| rev:text
| - Compared to the grand scale of most Strip restaurants, Andre's has always been exceptionally intimate, the perfect place for an undistracted romantic repast. But while it was once all old world elegance, the room has now been remade with Art Deco motifs contrasting complementary patterns of blue, rust, cream and brown--still subdued, but also convivial and whimsical. The ample staff augments that spirit with warm but studious service.
If you simply ordered a Caesar Salad (garnished with rare Tete de Moine cheese) and a fine Prime Angus Ribeye (finished in an inky pinot noir reduction) you would likely be happy here. But why not play a little? Rochat and his Chef de Cuisine Gary LaMorte produce some memorably creative turns on French classics augmented by fresh ingredients and peppy presentation.
Be daring, as I was, and plunge into that signature Foie Gras Martini--half aperitif, half appetizer--the earthy fresh pate dissolved and shaken with chilled vodka and poured (over fresh huckleberries, on my visit) in a glass as tall as your eye level. An almost milkshaky savory sweet delight, it is a decadence best shared.
Of the many worthy first courses, I could have happily entertained the caramelized pork belly, frisee & warm oxtail confit salad, traditional escargot, or the popular onion soup au gratin, but was happily diverted with the uncommon farm raised abalone, the toothy shellfish providing a worthy canvas to an heirloom tomato and almandine potage, balanced with a subtle celery root mousse in the shell. A Cajun-inspired spicy crayfish bisque en croute followed, hot and peppery with delicate meat.
Though I've enjoyed Andre's elegantly delicate Dover Sole Veronique in the past, I was just as delighted with the modern take on Muscovy Duck Breast, lightly crusted and remarkably tender, accompanied by wild mushrooms, a tricolore of near-liquid gnocchi and a flourish of tart pomegranate sauce. Venison loin, vegetable risotto and veal pot au feu were other intriguing selections. Desserts follow suit with rousing revisions of the classics.
Such a meal of course practically demands the grape; Wine Director Claudio Vigani oversees a substantial but digestible list, bolstered by Burgundy and Bordeaux verticals but also offering impressive bottles from California and around the world.
Andre's has yet another hidden surprise in its upstairs cigar and cognac lounge, one of the only places left on the Strip dedicated to enjoying a leisurely smoke. With possibly the biggest cognac and brandy collection west of the Mississippi, it punctuates the experience with panache.
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)
![[cxml]](/fct/images/cxml_doc.png)
![[csv]](/fct/images/csv_doc.png)
![[text]](/fct/images/ntriples_doc.png)
![[turtle]](/fct/images/n3turtle_doc.png)
![[ld+json]](/fct/images/jsonld_doc.png)
![[rdf+json]](/fct/images/json_doc.png)
![[rdf+xml]](/fct/images/xml_doc.png)
![[atom+xml]](/fct/images/atom_doc.png)
![[html]](/fct/images/html_doc.png)