05.02.08
Review of Mon Ami Gabi, Las Vegas, Sunday February 2008
in the Paris Resort & Casino, 702-944-4224
Great for: simple food done very well, pretending you’re in Paris from 4000 miles away
On our last night in Vegas, it was just us birthday girls and our boyfriends. I did a little research on Zagat and this place came up as reasonably priced and very good. And it really is! It’s difficult to find a restaurant in that town with well-executed food that doesn’t require the sale of a kidney. It’s not in the best hotel, granted, but I think it’s kind of cute to walk into the Eiffel tower. Plus it’s across from the Caesar’s Palace shops, so after you’ve blown all your money on designer goodies you’ll still be able to have a good meal on your last $50.
I started with the sea scallops gratinées with sautéed onions underneath, which came in metal scallop shells on a bed of sea salt. They were delicious and flavorful, as was the cream of cauliflower soup with shrimp and chili flakes. We were really impressed. Also nervous, because we frequently find that when appetizers are very good, the entrées don’t live up to the meal’s early promise, which is doubly disappointing.
We needn’t have worried. We ordered filet mignon for the main course, the Boyfriend with shallots and red wine reduction, me au poivre with crème fraîche. (I am a firm believer that Vegas calories don’t count. Just like Vegas shopping doesn’t, although unfortunately Amex seems to disagree with me on that.) They were great! The steaks were cooked just the way we like them and we enjoyed both sauces. Our meat was accompanied by funny little pommes frites that looked like Chinese crackers. That’s the note I wrote myself – I can’t remember what I meant by that, but I know they were delicious. My friend S’s seared Arctic char over sweet potato purée looked like salmon and tasted like trout, and was also excellent.
I had two Gabi’s Cocktails, Lillet rouge and champagne, which were very tasty. We had a lovely waiter who was friendly and attentive but mainly left us to our own devices, exactly as we wanted. The place is huge. With basically three dining rooms and two bars, it’s pretty likely that you won’t have to wait long for a table. Its central location on the Strip is a big plus as well, so if you’ve just seen a show (as we saw the terrific Love in the Mirage) you can just walk over. This would be a very good bistro in New York; that it’s in Vegas and for normal budgets puts it on my permanent list.
Rating: 8 / 10
Our cost: $250 (4 people, 2 drinks per person)
Noise level: not too bad
Chance of walking in: good.
