| rev:text
| - As others say below, this is a very experimental place. It's not cheap, and it's not a "classic" tasting menu. The concept is captured in the name - not like Olive Garden or Cheesecake Factory (emphasis on the Factory) - but in Twist. It truly is a twist of ingredients, preparations, and tastes. And if you are adventurous, it's amazing. If you like the other places I named earlier, you'll hate this and run back to your bucket of chicken across the street.
First off, the entrance is spectacular. From the moment you set foot in the Mandarin hotel you leave the strip and are in another place. A calm place, and a relaxing place. Getting off on the 23rd floor, you walk through a candle lit hallway to the maitre d' who immediately greets you and escorts you to your table. I could do without the pause to print out something like a receipt for her records (tacky) but that's a small point.
The space is wonderful. It's modern, just bright enough to not be annoying, and the views are enough Vegas to be there, but not so much that you feel like you need to hit a George Wallace show. From the hanging butterflies in the entrance to the hanging bubble lights throughout... spot on.
We had the 6 course tasting menu. As others have mentioned, it is really more like 18 courses as each course comes with three dishes. Unlike other tasting menus I've had (and there have been many) the portions are quite large. Be aware that the main courses are fit for an a la carte main course. Pace yourself. You'll need it.
We learned a long time ago to not do the wine pairing. I love wine pairings, but after a pre-dinner Champagne, the wife and I can be too drunk to remember anything else. Get a bottle. The markup is incredible, but the selection has enough variety that you'll find something you can work with.
The food is... different. No, interesting. No, surprising. No, shocking. No, (consults thesaurus). No, all of those. And really good.
I don't remember all the specifics (taking notes is tacky) but one course sticks out in my mind - julianne radishes beneath a robust red wine gelato. Yeah. That's what I'm talking about. Different. Delicious. Shocking. Amazing.
The seafood is fresh, the preparation perfect, the presentation excellent, and the variety can't be messed with.
The service is impeccable without being stuffy or overbearing. Sure, they walk you to the bathroom (I always find this both helpful and odd), but they don't have a "character" like some other places. The wait staff seemed like they were enjoying their jobs - and if you didn't like something (which is possible) they were ok with that. If you didn't finish a course, they weren't insulted but rather interested in what worked and what didn't for you.
There are a lot of deserts to the menu and I can't stress that the portions are quite large. You will be exhausted by the end of this, but in a good way. Your palet will be exhausted, too. It's a food workout.
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