A Housewife’s Tale

Another trip to Vegas, and this time around it was harder to come up with a new restaurant to try. I am starting to think that we need another weekend destination.  BUT I did manage to think of a spot that I have heard/read about – Le Cirque.  More so from the flagship destination in New York but why not right?

Got a nice evening reservation for 4 at 7:30 pm and was seated in a nice corner booth.  The moment I walked in the restaurant, it definitely screamed whimsical – the decor, the seating, the settings… all but the menu.

Prix Fixe Menu $98 each (1 appetizer, 1 main course and 1 dessert)

Degustation Menu $135 each

Dessert menu

Degustation Menu that we all ordered so I was able to try the whole menu:

Course 1:
Bering Sea King Crab, Petite Romaine, Radish and Cucumber Salad, Avocado Mousse, Taro Chip, Orange Blossom Tapioca

Tasty – nothing too exciting, the crab was good – seasoned well and served cold.  I did find a piece of shell and was not impressed…  I really loved the avocado mousse and thought it was amazing with the crab.
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Citrus Marinated Yellowtail, Hawaiian Heart of Palm, Avocado and Mango

Amazing quality yellowtail and I loved the citrusy notes.  It was nothing too exciting again – just simple fresh hamachi with a crunch of heart of palm.
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Course 2:
Santa Barbara Sea Urchin Capellini, Yuzu, Tobiko, Lobster Cream

I was disappointed with this dish – the capellini was a nice al dente BUT the urchin was not the best.  A little too fishy for my taste.
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Sauteed Sonoma Foie Gras, Nashi Pear & Cardamom,Warm Pate Feuilletee, Roasted Almonds

Great foie gras – seared beautifully with a nice pink buttery centre.  The puff was a nice complement but I do wish we had a bit more carb for the rich liver.
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Creamy Truffle Risotto, Perigord Black Truffles (Supplement $40)

Disappointing… Risotto was undercooked with a crunch in the middle that ended up being stuck in my tooth.  It was kinda bland and boring… Sounds a little harsh but for the additional supplement, my mind was not blown and this was forgettable.
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Course 3:
Paupiette of Sea Bass, Crispy Potatoes, Braised Leeks, Pinot Noir Reduction

The next three fish dishes were pretty good! The dish was cooked to perfection (or what I find to be perfect for my taste).  Very simple dish but satisfying.
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Alaska Halibut, Potato and Celery Ragout, Parsley Puree, Manila Clams, Lardons, Shellfish Veloute

Another well prepared fish! I loved every bite of the fish and the tender manila clams in the broth.  I didn’t really like the ragout or the veloutte which was a tad bland.
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Crispy Skin Black Bass, Celeriac Puree, Artichokes, Roasted Chestnuts, Barigoule Sauce

Best dish of the night.  The crispy skin was amazing with the fatty flaky sea bass. I loved the rich, smooth sauce and even the random pieces of vegetables.
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Course 4:
Sonoma Rabbit Tasting, Rillette, Fennel Confit, Black Trumpets, Whole Grain Mustard Sauce

I was most excited about this rabbit tasting but it was a tad underwhelming. The  The rabbit tenderloin was prepared almost like ham.  Strange smokey, sweet, salty chewy meat that was overwhelming.  The cigar looking piece was a crispy spring roll like skin wrapped over rabbit sasuage that I really enjoyed.  But I didn’t care much for the mustard sauce.
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New Zealand Cervena Venison, Brussels Sprouts, Date Beignet, Quince Mousseline, Broccoli Rabe, VerJus Sauce

The dish was exquisitely presented but we were all disappointed with the venison.  The texture of the meat was a little grainy and blah… maybe I am just not used to lean cuts of meat.  But I didn’t enjoy this dish at all.
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Japanese A5 Kobe Beef Tenderloin, Pommes Puree, Royal Trumpets, Shishito Pepper, Braised Shallots, Bordelaise Sauce (Supplement $65)

I was undecided about this course.  The Kobe beef didn’t blow my mind,maybe because it was smothered in sauce so I didn’t really enjoy the

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Course 5:
A choice ofone dessert of their extensive dessert menu. We tried:

Creme Brulee “Le Cirque” – Classic Tahitian Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee

A classic.  Nothing to rave about but nothing to complain about either.
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Delice de Framboise, Cream Mascarpone – Raspberry Milk Shake, Light Mascarpone Creme, Crunch of Feuilletine

I can’t decide if I liked this dessert or not.  It was a milkshake all right – tasted like melted raspberry ice cream with a weird texture.  I did like the raspberry sorbet on top.
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Chocolate Souffle

Banana Souffle

The desserts were really good! We ordered the souffle, which was highly recommended by our server and definitely did not regret it.  Soft and airy, topped with creamy rich en glaise and not overly sweet. Loved them both.

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Extras:
Coffee
2 Cokes  $9
1 Glass of Merlot $20
1 Glass of Riesling $16

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Total Damage: $932 ( ~$230 per person including tax and tip)

Personal Rating: 3.25 out of 5 (Good)

I don’t really know where to start when I had to recap my experience as Le Cirque. In one word, it was lackluster. I was a little disappointed with the Chef Tasting. Mind you, it was not because of the lack of quality or that the food tasted bad.. but with all the options and the price paid – this was a little bit underwhelming.

That said, service was OK, at some point it felt a little absent but I am usually OK with that since I like to be left to have uninterrupted conversations.  That being said, some dishes came and went without a check on how it was. That was a bit odd, and halfway through the meal it was almost like we never had our server again.  Our check was presented by someone else and I don’t even remember what he looked like. And that was not the end of it…

When I got back to the hotel, I realised that we were accidentally charged an extra $125 for a glass of wine we didn’t order.  I called them the next morning and they were really good about it and took the balance of my credit card.

All in all, I am glad I tried Le Cirque but I don’t think I would be back for over $200 a person.

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Le Cirque

3600 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89109

(702) 693 8100