Friday, Sept. 26, 2003 | 9:22 a.m.
Muriel Stevens' dining column appears Fridays. Her shopping and travel columns appear Wednesday. Reach her at (702) 259-4080 or [email protected].
Saturday night's March of Dimes fund-raiser at The Rio, Star Chefs of Las Vegas, was a tour de force for the venerable organization.
The cocktail hour included a splendid array of silent auction items ranging from gift baskets to works of art. Competition for the myriad items was fierce as bidders gathered around the display tables, hoping their bid would be the winning amount.
The dining room had not yet opened, but I wanted to preview the food and to visit with the chefs. William Becker, The Rio's executive chef and director of culinary operations, is always a fine coordinator. This year was no exception.
I had anticipated some changes in the layout of the ballroom, but what was done was a knockout. The room was a riot of colors with black as the background. Huge balloons floated above the tables, and rising above the floral centerpieces were miniature carousel horses.
In the center of the room, food stations were arranged in a crisscross design that gave everyone easy access to the food and to the chefs. Of course, chefs from all The Rio's restaurants were there.
Chris Crotty from Fiore offered Coyote free-range fried chicken and Auntie and Mama's biscuits with coffee gravy. Mark Fleming offered andouille sausage "pops," succulent New Orleans-style sausage on a stick and Brie de France slaw. Antonio's chef, Pete Ghione, featured Fontina cheese paupiettes with an heirloom tomato sauce. Busios Joseph Hamel presented gougonnette of grouper, battered pieces of fish tempura-style.
Korey Konopasek of Toscano's Deli offered mouth-watering grilled Bavarian sausages, soft pretzel bread and big "hairy" green pickles. All American Bar & Grill Chef Christpher Matta cooked up a mess of zesty Black Canyon beef and red bean chili, served with jalapeno corn bread and spiced venison jerky, and Toscano's Bakery Chef Randy Sebastian tempted with Truck Stop apple pie a la mode and a sludge of fudge.
The apple tart was super; Bamboleo's Hectar Nunez offered honey and jalapeno watermelon martinis and tasty Acapulco lobster tamales and crispy chocolate-pistachio churros. The cluster of Rio stations were a pretty sight.
Gaylord's at The Rio Indian restaurant offered a buffet of Indian dishes prepared by Chef Ashwani Kumar. Tandoori breads, samosas lamb and chicken kabobs and an Indian dessert, gulab jamun, were among the aromatic selections.
Eating this way, walking from station to station, is dangerous. It's so easy to pick up a selection of small succulent dishes, eat them and then go back for more. Even sharing bites with table-mates doesn't limit the number of calories consumed, but it's a spree that's worth it.
Dara D'Anzi, executive sous chef at Emeril's Delmonico Steakhouse at The Venetian, delivered tidbits of seared sirloin with barbecued charred onions and fire-roasted corn relish. Emeril's New Orleans Fish House at MGM Grand hotel was represented by Chef Jean Paul Labadie, who cooked up some briny rock shrimp served with cipollini onion risotto.
All of the Wolfgang Puck Spago properties were there, and so were the chefs. Side by side were Corporate Chef David Robins, Spago Chef de Cuisine Eduardo Perez (heirloom tomato salad with ricotta cheese), Corporate Pastry Chef Christopher Ithurritze (delectable Amoretta apple cake with caramel sauce), Lupo's Executive Chef Mark Ferguson (red striped shrimp with orzo), Chinois' Scott Irestone (who captured our fancy with lobster and shrimp spring rolls with black bean sauce), and Postrio's John Lagrone offered a soothing white corn chowder with Dungeness crab and Chanterelle mushrooms.
The selection of food and desserts was awesome. Marc Djolija of Spago Cafe at MGM Grand made the best plump prime beef sliders. So tall were these sliders it took a tall mouth to be able to take the first bite -- soooo good.
A number of chefs offered scallops in different guises, all wonderful. House of Blues Foundation Room Chef Russell Grabe at Mandalay Bay proffered grilled, herb-marinated dry pack scallops with sweet corn truffled risotto. Rosemary's and Rosemary's at The Rio owner/chefs Michael and Wendy Jordan offered seared sea scallops with oven-roasted tomatoes and a baby green bean salad.
Stephen Marshall of the Ritz Carlton, Lake Las Vegas presented sliced sea scallops atop Moroccan blini made with eggplant. The flavors were distinctive. Sea scallops never before tasted so good or looked so beautiful.
It was a pleasure watching David Feau from Lutece at The Venetian saute foie gras and then top the hot, savory liver with apples and roasted zucchini. I'm happy to report that Chef Feau is becoming a presence at Lutece Las Vegas. He now divides his time between Lutece New York and Las Vegas.
Carlos Guia of Commander's Palace at the Aladdin offered homemade Creole mozzarella with heirloom tomatoes and the restaurant's signature pecan pralines. Wild Sage Chef/partner Wes Kendrick featured crab salad on profiterole with watercress and oranges and an amazing array of gourmet cookies and assorted brownies.
The small cakes had been baked by his chef/partner and brother-in-law, Stan Colton. The display was the creation of his sister, managing partner Laurie Kendrick.
Aureole's new Executive Chef Philippe Rispoli, previously at The Mansions at MGM Grand, presented prawns and a delicious tomato tart Tatin. The talented young chef will be doing a cooking demonstration at Williams-Sonoma Oct. 6. Call Aureole for additional information. He will prepare a tasting dinner at the private Stirling Club at Turnberry Towers on Oct. 16.
Chef Luciano Pellegrini blew me away when he introduced me to burrata cheese -- soft fresh mozzarella wrapped around a mix of ricotta and mascarpone cheese. Luciano prepared a plate of variegated heirloom tomatoes, filled the center with chunks of the buratta, drizzled over a bit of olive oil then topped it all with shavings of white summer truffles. Superb. I'll not rest until I find the highly perishable, but unforgettable, buratta.
Of course, there was more. Hawaiian-style misuyaki butterfish was offered by Chef Ryan Anthony Leto of Roy's on East Flamingo Road. Pinot Brasserie at The Venetian offered Chef Honorio Mecinas' blissful pancetta-crusted ahi tuna. Cili's Patton Robertson prepared an edamame puree with grilled shiitake mushrooms and tobiko caviar on a crisp taro root chip.
Viaggio Chef/owner Brett Rosselli offered crab ravioli served in a lobster Parmesan cheese sauce, and Chef Eric Rutsky of The Steakhouse at Circus Circus featured aged prime rib and raspberry creme brulee.
And still more. Aladdin hotel Executive Chef Mark Sherline presented dinner-size plates of molasses-cured smoked duck breast and Chanterelle salad; and JW Marriott Executive Chef Peter Sherlock offered yet another delicious sea seared scallop version. Sherlock's vision included micro greens and a truffled morel beef ragout as a bed for the scallops.
Event Chairman Bill Martin kept the speeches short and the humor delightful. Much money was raised for MOD's "Helping Babies" programs. It was a thoroughly delightful evening.
Short orders
Or should we say, not-so-short orders:
Mandalay Bay continues to make its mark on the local dining scene.
Among those newly inked are Alain Ducasse, who will open his latest concept, Mix, an American-European eatery that will assuredly be pricey, but much less than his celebrated namesake New York restaurant. How posh will it be? It's rumored that reservations are required for the bar. Mix will be on the top floor of the stunning new all-suite Mandalay tower.
And Rick Moonen will bring rm to Mandalay Place, a fun, casual seafood bar and cafe on two levels. Moonen's Oceana in NYC was a huge success. He is considered to be one the top seafood chefs in the country. His rm will feature indoor/outdoor dining.
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