Columnist Muriel Stevens: Epicurean event provides food for thought

Friday, Dec. 13, 2002 | 9:23 a.m.

Muriel Stevens' dining column appears Fridays. Her shopping and travel columns appear Wednesday. Reach her at (702) 259-4080 or muriel@lasvegassun.com.

Arecord turnout for the first annual Epicurean Club Fund-Raiser of more than 700 supporters assured that the dedicated group of food and beverage executives would soon be choosing their first scholarship students.

The event honored J. Terrence Lanni, chairman of the board and CEO of MGM MIRAGE; and Larry Ruvo, senior managing director of Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada, for the significant contributions both have made to our community and to the hospitality industry.

Among the many highlights of this outstanding event were the tributes to the honorees.

Ruvo's was a video highlighting his devotion to his three daughters, Nicole, Lauren Marie and Brianna Angelina and to his wife Camille.

Lanni's was a remarkable musical tribute performed by MGM Grand employees, who sang and performed as if this was their primary vocation. It was a stellar turn. Lanni and his wife Debbie were enthralled by the production.

Bulgari jewelers designed the handsome awards presented during the program -- an engraved gold medallion in a Bulgari signature presentation case.

An elegant reception prepared by a number of the singular MGM MIRAGE chefs preceded dinner.

Servers offered silver spoons filled with confit of duck and sweet black rice, smoked trout mousse, and Yukon Gold potatoes with Kalamata olives and fenugreek shallot jam.

NOBHILL, Pearl and Craft- Steak restaurants offered some of their house specialties at separate stations: forest mushroom cappuccino with porcini dust and yellow fin tuna carpaccio (NOBHILL); Peking duck, chicken and pork belly, Peking duck in a crepe, chicken in a bun with ginger sauce and garnishes of Nira grass, lemon cress and mustard cress (Pearl); Eden French feta cheese topped with a piquillo pimento salad of micro mizuma, garlic chips, pan-fried olive bread and poached quail egg (CraftSteak).

Wines at the reception: Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay 2000, Bollinger Special Cuvee NV, Trefethen Estate Merlot 1999, Hess Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 1998.

With each dinner course came a smashing selection of wines. Michael Mina's tender terrine of alderwood-smoked salmon with toasted brioche, osetra caviar and creme fraiche was accompanied by Edna Valley Chardonnay 2001, Clos du Bois Alexander Valley Chardonnay 2000, Robert Mondavi Carneros Chardonnay 2000 and Beringer Napa Valley Chardonnay.

Renoir's Alessandro Stratta (Mirage) presented Guarijo squash ravioli with a rich, savory salmis of duck. Wines: Chalone Pinot Noir 2000, Byron Santa Maria Pinot Noir 2000, Villa Mt. Eden Grand Reserve Pinot Noir 1999, Querceto Chianti Classico 2000.

Tom Colicchio's roasted and braised beef of sirloin and shortribs is one of the signatures at his CraftSteak restaurant. The succulent dish was enriched with slices of bone marrow, poached foie gras, roasted shallots and baby mustard greens. Wines: Ferrari-Carano Tresor 1997, Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1999, Chateau St. Jean Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon 1999, Quintessa 1999.

There was much discussion between courses about the food and wines. And much applause for the chefs, always generous contributors to good causes.

Pastry chefs Jean-Phillipe Maury (Bellagio) and Jean-Claude Canestrier (Paris) created an ideal dessert, a composition of caramelized pineapple and roasted candied pineapple sorbet with a Tahitian vanilla bean sauce.

Epicurean Club members actively participated in every phase of the event. Non-members Michael Severino and Sandy Peltyn coordinated and arranged the program. Cathy Ray (KTNV Channel 13 news anchor) and television personality John Daly were terrific emcees.

Entertainment was provided by St. Elizabeth of Seton Children's Choir with Music Director Dee Dee Bruncelle and impressionist Andre-Philippe Gagnon, who is headlining at Paris Las Vegas.

Epicurean Club's Educational Program is dedicated to supporting the future potential of Las Vegas youth by providing them with educational and practical experiences and opportunities, says Epicurean Club President Rino Armeni. The club is well on its way.

Viva la France: Bleu Blanc Rouge at Mandalay Bay, a new concept from China Grill Management's dynamic president/owner Jeffrey Chodorow, will soon open in the location formerly Rock Lobster. A soft opening is scheduled for Dec. 23; a grand opening will follow in January.

