Columnist Muriel Stevens: At outing at sensational Spago should be savored

Friday, July 9, 1999 | 9:10 a.m.

Muriel Stevens' dining column appears Fridays. Her shopping column appears Wednesdays. Reach her via e-mail at muriel@vegas.com or 259-4080.

Dinner at Spago in the Forum Shops is always an adventure. I still remember the thrill of dining for the first time at Spago Las Vegas. It was a memorable event, not only for the joy of being able to dine locally at an acclaimed restaurant owned by celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck, but because it was everything it was touted to be:

Outstanding food and superior service without pretense, and a staff dedicated to seeing that diners had a fine experience.

Those same Spago standards continue to attract sell-out crowds at all the Puck Las Vegas restaurants -- Chinois in the Forum Shops and Lupo at Mandalay Bay. Soon there will be a clone of the San Francisco Postrio at the Venetian.

Spago's cafe and dining room menus change daily, yet always include the most requested dishes.

A recent dinner at Spago was a reminder of how much I enjoy this always wonderful place.

Spago Executive Chef/Partner David Robins is constantly creating new recipes. The trouble is I can never make up my mind about which ones to order.

Four of us were dining, but I couldn't get those spoilsports to agree to order different things. One ordered the free-range chicken with the garlic mashed potatoes (one of those most requested favorites). Another friend is a vegetarian. Not a problem for the kitchen, but it was for me. I wanted more than healthy choices.

My constant dining companion never lets me down, but she wanted the same things I wanted.

Thwarted in my attempts to coerce my guests into ordering such starters as baked Prince Edward Island mussels with tomato-eggplant fondue in puff pastry ($9.75) or smoked sturgeon on one of those crunchy-crisp potato galettes (pancake) that I can never get enough of ($13.50), I opted for the warm mushroom salad with crisp polenta, roasted garlic and a champagne vinaigrette.

It seems so easy to grill a mushroom -- the mushroom should be fairly large and meaty; it should not be placed so close to the heat that it becomes carbonized, yet you want the flavor of the grill to come through. Seldom do I get a mushroom (especially a portabella) that's cooked properly. My mushroom salad ($13), topped with triangles of crisp polenta, was terrific. The mushrooms had the just-right smoky flavor and were not overcooked.

Big-eye tuna sashimi with avocado, sweet Maui onions, daikon sprouts and ponzu sauce was a sensation.

Our entrees were exceptional -- cornmeal-crusted soft shell crab ($25) served in a deep bowl, was surrounded by manilla clams, leeks and potatoes and a creamy sage sauce. Such a winning combination. The plump clams filled the shell.

I do abhor those desiccated excuses served as steamed clams these days. If the clams do not reasonably fill the shells and have a gloss to them, back they go to the chef. Of course, at Spago the seafood and shellfish are scrupulously fresh.

Our vegetarian devoured his tasty pasta with a ragout of baby zucchini, pine nuts and shaved Parmesan ($18).

Dessert is an important part of a Spago meal. Pastry Chef Mary Bergin comes up with some delectable creations. My group was finally in agreement. We would share desserts ($6-$7.50).

Again, we had some tough choices to make so we let the kitchen make them for us. Instead of a sampler plate, at Chef David's suggestion, we had individual desserts. As always, I got to divide the desserts. Growing up with three siblings meant having to have a keen eye when sharing. I still do.

A rustic strawberry-rhubarb tart with vanilla-pistachio ice cream, a Spago classic -- fresh berries and vanilla creme brulee in a puff pastry shell; a crunchy chocolate dome encasing a chocolate mousse with a heart of chocolate almond toffee; and a trio of fresh fruit sorbets served in a large brown sugar tuile (crisp cookie) were scrumptious choices.

Yes, we ate all of them, reveling in every blissful mouthful.

Service in the more casual cafe is continuous from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., daily. Dining room hours are from 5:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday; 6 p.m. on weekdays. Reservations (requested) are accepted until 10 p.m.

Canoletta at Venetian

Now open at the Venetian is another winning concept from the founder and chief executive officer of the Il Fornaio chain, Larry Mindel.

Located on the Grand Canal level, Canaletto offers a menu of Venetian specialties developed by Executive Chef and Vice President/Partner Maurizio Mazzon (a native of Venice) and Chef de Cuisine/Partner Luigi Bomparola.

Showcased are a variety of fresh fish that can be ordered by the pound. There's even a fish market showcase window visible from the outside. The whole fish (market price) can be ordered baked under a salt crust, mesquite grilled or oven baked with cherry tomatoes, potatoes, black olives, capers, mushrooms, rosemary, garlic and lemon.

An appetizer of imported salt cod is baked in milk with onions and capers and served with grilled polenta ($7.50). Salads ($5.50-$7.95), a small selection of pizzas ($9.95-$13.50), a variety of risottos ($12.95-$28.95), pastas ($11.95-$17.50), grilled or rotisseried steak and poultry ($14.95-$26.95) and fish and seafood ($18.95-$25.95) are featured.

The traditional breads of Venice are baked daily. There's an exhibition kitchen and a chef's table for those who like to watch the action in the kitchen while dining.

The decor and design are smashing.

For reservations, call 414-1000.