Friday, Jan. 19, 2001 | 9:09 a.m.
Muriel Stevens' dining column appears Fridays. Her shopping columns and travel columns appear Wednesdays. Reach her at 259-4080 or muriel@ lasvegassun.com.
Dining at Michael Mina's Aqua restaurant at Bellagio is always a joy, yet I'd never dined at the original in San Francisco. Since the opening here of the Bay Area's acclaimed seafood restaurant, I'd yearned to experience Aqua, San Francisco.
During a recent visit to San Francisco I dined at Aqua the day I arrived. Dinner was, as I expected it to be, exceptional. And so are the people who made Aqua happen.
Partners Charles Condy and Michael Mina are a fine fit. Condy, the owner of Aqua's parent company, New Century Restaurants Inc., is an internationally recognized pioneer in the geothermal energy industry. He is the owner of the California Energy Company, a geothermal industry giant.
This savvy businessman with a keen appreciation for fine food and wine opened Aqua in San Francisco's financial district in 1991, with Mina and another partner (no longer involved) applying the same simple formula to the restaurant business that had worked so well for him in other enterprises: "Businesses all rest on the same three pillars: the right location; the right people; your good business sense."
Mina, 32, has spent more than half his life cooking. At age 15 the high school student worked in a French bistro owned by his best friend's father. He was 19 and a full-time student at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., when he inveigled his way into the kitchens of Aureole in New York City by convincing the owner, uber Chef Charlie Palmer, to let him work weekends.
Mina's passion for cooking and creating new dishes is never-ending. He's romantic as well. The signature caviar parfait -- a crisp potato cake topped with layers of smoked salmon, salmon tartar, horseradish creme fraiche and osetra caviar -- was created for his bride on his honeymoon. The divine caviar parfait is available at both Aqua restaurants.
Diners can order from the a la carte menu -- appetizers start at $11; entrees at $29; or experience one of Aqua's tasting menus featuring signature dishes -- five courses, $75; eight courses, $95. A five-course vegetarian tasting menu is $55. Wine pairings for each course are available for an additional fee.
Our tasting dinner began with a glorious caviar tasting presented on four small, square, white plates nestled together on a larger plate. It was all so beautiful. A mini caviar parfait, salmon caviar with potato-crusted turbot and caviar atop a poached quail egg. The salmon caviar is purchased in the skein and processed at Aqua. Each egg is plump and sleek with little trace of the oil usually found in commercially processed salmon roe; the quail egg was so perfect it was almost surreal.
Aqua's tuna tartar is a fine example of Mina's skill in blending flavor elements. Just a little too much of the Scotch Bonnet chile infused sesame oil and the tartar would be overwhelmed -- instead, the balance is so fine the oil adds just a delicious tingle.
Following the tartar came succulent lobster meat with shavings of fresh black truffle and caramelized onions, delicate miso-glazed sea bass in a roasted shiitake consomme, a lovely salmon Wellington, foie gras (a house specialty) two ways -- a crusted torchon with candied walnuts and seared foie gras with chestnut puree and a huckleberry reduction. And finally, the remarkable Aqua lobster pot pie with a whole lobster, white truffles and root vegetables. Each component of this tasty dish is cooked separately, then topped with a flaky crust.
The dinner was a tour de force for Mina and Chef de Cuisine Jay Wetzel. Many of these dishes are available at Aqua at Bellagio, where Executive Chef Mark LoRusso, formerly with Aqua San Francisco is the star.
Our splendid meal ended with a sampler of scrumptious desserts created by pastry chef Eric Shelton, and pear cognac (Francois Peyraud).
Aqua's wine list includes at least 310 wines from California, Oregon, France, Italy, Germany, Spain and New Zealand. The wines, chosen by Master Sommelier William Sherer, paired with our tasting were delightful and well priced. A few were exclusive to Aqua's collection.
Sherer is one of the most friendly, down-to-earth wine masters I've ever met. Some years ago this former would-be "techie" majoring in computer business found his true destiny when he attended the Monterey Wine Festival after taking a "Wines of the World" course at college. He went to the festival "most of all, because I wanted to know why people pay so much for a good wine." Sherer's wine list includes a number of good wines that are moderately priced.
Aqua's interior is warm and inviting, with muted colors on plaster walls and intricate theater-style lighting that flatters everyone, yet is not dim. High ceilings, soaring windows and oversized windows are stylish, but not pretentious. The spacious dining room is separated from the popular slightly curved, 20-foot-long maple bar by three square columns. Stylish and unusual flower arrangements fill the dining room. It's a visual feast.
Lively and somewhat noisy at peak hours, Aqua is a delicious ongoing happening.
Bordeaux tasting: A special tasting of Bordeaux wines will take place at Zeffirino restaurant at the Venetian on Thursday. The super tasting, sponsored by the Wine Institute of Las Vegas in cooperation with the Venetian, will include wines from Chateau Lagrange, Chateau Haut-Bailly and Chateau D'Issan. More than 15 wines will be tasted.
In attendance will be Marcel Ducasse, managing director of Chateau Lagrange; Emmanuel Cruse, owner of Chateau D'Issan; and Veronique Sanders, director of Chateau Haut-Bailly. All are renowned winemakers who run their respective Chateaux.
The all-inclusive price, $185, includes a champagne reception and six-course dinner. Space is limited. For reservations call Zefferino no later than Wednesday.
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