— Originally posted on Yelp on 1/17/10 —
Rich. Decadent. Extravagant. Those are some pretty good adjectives to describe Fleur de Lys. The restaurant is gorgeous and is a great setting for the amazing food they serve. I made reservations through Open Table and indicated that I wanted a table in a secluded, intimate part of the restaurant to celebrate a birthday. They obliged, seating us at a 2-top behind the curtains, right next to the private ‘cabana’ seating. It made for a perfectly romantic setting.
We both ordered the ‘Elegance’ tasting menu with wine pairings.
//AMUSE BOUCHE//
– Tempura cod with potatoes and creme fraiche
Crispy on the outside, delicate on the inside. Great way to start the meal. Since we got the wine pairing, it also came with some sparkling wine.
//FIRST COURSE//
– Truffled onion soup with duck ragout and black truffles
– Ahi tuna tartar with fennel slaw and ginger ponzu sauce
The soup was rich and creamy and the duck ragout was delicious. The tuna tartar was very good but I wasn’t a huge fan of the fennel slaw. It gave the dish a little bit of an earthy taste and took away from the taste of the tuna, in my opinion. But, I’m no chef so who am I to second guess Hubert’s recipe.
//SECOND COURSE//
– Pumpkin risotto with pecans
– Chorizo stuffed sea bass
The risotto was one of the best dishes of the night, although I’m partial to anything that’s pumpkin flavored. The sea bass was very good. The cut of fish was very meaty, flaky, and delicious and the chorizo provided a little kick. The wine it was paired with (a Gruner, I believe) was a perfect compliment. It was the best pairing of the night.
//THIRD COURSE//
– Stout braised short ribs
– Filet mignon with foie gras and truffles
The filet was cooked perfectly (medium), was very tender, and not overly seasoned. I ordered the foie gras with it even though I’m not a big fan — maybe the idea of force feeding a duck to make it’s liver tender for my benefit is a turn-off for me. Although, obviously, it didn’t bother me enough to prevent me from getting it. I do have to say that the foie gras was unbelievably soft and buttery. Thank you, Mr. Duck for sacrificing your organs in order to satisfy my appetite. Your life was clearly worth the $25 extra I had to pay for your liver and the truffles. All in all, it was a very good course. The epitome of a rich, decadent dish.
As good as the filet was, the short ribs were even better, in my opinion. I know, I’m crazy… how could they be better than a filet w/ foie gras and truffles? I’m not sure, but I just enjoyed the flavor of the short ribs more than the filet. Probably because it was braised in beer. It was definitely my favorite dish.
//FOURTH COURSE//
– Carrot cake with pineapple sorbet
– Chocolate soufflé
– White chocolate ganache
The desserts were good, but nowhere near as good as the other courses. The carrot cake was the best of the three. The white chocolate was rich, creamy and smooth. The soufflé was my least favorite. It’s meant to be light, but it was too light for my tastes and was a little bitter and not sweet enough. A decent dish but not one that I would get again.
We finished the meal with some petite fours. Among them was a peanut butter one that was very sweet and delicious. The others were largely forgettable. But they were complimentary, so I can’t really complain.
The service was excellent. While our server wasn’t the most personable waiter I’ve had, he did a good job at managing our dining experience. Water glasses were never empty, dishes were cleared quickly, and our place settings were set promptly. The food runners did an exceptional job at explaining dishes when they were brought to the table. When we placed our orders at the beginning of the meal our server said that the wine pairings would be 2oz. each. But, thankfully he was a little generous with the pour, each time giving us about 4-5 oz. per glass.
So, how much did this meal set me back? um… $410.60, including the tip for the two of us.
5 Stars
3950 Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(702) 632-9400
