Friday, April 4, 2003 | 8:37 a.m.
Muriel Stevens' dining column appears Fridays. Her shopping and travel columns appear Wednesday. Reach her at (702) 259-4080 or [email protected].
Breaking new ground is nothing new for Chef/entrepreneur Charlie Palmer. Palmer's Aureole in New York and in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay are the recipients of many awards, not only for the food, but for the exceptional wine selection.
His Healdsburg (Sonoma, Calif.) restaurant and boutique hotel is another winning concept. Featured are the wines and foods of Sonoma in a beautiful wine country setting. An updated version of his Charlie Palmer Steak at the Four Seasons, with added touches of Aureole, will open May 1 in Washington, D.C., at 101 Constitution Ave. NW.
And this week, Palmer signed an agreement with the private Stirling Club at Turnberry Place to take over all food operations, including the catering. Imagine having a wedding dinner prepared by the Charlie Palmer Group.
Michael Gilbert, who oversees the Sofer family properties, is the company's expert when it comes to private clubs. His -- and the Sofers' -- philosophy is that a private club is an extension of a member's home.
How does he feel about Charlie Palmer?
"Charlie's passion for what he does is the same as ours; to bring Old World traditions and standards for personal service that's above and beyond," he said. "It's a tremendous marriage for both of us. Stirling Club is the only private club in the country to have a chef of Charlie Palmer's stature overseeing its food programs."
Richard Feminella, business and financial chief for Charlie Palmer Group, has been commuting to D.C., supervising the building of the new Charlie Palmer Steak.
What did Feminella think about this new venture?
"It's a step to the future," he said. "Because of the closed environment, we're going to be able to do extraordinary things at the Stirling Club that we've never been able to do before. Charlie can tell you more."
And so he did.
This is a totally new departure for Palmer, but he's ready for the challenge. He laughed when I asked how this new project would fit into his already full schedule.
"We're at a level I like to be. We have tons to do, yet everything is working smoothly. Turnberry is an incredible facility, and I think it's a place where we can do something special.
"A good portion of the problem when looking for another location is finding something that looks the way the Stirling Club does," he continued. "It's got everything it takes to be able to present fine dining and special wine and dining events. I intend to get to know the members and to learn what they like. I'm enthused about the catering opportunities. The grounds and gardens lend themselves to a variety of creative settings."
Palmer anticipates a June debut.
"The menu will showcase classy, impeccably prepared grill items," Palmer said. Many special events are being planned along with entertainment.
The Stirling Club will remain a private club available only to members and guests. For information about the various memberships, call 732-9700.
Polenz mainstreams menu: It was nice having a Polish eatery with authentic dishes, but some things are changing at Polenz at 1243 E. Sahara Ave. at Maryland Parkway. As the server said when asked why buckwheat groats (kasha) was no longer on the menu, "So few people ordered it; there was too much waste."
During a recent upgrading of the pot-holed parking lot, Polenz spruced up the place.
I'd rather have kasha.
Polenz gives diners lots of food for little money. The special Polish sampler platter is a bargain at $16.95. My friend and I shared it and had food left over. Included are two kinds of Polish sausage, kielbasa and barley sausage; one stuffed cabbage, three small doughy, sparsely filled pierogi (not worth the calories); cole slaw; red cabbage salad; mashed potatoes and Bigos, a hunter's stew. We shared a generous bowl of Polish cucumber salad ($2.95) and, of course, had some leftover.
This is hearty plow-the-fields fare, tasty but uneven. All of the entrees and some of the specialties come with side dishes. Appetizers, sandwiches, salads and soups are offered at dinner.
The lunch menu includes soup ($3.95), sandwiches ($5.90-$6.95), salads ($5.95-$6.95) and main courses ($5.95-$6.99), including beef goulash over rice, cabbage rolls and the disappointing pierogi.
Except for the fruit- or cheese-filled blintzes, desserts are not homemade. It doesn't matter. Only the heartiest eater could manage dessert after such substantial food.
Lunch is served from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; dinner from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The European deli adjacent to the dining room is worth a visit. It's sparkling clean and has refrigerated cases filled with a variety of jarred herrings, cheeses and meats and a good selection of canned goods, candies and cookies.
Wolfgang Puck restaurants and Mirage team up: Puck Las Vegas Chefs, led by Corporate Chef/partner David Robins, will team with Mirage Executive Chef Bernard Ibarra and Napa Valley's Heitz Cellars for an exceptional six-course wine dinner at Postrio in the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian April 23.
Chef Robins, the Las Vegas Life 2003 Epicurean Award winner for Best Chef, will orchestrate each of the six courses. Chef Ibarra is a French-trained master with ties stretching from the cooking of Singapore to the Caribbean. Puck corporate Pastry Chef Christophe Itthuritze, who will create the dessert, is another Epicurean Award winner for the Best Desserts category.
Master Sommelier Luis Santos has selected six Heitz Cellar wines to pair with dinner. Seating is limited to about 75. Reservations must be made in advance of the dinner. The price is $150 and includes tax and gratuity. For reservations or more information about the dinner menu and the wines, call Madeline Benito at 369-0360.
Short orders
Give a mom a chance to dine with Robert Wagner: I Can't Belive It's Not Butter will give one mom a day to remember. Through April 27 submit a 100-word-or-less essay explaining why you, your mom or a mom you love deserves a star-studded day. The winner and a guest will get star treatment. She'll receive an in-person wake-up call from Wagner, complete with breakfast in bed. Then Wagner will accompany mom on a $2,500 Rodeo Drive shopping spree and, to top off the day, luxurious spa treatments at a Beverly Hills spa.
To enter, simply send in your essay to: Win a Star-Studded Mother's Day, c/o M Booth & Associates, P.O. Box 1945, New York, NY 10156, or log on to tasteyoulove.com. Entries must be received by April 27. Winners (there is one grand prize and five first-prize winners) will be notified the week of April 28. First-prize winners will receive breakfast in bed in the comfort of their own home, delivered on Mother's Day. Prizes must be used between May 5 and May 12.
UNLVino biggest, ever: More than 100 wines will be participating in the 29th Annual UNLVino winetasting at Paris Resort April 26. Tickets are $35 in advance and $50 at the door. Advance tickets are available at TicketMaster (ticketmaster.com), local wine retailers and at The Artemis Ham Hall box office. All proceeds benefit the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration at UNLV.
On April 24 Chef Kerry Simon of the cool Simon Kitchen and Bar at the Hard Rock hotel will offer some of the best champagnes and sparkling wines in the world along with tasty tidbits prepared by Chef Kerry. Attendance is limited; reservations are required (call 693-4440); the price is $35; time, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
On April 25 there will be an an Australian barbecue and wine tasting poolside at Bally's from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are $50; reservations are required. Call 967-4567. It should be a banner year for the scholarship fund.
Late-night specials at Cannery: Late-night diners should check out the tasty specials offered from midnight to 7 a.m. at the Cannery in North Las Vegas at Victory's B9 Cafe. Selections include a 99-cent breakfast special with two eggs, sausage or bacon and home fries; a $3.99, 10-ounce T-bone steak and eggs; the awesome $2.99 Belly Busting Breakfast Burrito, made with four tortillas and filled with an impossible amount of eggs, sausage, bacon, home fries, cheddar cheese and salsa. There are many more humongous specials priced at $2.99.
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