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Review of Costa di Mare – Wynn, Las Vegas

June 24, 2019 By karin Leave a Comment

Welcome to Costa di Mare
Welcome to Costa di Mare

Costa di Mare – a gorgeous, elegant, but also friendly and vibrant Italian restaurant in the Wynn Las Vegas Hotel. Our experience from start to finish tops the list of our dining adventures in my books. From the coastal Mediterranean cuisine, to the stylish decor, and to the excellent – even exuberant – service, our evening at Costa di Mare was one to remember. First of all – what an entrance!

Bar and Lounge at Costa di Mare
Bar and Lounge at Costa di Mare

Curving lines, domed ceiling, and a circular balcony overlooking the main dining area give the restaurant an open feel and make it particularly inviting. The wall of windows overlooking the lagoon adds to the restaurant’s sense of glamour and beauty.

Vodka Martini
Vodka Martini

Starting with a terrific vodka martini, it was time to peruse the menu. At first glance, it was somewhat overwhelming: the sheer number of dishes to choose from,  the parade of dishes offered even in the curated tasting menus….I was hoping for expert guidance, and everyone delivered.  All or our servers were attentive and extremely knowledgeable, demystifying the process but more than that, setting the tone that made us feel like welcomed guests for a refined family feast. This is exactly how I would characterize our dinner – elegant enough for a couples evening, but with the warmth of being taken care of like family members.

Costa di Mare Tasting Menus
Costa di Mare Tasting Menus

In the end, we went for it all – the Gran Menu di Mare tasting menu. An example  of the sort of guidance we received from our wonderful servers: we had a discussion right at the outset about what sort of wine could (possibly) pair with the variety of foods we were about to sample. The sommelier was immediately dispatched to our table, selecting gorgeous Italian wines – white and red – that we are likely never to find again, but that we enjoyed immensely. To ensure seamless blending of food and wine, the sommelier arranged to have certain dishes from the tasting menu modified or altered once we’d made our selections to keep things on point. This attention to detail was characteristic of everything that happened during our meal.

Fresh from the seaFresh from the sea

Everything on the tasting menu is served family style and it all sounded – and was – delectable. Seafood was at the heart of nearly every dish, and yet the preparation in the fine Italian coastal style was not something we’ve experienced often. Not only was there fish flown in fresh from the Mediterranean that we had never tasted before, the combination with San Marzano tomatoes, olives, and pasta made for bright and surprising combinations.

Ricciola cruda con limone
Ricciola cruda con limone (raw amberjack with lemon)

The ricciola cruda con limone was a simple dish, but utterly delicate and sumptuous. We were off to a marvelous start.



Saute di vongole, Cappesante dorate con mostarda di rabarbaro e gremolata di noci, Polipo Ligure alla grigilia
Saute di vongole, Cappesante dorate con mostarda di rabarbaro e gremolata di noci, Polipo Ligure alla grigilia

The festival of food continued with a trio of dishes: clams with tomato sauce, seared sea-scallops with a fennel and endive salad (refreshing!), and a heartier dish of grilled octopus with olives, potatoes and pepper sauce.

Exquisite ingredients expertly prepared
Exquisite ingredients expertly prepared

 

Delectable grilled octopus
Delectable grilled octopus

We added the grigliata, grabbing the chance to enjoy the fresh shrimp, spiny lobster, and langoustine. The preparation was simple so that the beautiful flavor of the grilled seafood took centre stage.

Griiled shellfish - grigliata mista di gamberi, scampi, aragosta
Griiled shellfish – grigliata mista di gamberi,
scampi, aragosta

Primi - including: Calamarata pasta rings, scopion fish, and risotto with seafood
Primi – including: Calamarata pasta rings, scopion fish, and risotto with seafood

The main course consisted of a number of seafood dishes – a beautiful, velvety risotto with scallops, cuttlefish, lobster, and more (above right). The center dish in the photo above was a rich seafood, pasta and tomato sauce concoction,  a substitution to pair with the red wine we were enjoying at this stage of the meal. On the left was a flavor party: calamarata pasta rings, scorpion fish, eggplant and San Marzano tomato sauce – of all the dishes we enjoyed that night, this is the one that stands out in my memory, summing up the spirit and style of this exciting cuisine.

Closer look at the velvety seafood risotto
Closer look at the velvety seafood risotto
Tagliatelle di seppia with cuttlefish and shellfish
Tagliatelle di seppia with cuttlefish and shellfish

Shown above was the fourth dish in this course – an incredibly tasty combination of cuttlefish ink ribbon pasta, shrimp, and lobster.

Seafood feast assembled on the plate - lobster with pasta and San Marzano sauce
Seafood feast assembled on the plate – lobster with pasta and San Marzano sauce

 

Calamarata con scorfano, melanzane e pomodoro
Calamarata con scorfano, melanzane e pomodoro

 

Seafood feast assembled on the plate
Seafood feast assembled on the plate

Unfortunately, we neglected to snap a photo of the impressive next course, pescato d’amo al forno – a whole-roasted Mediterranean fish. It was brought out to the table gleaming and whole, then expertly filleted and presented on our plates. The fish was paired with tomato and olive sauce absolutely bursting with flavor – another dish that stands out in my memory as emblematic of our Costa di Mare experience.

