A Dinner Date with Mom at Alex – NV

In-N-Out wasn’t the only thing my mom and I ate in Vegas. Although my ring of slot cards may say otherwise, I’m not completely ghetto. On our last night in Sin City, I took my mom to Alex for a sinfully decadent dinner.

Alex offers a three course prix fixe ($125) and a five course tasting menu ($185). We both opted for the three course prix fixe. The tasting menu will have to wait until next time… wallet willing.

Dinner began with two plates of “amuses” courtesy of the kitchen. The first had five small bites: Wagyu Beef Tartare garnished with a sliced cornichon and a tiny onion ring, Bell Pepper Soup, Arancini (fried rice ball), Lobster Tempura, and a Cheese Cracker (a thin crisp cracker filled with melty Gruyere). My mom’s favorite was the soup, and it was indeed refreshing, but it was a tad too cold for my liking. Again, as I mentioned in my airport post, I don’t want to drink anything that reminds me of tepid bath water. My favorite was the cracker. It was a playful interpretation of cheese and crackers, and delicious to boot. My bouche was amused.

The second amuse bouche was a Parmesan Panna Cotta. The panna cotta, while light, was a flavor bomb of cheese. I absolutely loved it. My mom thought it was just OK. I think she wanted more soup.

For my first course, I had the Fricassee of Escargots ‘Provencale’ with garlic flan, arugula purée, and crispy veal. Usually I expect a slight rubbery texture when eating escargots, but these little snails were cooked perfectly; soft and meaty. In addition, the veal, although not very prominent on the plate, imbued a depth of flavor to the escargots, and added to the overall meatiness of the dish. If there was a mammalian snail creature that walked on legs, I assume they would taste like this.

Next, I had the Milk-Fed Veal Chop with Romanesco broccoli, broccoli purée, confit tomatoes, and sweetbread-spinach cannelloni for my entrée. The veal, albeit tender, was a bit plain. More interesting were the beautiful aldente fractal broccoli and the flaky cannelloni stuffed with rich creamy sweetbread. I wouldn’t have minded a plate of just the cannelloni and the broccoli. Sorry little cow, your death may have been in vain.

After our main course, we received a simple Panna Cotta with Blood Orange as a palate cleanser and a prelude to our desserts. It didn’t blow me away, but it was free; I couldn’t complain.

My dessert was technically listed on the menu as Toasted Marshmallow Cream with Bitter Dark Chocolate and Godiva Ice Cream, but it was basically a fancy deconstructed s’more. From the smooth chocolate down to the sticky marshmallow and crunchy graham cracker crumbles, it was a whimsical take on a childhood favorite. All grown up, it was just as tasty, if not better.

After dessert, we were presented with mignardises and a basket of hot madeleines fresh from the oven. Among the mignardises, the chocolates were nice, but I was drawn to madeleines. Fluffy, yet slightly crisp at the edges, they were the best I’ve ever tasted.

As we were leaving, we were also given a box of miniature lemon macarons to take home. Despite being light on filling, the tart macarons were still scrumptious, even after getting slightly crushed in my suitcase the next day.

Dining at Alex is a pricey affair, but I’d gladly go again. We all need a treat once in a while, and at Alex, you get several.

Alex
Wynn Las Vegas
3131 Las Vegas Boulevard South (betw E Dessert Inn Rd & Dio Dr; map)
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702-248-3463