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| - The best brunch in Las Vegas.
That sounds like hyperbole, since Vegas is a city overrun with brunch spots at all price points and levels of quality. But Michael Mina's Bardot Brasserie is the real deal. It forgoes behemoth pancakes and bottom-shelf mimosas for top-quality French gastronomy, and the payoff is amazing.
Another plus: Bardot Brasserie is one of the few brunch spots that accepts reservations, which we were lucky to have when I joined 2 friends here for a 10am Sunday brunch. The place was totally packed. The hostess then whisked us past gorgeous displays of breads and pastries to a beautiful table near the back, which was an excellent vantagepoint to soak in the classy decor.
We started off with a round of cappuccinos, followed by "la boulangerie" -- an assortment of breads and pastries, along with baguettes and butter. Absolutely everything was fresh, warm, and packed with flavor. I would've been happy camper calling it a day after that, but we were hungry, so we kept ordering.
For the mains, we shared a plate of "pâté de campagne" of pork, veal and pistachio, served with pickled vegetables, more crusty baguette, and spicy mustard. The next course was the hunter's waffle with duck confit, poached eggs, and maltaise sauce. Both of these were outstanding, but the hunter's waffle was truly exceptional -- an elevated and elegant twist on eggs benedict. Somewhere in the middle of the mains, we had a bottle of "Patrick Bottex Bugey Cerdon" rosé, which was a delicate and smooth bubbly that paired excellently with the duck. (Speaking of which -- service was outstanding. Our server knew the menu inside and out, and exactly what bottle to pair with what dish.)
To round out the meal, we tasted three different desserts -- chocolate macaron, apple tarte tatin, and orange jelly candy. All of these were pure heaven, but special props go to that chocolate macaron. Now I know why it's one of the signature dishes of the house. The chocolate cookie combined with the dark chocolate mousse is just pure decadence.
I can't say enough good things about Bardot Brasserie. I hope this place keeps Vegas classy -- and my belly full -- for a long time to come.
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