deep, red fruits, and was absolutely scrumptious! Now, I know there are those among you who are saying, "There goes Bendy, flashing for freebies again." But I wasn't wearing a dress that allowed my minimalist cleaves to inspire the serving staff to overwhelm us with free booze. I prefer to think we just had a great server who was tickled to find himself with a couple of food-n-booze seeking geeks and wanted to share the love. That, or he was so stunned to see a woman in the restaurant actually eating food that he went straight off his head. Either way it was a fabulous, generous treat and we adored it!

We hadn't even partaken of our "real" meal at this point and we were already in love with the restaurant and its staff. And then the first course was delivered ... I should explain that aside from the second course and dessert there were only two options to choose from, so in this way Jay and I were able to sample a lot more of Fleur de Lys' offerings. There were also a couple of up-charge items that were offered and I will get to those at the appropriate time.

Jay's first course: Truffled Onion Soup with Braised Duck Crepe, Red Wine Onion Puree, and Black Truffle.

This was not something that I would ever want to order. Onions and truffles? Thank you, no; I'd rather starve. But Jason took one bite, made an inarticulate sound of approval in the back of this throat, and then offered me his spoon. "Try it - you'll like it."

I hesitated but then decided to take the plunge - the hubba doesn't usually set me up for taste-test failure, especially in public. Friendies, I can't believe I'm going to type this but the soup was simply amazing - a smooth, silky texture with subtle creamy flavor. There was no way to distinguish the onion from the truffle from the wine from the duck - it was simply an incredible fusion of ingredients that, as a self-professed hater of onions and 'shrooms, left me stunned. Jay said the duck crepe waiting at the bottom of the bowl was like an extra special gift from the chef because the meat was so tender and had soaked up all the flavors from the soup.

Looks like someone dropped an eyeball in your soup.


Brenda's first course: Ahi Tuna Tartare with Shaved Fennel Slaw, Ginger Pnzu, and Fennel Seed Tuile.

To be quite honest, the only thing I really wanted with this course was the tuna; but somehow I didn't think the chef would be willing to substitute tuna for all the other ingredients so I didn't even bother to ask. The tuna was wonderful - tender and juicy and mild - but the fennel slaw really made me feel as if I were eating bamboo and I didn't care for it. The ginger pnzu, which was the sauce in which the tuna on a bamboo shoot-cake was floating, was actually quite tasty and reminded me a little of watered-down balsamic vinegar. It had a tart flavor that paired really well with the tuna's mild sweetness.

Here, fishy fishy!


Jay's second course: Chorizo Wrapped Suzuki Sea Bass with Barley Risotto, Pipperade, and Tomato Broth.

This was the one item on the entire restaurant menu that I knew Jason was going to want - he loves him some chorizo! And the dish did not disappoint; it was spicy and flavorful and Jay enjoyed every bite of it. I think it's fair to say that this was his favorite course of the whole evening.

Mmmmm, fish wrapped in spicy sausage swimming in spicy broth!


Brenda's second course: Braised Veal and Yukon Gold Potato Ravioli with Sunchokes and English Peas.

This was a bit of a stretch for me because veal isn't something that I always enjoy, but I thought that in this type of presentation I might like it more and I was correct! It was the perfect blend of tender meat and 'taters with slightly salty beef broth and I pretty much licked the plate clean.

Yum - no other word will suffice!


There was a third option included with the second course that we obviously decided to skip, and that was this: Roasted Skate Salad with Celery, Pineapple, and Brown Butter. Aside from the skate, there wasn't much that appealed to Jay or me with this selection and so we left it to languish for some other guest.

Jay's entree: Stout Braised Beef Short Ribs with Melted Leeks, Potato Puree, and House Made Mustard.

What is there to say? You can't go wrong with beef short ribs braised in beer, no sir. And potato puree only makes short ribs better, especially when plated as a lucky horseshoe or a beef-attracting magnet (take your pick). This was terrific, there is no other word for it.

Magnetic potatoes always attract boozy beef!

Brenda's entree: Prime Filet Mignon with Baby Spinach, Hen of the Wood Mushrooms, and Red Wine Reduction. Hold the Cackling 'Shrooms and substitute some Meat Butter, OK?

Yes, you read that correctly; I said "hold the 'shrooms and gimme some meat butter!"

