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| - A Steak so SOFT and TENDER that it can be mistaken for Wagyu?!?!?
I'm a total Carniwhore and love my red meat! Ever since trying the Australian Wagyu at CUT (Palazzo) last year, NO steak has ever compared until recently. I'm in NO way comparing a USDA Steak to Wagyu b/c wagyu is on a whole other caliber w/ its intense richness from the marbling. However, for the price and quality, Mon Ami Gabi served THE BEST FILET MIGNON I've ever had in my life!
On Friday, 2/18/11, my friends and I came to MAG for dinner (this was my 2nd visit). Our party of 7 had reservations for 8 PM. We wanted to sit at the outdoor patio but there's a 40 min wait b/c it's a "First Come, First Serve" for patio seating (even w/ reservations). We waited for about 25 mins before being seated at the patio.
F O O D
*CHICKEN LIVER MOUSSE w/ Burgundy Red Wine Mustard ($9.95): OMG, one of the best, if not THE BEST pate I've ever had!
The pate was so smooth that it spread like a fine triple cream butter on the warm country toast. As you bit into the bread, you get a toasty crispness followed by the rich velvety savoryness from the pate. The sweet and tangy red wine mustard nicely balanced out the richness of the pate and brought together the entire app.
*WARM BRIE CHEESE w/ Black Pepper Honey & Hazelnuts ($10.95): MOUTH-WATERING!
One cut into the rind and the warm brie OOZED out like lava. Slather the melted brie on the accompanying toasted croutons w/ a little black pepper honey and bits of hazelnut and you get the perfect texture contrast of crisp and soft and flavor combos of creamy, buttery, savory, earthy, nutty w/ a mild pungency, tang, and spice. It was definitely a tantalizing experience for your taste buds.
*FILET MIGNON ROQUEFORT - Special Request ($31.95): THE BEST FILET I'VE EVER HAD!
I requested the 8 oz filet cooked medium rare. As I started to cut my filet, I noticed it took minimal effort as the steak cut like butter which is always a good indicator of a good steak. It was perfectly seared to a medium rare w/ a warm pink center. I took the first bite w/o the bleu cheese sauce and the steak was perfectly seasoned; just enough to bring out the natural beefy flavor of the filet. A gentle slather of the bleu cheese sauce added a creamy pungency that gave the steak a "bite" to it while the arugula gave a pop of bitterness to help round out the richness. With each chew, the juice oozed out from the fibers and the filet was so soft and tender that it literally melted like butter in my mouth (similar to a fine wagyu minus the richness).
The accompanying frites were like lightly salted sliced chips and were addicting to say the least. I ate it w/ the filet to give it a crispy texture contrast and we each saved some for some drunken morning eats. The frites did hold up its crispy texture until the next morning.
*GARLIC SPINACH ($6.95): GOOD!
The spinach was perfectly cook which was indicated by its vibrant green color. It was soft w/ a slight bite to it and very garlicky. The slight bitterness was the perfect accompaniment to our rich meal.
V A L U E
For a French Steakhouse on the Vegas Strip, MAG is very affordable.
We ordered 4 apps to share (we also ordered the mussels and crab cakes which I didn't try) and each person had their own entrée and our bill was ONLY $40/person including tax and tip! That's even cheaper than my dinner last night at a Chinese restaurant in SF's Chinatown!
S E R V I C E
Friendly, but lacks organization and efficiency.
When it started raining, patrons sitting outside started running in. We asked our waiter if we could sit inside. He said in a condescending tone, "You'll have to ask the Manager." Seriously, WTF?!?! If it was in the forecast that it was going to rain, WHY would you let patrons dine outside w/o any back up plan in the first place? One of my friends talked to the manager and he did find us a table in 5 mins which was a redeeming factor.
Our second waiter was friendly and attentive, although it took over 15 mins to get the bread. Despite this, our apps did come out several mins upon receiving the bread and our entrees 5 mins upon finishing our apps. She also checked on us several times to make sure we were doing ok.
A M B I A N C E / D É C O R
MAG is a very spacious and charming French Bistro. It's has a classy feel w/o being pretentious. The large indoor dining area has multiple rooms and the outdoor patio sets the stage for the perfect scenic brunch or dinner as you get views of the Bellagio Fountain Water Show across the street and the glitzy night lights of the Vegas Strip.
When it comes to Vegas, I'm all about "Go Big OR Go Home", however w/ MAG, there is NO need to. MAG serves delectable classic French at a fraction of the cost of upscale restaurants on the Strip w/o sacrificing quality and ambiance.
Come to MAG and use the $$$ you save here for gambling, shopping or in my case, GOOSE which is NO surprise to those that know me...
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