Whole roasted fish - Pescato d'amo al forno
Whole roasted fish – Pescato d’amo al forno

 

Sauce rich with tomatoes and olives
Sauce rich with tomatoes and olives

Here is where things began to drift into the unbelievable. We had already enjoyed copious flavors and textures. But dessert was still to come. And not just a small slice of tiramisu as you will see below.

The aptly named Symphony of Desserts
The aptly named Symphony of Desserts

The course is called sinfonia di dolci – symphony of desserts – and it was most certainly that. Sugared ‘fritters’ on apples and caramel with gelato, tiramisu, and a flight of half a dozen sorbets, all looking too pretty to eat. It was all incredible even though at this point we were reduced to a bite of this and a bite of that.

Heavenly 'fritters' and rich gelato
Heavenly ‘fritters’ and rich gelato

 

Cappuccino
Cappuccino

 

Perfect Tiramisu
Perfect Tiramisu

 

Flight of sorbets
Flight of sorbets

 

More sorbets...
More sorbets…

 

Sinfonia di dolci
Sinfonia di dolci

One final but important note – as someone who suffers from severe food allergies (tree nuts/peanuts) it can be a challenge (to say the least) to dine outside the home; for a dinner where there is this much food, with so many ingredients, and where a foreign language (to me) is used to describe the dishes, the challenge becomes even greater. But every single one of the many servers who attended to our table knew my concerns, and intimately knew every ingredient in each dish. Modifications were made for me as necessary. I felt perfectly comfortable, once again like an honored guest in someone’s home who had bothered to prepare the finest dishes with me in mind.

This was a delicious meal in beautiful surroundings with genuinely friendly and attentive service. I recommend it to you and am counting the days until my next visit.

For more information on Costa di Mare or to make reservations, visit www.wynnlasvegas.com/dining

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: Costa di Mare, fine dining Las Vegas, fine dining seafood, fine dining Wynn, Italian restaurants, Italian seafood, Italian tasting menu, restaurants at Wynn, seafood, seafood tasting menu

Review of Wynn Las Vegas Hotel and Resort – Las Vegas, Nevada

January 18, 2019 By karin Leave a Comment

Wynn and Esplanade Entrance
Wynn and Esplanade Entrance

We spent four nights at Wynn Las Vegas Hotel and Resort this past December (early in the month  – a sort of pre-Christmas Christmas vacation). Located on the north side of the strip, pretty much at the edge of things, you’ll find a bit more ‘calm and space’ at this luxury hotel property. Bordered by man-made lakes, water features, and lush greenery, it’s a lovely space and more serene than many of the other Vegas properties. All this is not to say that you’re out of the action – you’re right beside the Palazzo and Venetian complex and their restaurants, shows, and myriad attractions and right across from the sprawling Fashion Show Mall for all your high and low end shopping needs. But you can find a bit of peace when you need it, both inside and out. It was one of the reasons we chose to stay here in the first place.

We arrived early on a Sunday evening, greeted by gorgeous Christmas decorations in the hotel lobby – indoor landscaping, really.

Christmas Charm at the Wynn Hotel
Christmas Charm at the Wynn Hotel

Luscious Golden Poinsettias, grown exclusively for the Wynn Hotel, were everywhere.

Golden Poinsettias
Golden Poinsettias

In our opinion, it is by far the prettiest lobby on the strip, with lots of natural light,  greenery, and this past December, a magical holiday feel – not something you’d necessarily expect from a casino.

Wynn Decorated for Christmas
Wynn Decorated for Christmas

The casino itself is also very inviting, not so cavernous as compared to those at the other hotels. Rich red carpets with bright, bold designs, highly polished marble floors, and lots of warm overhead lighting enhance the casino experience – or even just your walk to restaurants and other activities.

Casino Floor at the Wynn
Casino Floor at the Wynn

Upon arrival, we were upgraded from our basic king room to a higher floor (24th) and a corner location with two floor-to-ceiling window views of the strip. We’d stayed here before, and this earlier time in December was clearly a slow time in Vegas – certainly worked out for us!

A wall of windows on either side
A wall of windows on either side

View of the strip from our room
View of the strip from our room

As you can see, the room itself was very spacious – lots of breathing room. Minimal but very tasteful decor, and everything seemed fresh and new and in tip top shape.

A spacious, well thought out room
A spacious, well thought out room



We had a huge luxury bathroom complete with gorgeous marble tile, his-and-her sinks, water closet, a massive soaker tub, and separate glass-enclosed shower. Plenty of room to spread out and relax.

Large, luxuious bathroom
Large, luxuious bathroom

Soaker tub and shower
Soaker tub and shower

We pre-arranged to have a fruit and cheese plate and bottle of wine delivered upon arrival, one of several optional add-ons when booking the room. A very nice touch – recommended!

