The interior from the casino floor.
I have been dining at Wolfgang Puck’s Bar&Grill intermittently for nine years. My four most resent experiences have occurred in the last four months. What I can say is that this fixture tucked behind the MGM Grand’s main gaming floor and across from the KÀ theatre, is one of the most consistently delicious restaurants in Las Vegas. Nine years ago, when I first tasted cuisine from this kitchen, I was wowed. Its contemporary ambiance, stellar service, and delectable dishes, still wow — a consistency hard to find on the ever altering Vegas Strip.
In December I took a couple of Wolfgang Puck rookies to his Bar & Grill, a restaurant I had not visited in over three years, but was confident the meal would be delicious. One of them is a hamburger aficionado and so he ordered the Grilled Prime Burger with Vermont cheddar and smoked onion marmalade. I followed suit and what arrived was, he declared, the best burger he had ever tasted. After tasting what was put out at Gordon Ramsay’s BURGR, I agree (but that’s for another review). Wolfgang Puck’s burger delivers layers of flavor; from the
Crab Cakes after the first tastes.
flavor of the beef to the smokiness of the cheddar to the savoriness of the bun, the meal was so good that he ordered it again when we stopped in January before the Lady Gaga concert. Even the fries – shoestring and seasoned – were perfect crisp bites of potato that did not even need the garnish of ketchup.
Our appetizer, the Sautéed Maine Crab Cakes with tomato relish served on a bed of basil aioli, has been consistent perfection, so much so that they are a mainstay of every meal I have here. And the Crispy Chicken Milanese, served with an arugula and cherry tomato salad and grain mustard, is served with the salad covering the chicken so that what arrives looks deceptively green; however, when all elements are tasted
Chicken Milanese split for two with perfect presentation.
together – chicken and salad – just as served, the result is a a pop of crisp freshness blending the organic chicken with the plump tomatoes and slightly tart arugula. The portion is generous enough to split and each of us devoured the meal in spite of the knowledge that chocolate beignets were on their way.
Of course no meal is complete without dessert and we ordered two: the Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée and the Chocolate Beignets with the caramel dipping sauce and vanilla ice cream. The beignets arrived warm and perfectly fried – just enough to crisp the dough without any excess oil; when bitten, the center oozed chocolate delight. Though I have enjoyed crème brûlée in many venues before, the one that this kitchen serves is one of the most delectable I have tasted – the vanilla pops and the berries sweeten the spoon just enough to provide brilliant contrast to the crisp top.
Last week I returned for a lunch service and though this Thursday afternoon was packed because of the PAC 12 Basketball Tournament, we were immediately seated and, within three minutes, had our server at our table explaining the specials and taking our drink order. Not only was our server attentive, her friendliness and knowledge of the menu perfectly complimented the food. My companion had not had the crab cakes before and, when they arrived, his response was, “Oh, my. That is delicious.” He savored every bite, pacing his eating so that his portion of the appetizer lasted until the main course arrived fifteen minutes later.
An appetizer fit for a main meal.
His main meal was the Mesquite Grilled Steak Skewers – strip steak marinated twenty-four hours until the pieces are grilled and basted and placed upon a bed of creamy celery salad. On our server’s recommendation, my plate consisted of Barbecued Chicken Panini with creamy coleslaw, balsamic grilled onions and chipotle aioli. (I was torn between the Barbecued Chicken Panini and the Fish & Chips, but she raved that the chicken was phenomenal.) The chicken was phenomenal. The panini was pressed just
Barbecue Chicken Panini.
right, giving it a golden hue that told of a slight crust which, when bit into, yielded to the louder crunch of the coleslaw. Combine the texture with the flavor of the balsamic grilled onions and the chipotle aioli and each bite became a luxury. The barbecue sauce was spicy and sweet and enhanced the delicate flavor of the juicy organic chicken breast. The fries were the same herbed perfection as before, and though they come with the sandwich, our server readily offered up a salad or vegetables or whatever I wanted instead.
I could rave about the apple pie or the pineapple upside down cake or the smoothness of the Vespa speciality cocktail, but I won’t. Instead, I’ll simply point you away from the Fish & Chips (the server was right) and to any other item they offer. I should also let you know that this Wolfgang Puck’s, like all of his restaurants on the Strip, offer locals complimentary dessert. How sweet is that?
Warm apple pie with cinnamon ice cream – a delicious pairing.
Steel Reality 
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