Columnist Muriel Stevens: Bellagio chef MacPherson cooks up a fine celebration

Friday, Sept. 14, 2001 | 9:18 a.m.

Muriel Stevens' dining column appears Fridays. Her shopping and travel columns appear Friday. Reach her at 259-4080 or muriel@lasvegassun.com.

How does a talented Strip chef spend his vacation? If you're Bellagio Executive Chef Grant MacPherson you fly to Bali to cook a grand meal at the posh Legian hotel, "A quiet haven at the sea," for the hotel's fifth anniversary celebration.

Wine & Dine with Chef Grant MacPherson is the highlight of the splendid anniversary weekend. For this special event Chef Grant has created a terrific menu: a composition of rare-wood pigeon on thin slices of artichoke heart with wild arugula and champagne grape chutney as a piquant accent; sweet water yabbies (small fish) with Asian guacamole and pepper oil; fennel-crusted blue-eye cod with a salad of truffled Brussel sprouts and a swirl of wild mushroom emulsion; braised beef short ribs in a tian of baby leeks, wrapped with a ribbon of leek green, topped with a julienne of deep-fried leeks and crushed Kifler potato on a Shiraz jus.

Dessert is a tempting Valrhona chocolate tart topped with a mixed berry sorbet, garnished with a crisp basil tuile (cookie), and on the side, purple basil sauce with a sprig of purple basil. A divine mix of flavors.

Each course will be paired with select wines from Napa's Beringer Winery.

The Legian, Bali, is an exclusive all-suite hotel with spectacular views of the Indian Ocean. Legian's General Manager Hans Meier is a longtime friend of Chef Grant. The two worked together when Grant was the executive chef at the legendary Raffles hotel in Singapore. This was just one of many luxury hotels where the chef held top positions.

Chef Grant's culinary skills have been recognized in a number of culinary publications. Most recently he was profiled in the premiere issue of Great Chefs magazine. I have no doubt he'll dazzle the guests at the Legian's fifth-anniversary celebration.

Andre's Private Label wines: Andre Rochat and his partner, Mary Jane Jarvis, hosted a small dinner party recently in celebration of the release of Andre's private-label wines that are being introduced at select wine stores. The wines are also available at Andre's restaurants.

It took many trips to France before Andre found the wines he wanted. He wanted them to be affordable and, most important of all, to give good value.

There are four wines, a champagne and a cognac. Retail prices range from $22-$40. The nonvintage Chanteclair champagne is a delicious, yeasty wine with long-lasting effervescence. The top-of-the-line Chanteclair St. Emilion, Chateau Grand Bert Grand Cru is a delicious wine with a smooth, soft finish.

Dinner, of course, was designed to compliment each wine: chilled celery root, English pea, red bell pepper and Roma tomato soup was a work of art, each color of the smooth purees delicately blended into each other, yet apart; crispy and tender veal sweetbreads sauteed with parsley and leek with a sauce made with Pinot Noir; tasty breast of squab atop a risotto cake; a captivating Concord grape sorbet; an Andre classic -- sauteed pork tenderloin stuffed with dried fruit served with tiny herbed spaetzle, followed by sauteed tournedos of Prime beef with foie gras and truffle sauce.

A delicate Vacherin glace (meringue with ice cream) a la Andre for dessert and finally, coffee and petits fours and Andre's private label Cognac by A. de Fussigny. Most all of the dishes served are regularly featured on Andre's menu. For more information about Andre's private-label wines call the restaurant's Sixth Street location.

Short orders

New at Treasure Island: Kahunaville at Treasure Island is a jazzy new hot spot with island food ranging from coconut shrimp and Jamaican jerk chicken (hot stuff, mon) to teriyaki-ginger steak and Hawaiian pork tenderloin. Don't miss the exotic drinks and the acclaimed bartenders who cause quite a stir. The Kahunaville chain was named Hot Concepts winner by Nation's Restaurant News and has received two of the First Annual Industry Choice Awards. Kahunaville is open daily, 11 a.m.-1 a.m., and is located across from the Mystere Theater. The bar is open until 2 a.m.

All things come ... : MGM Grand will celebrate the opening of its new restaurant parking Jan. 2. Diners will be able to park and take just a few steps to the restaurants on Studio Walk. There's more. Dragon Court Chinese restaurant is no more. A new Tony Chi-designed Chinese eatery, The Pearl, is on its way.

Price changes: Treasure Island buffet price changes: breakfast Monday through Friday, $7.99; lunch, $8.99; dinner, $12.99; Saturday and Sunday Champagne Brunch, $12.99.

Excalibur's Roundtable Buffet price changes: breakfast every day, $7.99; lunch daily, $8.99; prime rib and shrimp dinner, $10.49. Price and times may vary weekends and holidays. Youngsters 4-12, $1 less at breakfast or lunch, $2 off at dinner. Children 3 and under, no charge.

Biochem candies at 7-Eleven: 7-Eleven stores have joined with Biochem Sports and Fitness Systems in introducing a new line of high-protein chocolate candies. Ultimate Protein Candy, chocolate pieces, peanut butter cups and chocolate chews sell for $1.49 each, and like most things that are said to be good for you will never replace the real thing. UPC have between 5 to 10 grams of protein and 150 to 260 calories.