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| - Looking for a steakhouse without the pretentious and stuffy vibes? Go to Botero, located in the Esplanade (fancy word for walking area) at the Encore. With modern decor- black and white details, sleek furniture, cushioned pillars and a giant black Botero statue sitting atop a fountain in the middle of the circular dining room- Botero is a feast for the eyes as well as for one's stomach.
We got a table perfect for two right next to the giant Botero statue. And while my dining partner got a lovely view of the statue's derriere, I got a fantastic view of the pool area outside.
Anyways, on to the food- the best part about Botero.
The bread basket came with two types of bread- mini cranberry baguettes and a fun-shaped plain french roll- and a yummy cube of herb butter. The bread was warm, but the butter was cold (I assume to keep it's perfect cube shape), which made it difficult to scrape without worrying about it flying off the plate.
I ordered the Organic Roasted Chicken- quartered pieces of moist chicken (bone-in) roasted to perfection swimming in natural jus and topped off with a light frisee salad that had sweet roasted onions and shavings of roasted red tomatoes (or peppers) in it. Each component of the dish worked well together, balancing perfectly with one another to create a flavorful, savory & satisfying entree.
We also ordered a side of Broccoli with very small pieces of sun dried tomatoes and lots of garlic. The broccoli was fresh and green, and cooked well with still a bite to it. The sauce the broccoli was in was light and garlicky. Overall, a good choice.
I also tried a few pieces of the Bone-In Rib Eye 20 oz Chimichurri-style cooked medium plus (between medium and medium-well apparently). The Chimichurri crust was a bit too salty, but the meat itself was tender and flavorful.
Normally at fancy restaurants with high prices, you don't expect large portions. Well, expect large portions here. We were both surprised at the portion sizes, especially the chicken dish (20 oz steak is "to be expected" a lot of food). Needless to say, we were both full.
The service wonderful, the food delicious and the design playful and beautiful- What's not to like?
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