This was one of the up-charge options listed on the menu, although I'm sure I gave the kitchen fits with the pickiness of my request! The menu actually listed the following as the supplemental charge for this course: surf and turf, rossini, or fleur burger - $25 supplement. The surf and turf is pretty self-explanatory: it included butter poached lobster along with the filet. The fleur burger option would have substituted kobe beef for the prime filet and would have also included black truffles and meat butter (foie gras), while the the rossini option added black truffles and meat butter to the standard prime filet.

In this case I simply asked that any and all mushrooms in the kitchen be kept as far away from my filet as possible while it was crowned with a decadent, buttery slab of seared foie gras. I think the pricing may have thrown them since I didn't want the truffles, but we worked it all out in the end and I was left with a dining joygasm because I finally had some decent meat butter to share with my lovey!

This was really a wonderful entree as far as I was concerned - tender, flavorful filet mignon in a red wine bath topped with a good-sized portion of perfectly seared, melt-in-yer-mouth meat butter. The pureed mashed potatoes added another layer of delight because they were so silky and light.

Meat and meat butter ... what more could I ask for?


Flying sperm whale potatoes!


One thing happened at this point in the evening that struck us as odd - our serving team disappeared and was replaced by a completely new and far less satisfactory one. It wasn't that the new group was awful but they just weren't as good as the folks we'd started the evening with and it made for a very awkward conclusion to the meal. I'm sure it was probably just as weird for them as it was for us, but we never got to properly thank our original server for being so kind and that made us feel rather schmucky.

Jay's dessert: Grand Marnier Souffle with Elderflower Ice Cream.

This was another one of those supplemental menu choices. Ordering the Grand Marnier or Chocolate Souffle for dessert was a $6 up-charge, but well worth the cost because Fleur de Lys is famous for their amazing dessert souffles. It was delicious! We've tried them at other restaurants and this was by far the best - light and airy with just a hint of orange - and the ice cream was a nice accompaniment without being too perfumey, which had concerned us both.

Grand Marnier souffle and a tear-drop of ice cream


Brenda's dessert: Warm Chocolate Fondant Cake with Fleur de Sel Caramel Center, Popcorn Ice Cream, and Peanut Butter Milkshake.

I had been reading good things about the peanut butter milkshake and figured I couldn't go wrong with warm chocolate-caramel cake - besides, when you get more than one dessert for the price, what's not to like ... other than popcorn ice cream, that is?

The milkshake was just as good as everyone said it would be - it was like drinking a liquid version of a peanut butter cookie with some cream added for good measure. I know how much Jay likes peanut butter, so I did share with him, but it wasn't easy! The chocolate cake was tasty but not anything special and it didn't spew caramel like I expected it to based on the menu description. As for the popcorn ice cream ... let's just say that there are some things in this world that are not made better by being frozen.

It's a dessert three-fer!


I don't see any caramel in the cake guts!

There was one other standard dessert choice on the menu: Spiced Carrot Cake & Cream Cheese Ice Cream Sandwich with Pineapple Carrot Ice Cream. Other than the cream cheese ice cream there was nothing about this dessert that appealed to either of us, so you can no doubt understand why Jay was forced to order a souffle to end his meal.

Unlike Bradley Ogden, Fleur de Lys did bring us a lovely little plate of friandise which we were too full to eat; we asked our new serving team if they could package the wee goodies up for us and they did so, but I dare say they need to work on their de-bigulator usage and / or packing skills. They put the poor little treats in a massive box and this is what happened to our yummies by the time we made it back to our hotel ...

It could have been a contender!


Aside from the friandise packaging snafu and the serving team switch, which were both pretty minor items, Jay and I could not have been more pleased with our decision to dine at Fleur de Lys. The food was just as wonderful as we'd been led to expect, and for the most part we received exemplary service. This ranks among the best dinner experiences we had on the entire trip and we wouldn't hesitate to recommend Fleur de Lys to anyone. However, I did hear a rumor that a decision has been made to change the restaurant format over to something that closer resembles an all tapas-style experience, so if you want a more traditional dinner like Jay and I had you'd better get there soon. Of course, your other option would be to visit Fleur de Lys in San Francisco and that doesn't sound like such a bad alternative to me!