The opening of Wolfgang Puck's Chinois restaurant in the Forum Shops at Caesars is another feather in the toque of the creative chef/entrepreneur.
Chinois's interior design by Puck's partner/wife, Barbara Lazarus, is dramatic, fanciful and inviting. Ribbons of brilliant colors accent the room. Lazarus says they represent energy. You can almost feel the charge when viewing the swaths of color. Remarkable artifacts and art, gathered during trips to Asia, are featured throughout the restaurant. The staircase leading to the dining room is gorgeous. Emblazoned on the lower steps, in English and Chinese, are: "Good Fortune, Good Friends, Good Food." A few steps higher: "The World of Imagination is Boundless."
Certainly Lazarus's imagination has no limits. Her designs and ideas are always fresh, and executed to perfection. The design on the distinctive tiles used as a border in the women's bathroom was made from a photograph taken during her travels.
The cafe on the first level features an elegant sushi bar with a counter of Amazon granite (purchased by Lazarus long before the restaurant was planned, simply because she loved it), as well as table seating. Watching the sushi chefs, led by head sushi chef Koji Takano, as they prepared for the opening was exciting. The sushi selection is large and features both raw and cooked sushi and a selection of vegetarian sushi. The special Japanese omelet pans for making those beautiful rolled omelets were already in place. In addition to the sushi menu, the chefs will "accommodate any special requests." Nigiri sushi prices start at $3.75; maki sushi at $3.50.
Chinois cuisine in both the cafe and dining room is a blend of Asian, with French and California, influences. The menus in both dining rooms change daily. As with all Puck/Lazarus ventures, Chinois focuses on supplying the best possible ingredients, prepared with innovation and style. The cafe is open now; the dining room should be open by the middle of next week.
Chef Munehiro Mori comes to Chinois from Cashion's, one of Washington, D.C.'s hottest restaurants. It is just one of the fine Asian restaurants where Mori honed his skills. Chef Mori is a master at fusing the cuisines of the East and West.
Chinois Cafe offers appetizers, salads, pasta, sandwiches and entrees. Prices are moderate. Among the items on the first lunch menu were roasted duck garden roll, an Asian Caesar salad, pad Thai noodles with clams and mussels, and wok-charred salmon on lemon Basmati rice.
The cafe menu is served daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Family style dinners are offered in the dining room. It's an interesting concept. Most of the dishes are sized for more than one. The server can assist in putting together a menu.
Dinner will be served in the dining room Monday through Thursday, 6-10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5:30-10:30; Sunday, 5:30-10 p.m.
Spago's award-winning pastry chef Mary Bergin developed the dessert menu. The selection includes: a trio of brulees; dragon's eye rice custard Napoleon; green tea ice cream with plum wine fruit compote and sesame seed tuile (cookie); tempura coconut banana and ginger ice cream with Grand Marnier dipping sauce; fresh ginger cheesecake in a gingersnap crust; cookies of good fortune and housemade ice cream; crunchy chocolate mint gateau with warm chocolate sauce; and Asian sorbets (lychee, mandarin and coconut) served with fried mochi (sweet rice flour). The mochi was prepared and ready to be fried. In it's soft state, it's a pleasant, chewy mass. While we chatted, Mary pulled off pieces for us to sample. It was a sweet reminder of the Asian cooking classes taken many years ago in Hawaii, where I first tasted mochi. Mary's is better.
Chinois wine list includes a small selection of champagne and sparkling wines, and a selection of red and white wines by the glass or bottle. Premium cold sakes, and the house premium warm sake are available in three sizes. Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese and California beers are also available.
Chinois has a good amount of private party and banquet space. The upstairs wraps around the building on both sides, providing some charming little hideaways. The view from the balcony is delightful.
Chinois General Manager Steven Eckler has been associated with Puck since 1992, when he accepted a management position at Postrio in San Francisco. Later, he came to Las Vegas to work directly with Spago managing partner Tom Kaplan. In 1996, he returned to Postrio as general manager. Said Eckler, "I'm extremely excited about returning to Las Vegas and the opportunity to help open what promises to be a spectacular addition to the city's fine dining establishments."
Working with Eckler are Managers Kenny Horowitz, Laurie Kendrick, Lana Trevisan and Peter Varela. Chinois Maitre d' is Zelma Iwatsubo; the sommelier is Kenneth Fredrickson.
Reservations are accepted only for Chinois dining room. Call 737-9700.
New at Caesars
From the Forum Shops, I visited three exciting new dining rooms at Caesars Palace. In just the few weeks since I was last at Caesars, many of the pieces of the glorious new tower have fallen into place. Valet service is back at the front entrance, and access to the restaurants is easy.
The totally new Empress Court Chinese restaurant has a new location, new menu, stunning new decor, views of the spectacular pool, and patio dining. The dining rooms are reminiscent of dining rooms in posh Asian homes. Sofas and other seating add a special touch. One dining room features three large round tables. The good-looking, sand-blasted glass lazy Susans are the only thing that remains of the former Empress Court. A la carte prices are more reasonable. There are a number of prix fixe dinners for two or more. As far as I know, Empress Court is the only Chinese restaurant, locally, offering live king crab, cooked to order. It's a remarkable dish. Empress Court serves dinner nightly, 6-10 p.m.
A stunning new Italian restaurant, La Terrazza, is billed as being "country rustic Italian," but there's nothing rustic about the fabulous dining room. A separate cafe is more informal, and so is the spacious bar and lounge. There's al fresco dining, too, and beautiful views. Each part has its own menu. Pizzas and focaccia breads are available in the bar. Lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch are served in La Terrazza. The menus feature a wide array of regional Italian specialities in a wide range of prices. La Terrazza hours are: lunch -- Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.; brunch -- Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.; dinner -- 5:30-10:30 p.m.
To this "old-timer" it was a shock to see the changes made in the former Ah So restaurant, still in its original location. No remnant of the former Las Vegas-style Japanese restaurant remains. Hyakumi (pronounced ya-Coo-mi) is traditional, authentic, tranquil and lovely with its polished wood interior and comfortable seating.
Oh yes, one thing remains from the original Ah So -- Maitre d' Victor Kurihara. He's been there since it opened 27 years ago. Teppan Yaki dinners are offered on the lower level, just a few steps down; an a la carte selection of Japanese dishes is available on the upper level. Hyakumi's hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 6-10 p.m. A separate sushi bar on the balcony outside the dining room has seating at the sushi bar or at tables and booths. Sashimi, nigiri, sushi rolls, appetizers, soups, salads, vegetables, a la carte entrees and many side orders are available. Hyakumi sushi bar hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 5-11 p.m.
Reservations are suggested at Empress Court, La Terrazza and Hyakumi. None required for the sushi bar. Call 731-7110.
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