Bleu Blanc Rouge will join the other winning concepts developed by the global restaurant group. China Grill Management restaurants include the flagship China Grill in NYC and Asia de Cuba (sensational food and decor).

Other China Grill Management eateries can be found in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London. Soon, there will be a China Grill in Mexico City.

A walk-through of Bleu Blanc Rouge this week required a hard hat, but the restaurant is well underway. The Bleu portion is a cafe that will feature hors d'oeuvres, savory crepes, sandwiches, hamburgers, entrees and brunch all day.

Blanc, visible from the entrance, stars showcases filled with sandwiches, pastries, a juice bar, gelati and other take-away foods. Or, eat them at the tables in Bleu. Rouge, a brasserie, tablecloths and all, has a separate bar with food service where smoking is permitted.

A raw bar flanks one side of the dining room. At Rouge, diners will find all of the traditional brasserie foods, including cassoulet, bouillabaisse, steak frites (thinly sliced steak and French fries) hanger steak, grilled sausages and the famous seafood plateaus. Moules (mussels) mariniere, of course and sandwiches and hors d'oeuvres.

Breakfast and brunch are available all day. Beignets, too.

Executive Chef Francois Meulien is a charming man who cooked at Desert Inn's Monte Carlo room and later, moved to Paris Las Vegas, where he opened the Eiffel Tower Restaurant. He moved on to become Executive chef for Tres Jazz.

Pastry Chef Yoni Morales is the regional pastry for China Grill-Las Vegas' restaurants at Mandalay Bay -- rumjungle, China Grill, Red Square, and now Bleu Blanc Rouge. Morales' pastries are scrumptious. The fruit tart I tasted was gorgeous to look at and tasted every bit as good.

General Manager Michael Smuck has worked at a variety high-volume restaurants and most recently managed worked as general manager of the Beverly restaurant The Firm.

Items from all of the Bleu Blanc Rouge menus are offered wherever you choose to dine. There are few rules and much flexibility.

In typical French style, flower boxes offer privacy for couples who want to dine outside -- tables for two, only. The flower boxes were already in place when I was there Tuesday. Bleu Blanc Rouge will open daily at 6:30 a.m. for breakfast; lunch and dinner (same menu) hours are from 11 a.m. Reservations will be accepted for Rouge -- call 632-7405.

General manager of China Grill Management Las Vegas, Kelley Jones, will soon take off for Mexico to consult on the new China Grill property. He'll return before Bleu Blanc Rouge opens. I've got a question to ask him: When will Las Vegas have an Asia de Cuba restaurant? Probably never.

They're mostly in chic, small boutique hotels that would fit into the lobby of one of our towering high-rises.

Take-Away feast for Christmas: Bellagio Executive Chef Grant MacPherson and his award-winning chefs have created three Christmas dinners to be enjoyed at home, Turkey ($100), prime rib ($130) or rack of lamb ($150).

Included with the turkey dinner are curried sweet potato soup, cornbread stuffing, giblet gravy, mashed potatoes, buttered carrots, green beans with bacon, cranberry relish, a selection of holiday breads, pumpkin pie and holiday cookies.

Choose prime rib and enjoy traditional Caesar salad, salt-crusted beef, Yorkshire pudding, roasted Yukon Gold potatoes, Brussel sprouts and corn on the cob and creamed horseradish. And a selection of holiday breads, Bellagio pecan pie and cookies.

With the rack of lamb comes a bisque of Maine lobster, herb-crusted Colorado lamb, fingerling potatoes, creamed spinach, Roma tomatoes with basil, Bellagio's mint jelly, red onion chutney, a selection of holiday breads, a Christmas log and holiday cookies.

Each dinner serves five.

Order forms may be picked up at Cafe Gelato or the Bellagio chef's office or call Ewart Wardhaugh -- 693-7372. A minimum of 24 hours notice is required for pick-up. Pick-up hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 20 through Dec. 25. Meals are neatly packed in containers designed for safe arrival.

Ortanique Las Vegas: Ortanique restaurant at Paris Las Vegas is now serving brunch/lunch Thursday through Saturday, only. This lovely island themed eatery is located in the promenade that connects Bally's and Paris.

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