Michael Mina, Bellagio – Las Vegas

Since this was our anniversary trip to Vegas, we were all ready to check off as many restaurants as we can from our Las Vegas wish list. Michael Mina was right up there on top of the list, as we missed the opportunity in San Francisco last year.  Michael Mina’s SF restaurant has got two Michelin stars and the Vegas restaurant has one star in addition to the countless awards and accolades his different restaurants have received. With so much fanfare, needless to say the expectation was sky high, but I am glad to report that Michael Mina got top marks from us.

Service was outstanding as expected from a top class Vegas restaurant in Bellagio. Starting with the hostess to the waiter to the sommelier, everyone was super friendly and courteous. We were half an hour late for our reservation, so we got a couple of drinks at the well-stocked bar before they could find us a table. We both went for the Mina Margarita; a namesake signature drink has to be good, right? Well, it was great and it was potent! One drink and I was in a happy place. I guess it better be great at $16 a glass!

They had two tasting menus to choose from – the Cookbook menu featuring dishes from the Michael Mina cookbook and the Seasonal tasting menu, both were 5 courses for $115 per person plus $65 for wine pairing. The regular menu is divided into two pages and two courses. First course had a nice selection of classic starters and a sashimi plate and a choice of three different Caviar service ranging from $195 up to $445! I am glad we are not caviar fans. Course two had three different Signature Trio options, where each order comes with a main ingredient like lamb, rib eye or black bass cooked three ways with three different accompaniments. The regular restaurant mandate is that if you go for the tasting menu, everyone in the table must do the same. I was not in the mood for the tasting menu, but Siv was, so we thought we would check if that is an option. Our friendly server told us they wouldn’t normally do that, but will make an exception for us. Isn’t that special?

Siv got the seasonal tasting menu with wine pairing. The recommendation for me was to get one dish from first course and another from second course and that would be sufficient. But I was warned that since Siv gets five courses, I might have to just sit and watch him for three courses. So I decided to get two starters and a main dish. My portions were considerably larger than Siv’s, but still they waited for me to finish my dish before they would serve Siv his next course, which I thought was strange and inconvenient. But it was just a minor setback in the larger scheme of things.

Now, let me get to the food part. As expected food was exceptional! The amuse bouche was a layered cucumber and avocado puree with thinly sliced Jicama on the side; very light and refreshing and cooling. I’ve never tasted raw Jicama before; I thought it was very much like pear in texture and taste.

For my first course I went for the Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras with grilled and pickled stone fruit on warm citrus bread. The foie gras was buttery soft and was well paired with tart and sweet accompaniments. This was my favorite dish of the evening.

My other starter was the Savory Black Mussel Soufflé with a Saffron-Chardonnay cream, a very innovative savory take on the classic soufflé. Unfortunately, the soufflé was really heavy; it was the wrong choice for a three course meal, especially when it was recommended that I only get two courses!  The sauce was delicious, perfectly complemented the strong mussel taste of the soufflé, but I should’ve skipped this one completely or got a lighter dish instead.

For my main course I got the Miso Glazed Black Cod with Shitake Consommé and Shrimp & Scallop Ravioli.  The black cod was perfectly cooked and the delicate flavors in this dish came together superbly.

As much as I liked my food, I was really jealous of Siv’s dishes, and really wished I had gone for the tasting menu as well. Oh well, there is a next time for everything. Each dish stood out on its own and was the right size. I only got a small bite of each, Siv loved every course, and he said the wine pairing was just perfect.

Kona Kampachi with Coconut Gelee and Vindaloo Curry.

Dayboat Scallops with English Peas, carrots and Onion Soubise.

Crispy Skin Black Bass with Maitake mushrooms, cauliflower and red wine jus. 

Boneless rack of lamb with crispy pork belly.

His dessert course was a tasting of Michael Mina signature desserts – warm chocolate cake, coconut panna cotta and mini root beer float! Since I didn’t get my own dessert, our server got me my own silverware, normal restaurants frown upon someone else sharing a tasting menu course, but obviously this was not an ordinary restaurant! They value service more than anything else I guess. I loved the coconut panna cotta, so creamy and delicious, Siv loved the chocolate cake. We were surprised to see the root beer float, something you won’t expect in such a fine dining establishment. I guess it is offered for the nostalgic value to their American clients. I actually like root beer floats, Siv thought it was disgusting

It was a memorable meal that put a pretty big dent in the wallet, but we both felt it was worth it. I highly recommend Michael Mina if you are celebrating a special occasion. This place really makes you feel special with their royal treatment and scrumptious food.

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Category: Las Vegas, Travel