Fruit, wine and cheese to greet us
Fruit, wine and cheese to greet us

Taking the edge off of travel day
Taking the edge off of travel day

Our room was fantastic, and Wynn has so much to do within its own massive walls there’s little need to venture elsewhere. In fact, if we’d been staying elsewhere, we would have surely ended up at the Wynn anyway many times for dinners, lunches, and shopping. Fine dining highlights include Lakeside Seafood, with views of the Lake of Dreams and its wonderfully quirky light shows, and the positively phenomenal Costa di Mare, an award-winning Italian and Mediterranean restaurant featuring mind-blowing tasting menus and impeccable service. A new shopping wing is also opening up in stages, featuring high end shops  and designers we haven’t yet seen elsewhere on the strip. When it’s in full swing, it will be certainly be a a luxury shopping destination. And of course, there’s Le Reve, the Wynn’s stunning fantasy show featuring breathtaking acrobatics on dry land and water.

For a relaxing, luxurious Las Vegas trip still minutes from all the action, we definitely recommend choosing Wynn Las Vegas.

For more information about Wynn Las Vegas, visit www.wynnlasvegas.com

Filed Under: Hotel Reviews Tagged With: Christmas decorations at Wynn, Fashion Show Mall, fine dining Las Vegas, golden poinsettias, king room, Las Vegas hotels, luxury hotels Las Vegas, spacious hotel rooms Las Vegas, view of the strip, Wynn Hotel

Alex (Las Vegas, Nevada)

March 3, 2007 By karin Leave a Comment

Alex is Located in the spectacular Wynn Las Vegas Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information or to make reservations, call (702) 248-DINE (3463) or (888) 352-DINE (3463) or visit http://www.wynnlasvegas.com.

One of my favorite Woody Allen movies is The Purple Rose of Cairo. The basic plot involves a movie character stepping out of the silver screen and into the real world. At Alex, I felt that roles were reversed and that I had stepped into a movie of that elegant Old Hollywood era. Specifically, I walked into ‘that scene’ at the glamorous dinner and dance club, with the sunken dance floor spreading out before you, allowing you to survey the who’s who and who was with who. The dining room is elegantly lit and richly adorned oozing, with romantic glamour. You descend the stairs and sink into luxury.

Immediately apparent was the striking difference in feel between Alex and Robuchon, another fine restaurant we had the pleasure of visiting during this same trip. The overall ambience at Robuchon, even upon entering, is one of supreme sophistication requiring hushed tones and the quiet that comes with the introspective contemplation of each bite. The menu there was truly out of this world, with almost esoteric presentation. Alex is sophisticated but in a more accessible way – a “rat pack, loosen the collar slightly, and give a casual swirl to your martini glass” sort of experience. This impression upon entering Alex is carried through to the menu and service. Though, as at Robuchon, the menu items employ only the finest ingredients and are exquisitely prepared, overall the dishes are more down to earth and recognizable in their presentation at Alex.



And the menu and service at Alex are truly spectacular. My dining partner and I had the Tasting Menu with wine pairings and were transported to successive levels of culinary heaven. Decadent ingredients of the highest quality are the hallmark of Alex, impeccably presented and flawlessly paired with the finest wines.

The first course was a Marinated Yellowtail Crisp with Osetra Caviar and Carrot-Ginger Pearls, a bright, rich dish complimented by a crisp glass of fine champagne. Next were Nantucket Bay Scallops with Sea Urchin, Herb Linguini, and Celery Root paired with Turley, “The White Coat”, San Luis Obispo, California 2004. The scallops were plump and tender, marrying perfectly with the crispness of the wine.

What followed was probably our favorite course – Saute of Foie Gras with Oven-Dried Grapes, Hakurei Turnips, and Blood Orange. The combination of the autumnal flavors of grape and turnip with the foie gras was, not surprisingly, fantastic – and the addition of citrus tones gave the whole dish an unexpectedly bright twist. To further the autumn-harvest theme, the wine from the Loire Valley (Domaine des Baumard, Quarts de Chaume, 1990) had a distinct reference to apples picked at the height of their goodness.

Wild Turbot with Salsifis, Black Truffles, Almonds and Red Wine Sauce brought us back “to earth”, with no complaints on our part! This was in no way hurt by a glass of wine fit for an Emperor – Domaine Vincent Girardin, Gevrey Chambertin, “Les Champeaux”, Burgundy 2002.

Unbelievably…there was more. A morsel of prized Japanese Wagyu Beef (cooked to perfection with the most gorgeous color in the center!) with Potato Gnocchi and Porcini Mushrooms was served near to last. A beautiful Italian wine (Valdicava, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, 2001) was paired with this decadent treat.

There is always room for dessert somehow. (You begin to feel that you as may as well not stop!) Passion Cheesecake with Graham Crumble and Vanilla Nougat and Praline Ice Cream with Caramel Hazelnuts was offered, the latter paired with a lovely Spanish sherry. A perfect end to a glamorous evening fit for the silver screen.

Our first visit to Alex was filled with the charm of a by-gone era of glamour, with surroundings, service, food and wine of the highest class. We will be quick to return on our next visit.

Jacket suggested.

Overall Experience
We give Alex 5 Stars- Outstanding!

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: Alex, fine dining Las Vegas, tasting menu, wine pairings, Wynn hotel dining

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