It started innocently enough some years ago when Jason and I decided to share a cheese sampler while having dinner at one of Disney's signature restaurants. The experience was a coagulated, milk-based food product revelation. Goodbye sweet tooth; hello bottomless cheese pit.
Which is why, while planning our trip to Vegas for Jason's 40th birthday, I found myself formulating a sub-adventure - a cheese lovers challenge I dubbed The Dance of the Seven Cheese Plates: eat one cheese plate for each day of vacation.
I even made up a wee little anthem based on the Hollies song Stop Stop Stop.
See the server, cheese on a platter
Entering through the door
Lights are shining ... only four pieces?
You've got to give me more!
Utensils on the platter clink-clink-clink
Slicing up that cheese
Now I'm chewing, flavor so delicious
Tastebuds on the brink.
Stop, stop, stop all the cheese mongering
Give me time to eat
Stop, stop, stop all the cheese mongering
Or I'll have to order meat.
Ahem.
A poet I am not.
But a lover of cheese I am, so allow me now to share with you the cheesy goodness we enjoyed while in Vegas, rated below from best to worst.
1) Joel Robuchon; The Mansion (MGM)
It almost seems unfair to include this in a list with other cheese plates because it's so far above and beyond anything that can be found in most restaurants. They wheeled a trolley loaded with more than twenty types of beautiful, delectable French cheeses to our table and said, "Parlez vous fromage?"
Cheese trolley
Cheese plate #1
Cheese plate #2
2) Daniel Boulud; The Wynn
An unexpected thing of beauty at the now defunct Daniel Boulud in Las Vegas, this cheese plate included seven selections that we choose from a list of fifteen. There were also a generous number of accompaniments that included fresh fruit, bread, honey, dried fruit, and compote. We are still sad to know that we can't return here for more cheese on future Vegas visits.
Boulud's cheese platter - YUM!
3) Hubert Keller; Fleur de Lys (Mandalay Bay)
A solid offering provided by the restaurant staff and further enhanced by the gift of free dessert wine. Honestly, if we hadn't stumbled into Boulud later in our trip, this would have been the second entry on our list because it was really good. By the way, Fleur dy Lys no longer operates in Vegas; it's been replaced with Keller's version of a tapas bar. Hey, celebrity chefs ... a word of advice from some Midwestern Hicks Stuck in the Mud: not everyone who travels to Vegas wants to eat tapas-sized portions, so stop trying to be trendy and bring us an entree!
A solid offering!
4) Mario Batali; Enoteca San Marco (The Venetian)
This was our first cheese plate of the entire trip, and as such holds a fond place in our bleary cheese memories. We were able to choose seven Italian cheeses from a list of about twenty. Unfortunately, some actually weren't available that day and this created some disappointment on our part. Further, the presentation was lacking and there weren't any accompaniments to sample in conjunction with the cheese. I was also a little grossed out to find one cheese had the consistency and taste of caulk. Overall, this was good but not great. No need for a do-over on this one.
Don't eat the cheese paper ... it's not really cheese.
5) Emeril Lagasse; Double Helix Wine Bar (Table 10 - The Palazzo)
We ordered this one afternoon while we were enjoying a shared wine flight at the Double Helix Wine Bar. It's the same cheese plate that Emeril offers at Table 10; three cheeses buried under a mound of crispy toasts and strawberries. Nothing spectacular but it paired well with the wine and served as a good afternoon snack to soak up some alcohol. Final verdict - don't go out of your way.
I know there's cheese here somewhere!
6) Julian Serrano; Aria
It could have been a contender. It could have been something, instead of a bust. Unfortunately, despite some great Spanish cheese offerings, this entry from Julian Serrano was weak on presentation and included what appeared to be a quince slug that really put me off my food for a while. Thank gawd I had both red and white sangria to distract me from the horror.
Is this a mistake?
7) Stratta (The Wynn)
This was the final cheese plate of our vacation ... talk about ending with a whimper. We were in an Italian restaurant with an owner / chef who's supposed to be some sort of demi-god and this was the best he could do? At last check I don't think there was a single cheese that could trace its origin to Italy. And who the hell pairs three hard cheeses with cranberry bread and chunky apple sauce? I've had better cheese assortments from Hickory Farms.
Epic Fail
And thus concludes our Las Vegas cheese tour - we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did. Stay tuned for Vegas 2011, which will include a whole new batch of restaurants and culinary delights!
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