USA 2008! Part 3 - Bouchon
From Flagstaff we made our way to Vegas on the I40 followed by the I93.
I93 is a super *long* straight and flat stretch of freeway, however it was infested with highway patrol at some parts. How could one resist the urge to drive it like it was stolen? And so we did, at around 150 miles an hour. To keep the highway patrol off our backs we stuck behind this SUV (I think it was a Toyota Fortuner) that was going at around the same speed, out of line of sight of any radar guns. I think he got annoyed with us as he tried to slow down *slightly* to let us pass and we refused and just stuck to his tail. hur hur.
i93 takes one through the Hoover Dam. Security was tight and traffic slowed to a crawl on the single lane road. We were quite upset when we were waved through the checkpoint without being checked. I guess the odds of 2 chinese persons in a rental car wanting to blow up the dam are pretty remote.
The dam was singularly *small*. Bah. A new road bridge is being built above the dam so that vehicular traffic can bypass the dam entirely. This is scheduled to be completed in 2010 but from the looks of it I seriously doubt that it will be completed in time.
So onward to Las Vegas, The Meadows.
First stop, Bouchon
Bouchon is Thomas Keller's attempt at French bistro style food. There are 2, one in Yountville, Napa Valley, the other in Las Vegas.
You may have heard of it in one of the episodes in Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations, or in his book The Nasty Bits. Allegedly the best fries in the world, but we didn't try that.
The one in Vegas is tucked away in a discreet corner of The Venetian. Specifically, it is on one of the upper floors of the hotel-in-a-hotel Venezian, away from the hustle and bustle of both the ground floor as well as the madhouse that is the check in counter for the Venetian. The easiest way to get there, is to take the private lift next to the Venetian check in. This private lift brings you to the private check in for the sister hotel Venezian, on either the 7th or 9th or some other floor. Walk right through the Venezian check in, and you will be at Bouchon.
So we checked in at the Venezian and conked out, and came right down to Bouchon for brekkie the next morning at around 7ish hoping to beat any crowds.
Pictures speak a thousand words, so here it goes:
This was the view from our table, we were the first patrons of the day.
A morning pick me up for me...
and one for d.
more photos of the place before the food porn...
more...
let there be light...
Bouchon also has a great bakery, and they also offer complimentary madelaines at the door to anyone who walks on by, which we picked up at the door when we left. Here's a shot of the bread basket.
and another:
daily special:
We went for the daily special apple croissant and a light tropical fruit salad to start. Before that, we had complimentary butter, jam and an epi of freshly baked bread. Sorry, no shot of the epi, just the butter photographed above.
the apple croissant was wonderful - light and sweet and not at all overly greasy or buttery
more food porn:
d. had the Oeuf Au Gratin - Baked eggs, mornay sauce, bacon lardons, tomato confit,
petit champignon & pomme salpicon. this inspired her to get a bunch of the Le Creuset dishes from Williams Sonoma" the same day.
I had the Les Oeufs - Two eggs any style, potato croquettes, toasted brioche and wilted spinach. I went for poached, to see just how good it was. They did not disappoint.
doggie bag of the unfinished apple croissant and the madelaines.
Service was efficient, pleasant and inobtrusive. Bouchon is, however, not cheap by any standard. Croissant around $4, Fruit salad was $6.50, eggs florentine was $13.95, les oeufs was $10.50, all in US$ and not inclusive of tips and tax.
Was it worth it? Definitely. Great to go to a restaurant where they even try to, and succeed, in doing classic french bistro food well. Can't wait to try Per Se or French Laundry when we get the chance.
For a more detailed review see a better effort here
Bouchon at the Venetian
3355 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Phone: (702) 414-6200
For dinner reservations, use OpenTable. for breakfast, walk ins are perfectly fine. There is apparently a smashing weekend brunch available.
I93 is a super *long* straight and flat stretch of freeway, however it was infested with highway patrol at some parts. How could one resist the urge to drive it like it was stolen? And so we did, at around 150 miles an hour. To keep the highway patrol off our backs we stuck behind this SUV (I think it was a Toyota Fortuner) that was going at around the same speed, out of line of sight of any radar guns. I think he got annoyed with us as he tried to slow down *slightly* to let us pass and we refused and just stuck to his tail. hur hur.
i93 takes one through the Hoover Dam. Security was tight and traffic slowed to a crawl on the single lane road. We were quite upset when we were waved through the checkpoint without being checked. I guess the odds of 2 chinese persons in a rental car wanting to blow up the dam are pretty remote.
The dam was singularly *small*. Bah. A new road bridge is being built above the dam so that vehicular traffic can bypass the dam entirely. This is scheduled to be completed in 2010 but from the looks of it I seriously doubt that it will be completed in time.
So onward to Las Vegas, The Meadows.
First stop, Bouchon
Bouchon is Thomas Keller's attempt at French bistro style food. There are 2, one in Yountville, Napa Valley, the other in Las Vegas.
You may have heard of it in one of the episodes in Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations, or in his book The Nasty Bits. Allegedly the best fries in the world, but we didn't try that.
The one in Vegas is tucked away in a discreet corner of The Venetian. Specifically, it is on one of the upper floors of the hotel-in-a-hotel Venezian, away from the hustle and bustle of both the ground floor as well as the madhouse that is the check in counter for the Venetian. The easiest way to get there, is to take the private lift next to the Venetian check in. This private lift brings you to the private check in for the sister hotel Venezian, on either the 7th or 9th or some other floor. Walk right through the Venezian check in, and you will be at Bouchon.
So we checked in at the Venezian and conked out, and came right down to Bouchon for brekkie the next morning at around 7ish hoping to beat any crowds.
Pictures speak a thousand words, so here it goes:
This was the view from our table, we were the first patrons of the day.
A morning pick me up for me...
and one for d.
more photos of the place before the food porn...
more...
let there be light...
Bouchon also has a great bakery, and they also offer complimentary madelaines at the door to anyone who walks on by, which we picked up at the door when we left. Here's a shot of the bread basket.
and another:
daily special:
We went for the daily special apple croissant and a light tropical fruit salad to start. Before that, we had complimentary butter, jam and an epi of freshly baked bread. Sorry, no shot of the epi, just the butter photographed above.
the apple croissant was wonderful - light and sweet and not at all overly greasy or buttery
more food porn:
d. had the Oeuf Au Gratin - Baked eggs, mornay sauce, bacon lardons, tomato confit,
petit champignon & pomme salpicon. this inspired her to get a bunch of the Le Creuset dishes from Williams Sonoma" the same day.
I had the Les Oeufs - Two eggs any style, potato croquettes, toasted brioche and wilted spinach. I went for poached, to see just how good it was. They did not disappoint.
doggie bag of the unfinished apple croissant and the madelaines.
Service was efficient, pleasant and inobtrusive. Bouchon is, however, not cheap by any standard. Croissant around $4, Fruit salad was $6.50, eggs florentine was $13.95, les oeufs was $10.50, all in US$ and not inclusive of tips and tax.
Was it worth it? Definitely. Great to go to a restaurant where they even try to, and succeed, in doing classic french bistro food well. Can't wait to try Per Se or French Laundry when we get the chance.
For a more detailed review see a better effort here
Bouchon at the Venetian
3355 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Phone: (702) 414-6200
For dinner reservations, use OpenTable. for breakfast, walk ins are perfectly fine. There is apparently a smashing weekend brunch available.