Columnist Muriel Stevens: Visit to Michael Mina worthy of award

Friday, Sept. 23, 2005 | 9:37 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.

Dining with friends at Michael Mina restaurant in Bellagio is always an exceptional experience, so I was delighted to join my friends Bob and Rita, who dine there regularly.

Bob was one of the founders of the first major pathology labs in Las Vegas. He retired after it became Quest and now spends his time studying archeology and creating extraordinary photographs from minute plant specimens that become unearthly plant forms when magnified thousands of times by this present day Renaissance man.

Rita is an internationally renowned sculptor and artist. Petite and slim, Rita conceives and executes sculpture that have to be set into a designated space with a cherry picker and crane. She travels to her favorite foundries in the Southwest and oversees the forging until the last blow has been struck.

Rita and Bob's desert home has been expanded many times since my most recent visit. It is a museum of its own, with galleries and objects of art created by Rita. After visiting the cactus gardens and viewing the new sculpture, we reluctantly left this serene and tranquil sanctuary for the din of the busy streets and freeways.

My perfect hosts had provided for me a dining companion, Irwin Kishner, a longtime entrepreneur and developer. This friend to many single femmes is a gentleman of the old school and a friend of many years.

Loquacious by nature, this gentle ladies man barely gets to say a word when he's with us. Add exceptional food and it makes for a lively evening.

We had just missed seeing Michael Mina. The night of our dinner, he was in New York accepting the top award at Bon Appetit's annual American Food and Entertaining Awards.

Chef Michael is the eighth recipient of this celebrated award, joining culinary luminaries Thomas Keller, Charlie Trotter, Daniel Boulud and other acclaimed chefs.

In the Mina kitchen at Bellagio was Anthony Amorosa, previously with Fiamma at MGM Grand. Much too busy to chat, Amarosa was cooking on all burners.

There are so many dining options it took us forever to decide. Michael Mina offers both price fixed and a la carte menus. A traditional tasting menu ($105 per person) includes tartare of ahi tuna, the signature lobster pot pie, miso-glazed seabass, medallions of rare ahi tuna with seared Hudson Valley foie gras and a tasting of Michael Mina signature desserts.

All tasting dinners are specially prepared for the entire table.

A vegetarian tasting menu, $85 per person, is a grand affair with an heirloom tomato salad, Roquefort cheese souffle, hand cut tagliatelle pasta, wild mushroom pot pie and a dessert tasting.

After much debate we all ordered from the a la carte menu. Caviar parfait and tartare of ahi tuna for starters. Topped with osetra caviar, this elegant parfait consists of layers of creme fraiche and house-smoked salmon finished with a crisp potato cake on the bottom.

The tartare is made at the table. In a bowl are meticulously cut small cubes of tuna. Herbs and seasonings are added. It is topped with a bright yellow-yoked quail egg, then tossed together by the server, who removes it to the dinner plate where he sculpts it into whatever shape he chooses. The tree that emerged made Bob laugh.

My entree choice and Bob's was the tapioca-crusted Tai snapper. The crusty snapper was perched atop slices of coconut-chili eggplant, surrounded by forbidden rice a lychee-tangerine reduction. Rita's choice was one of Mina's signature trios.

Potato-crusted John Dory was presented three ways: One had caramelized endive and a yuzu butter sauce. Truffled portobella mushroom in a red butter sauce was next in line, and Walla Walla onion and malt vinegar topped the last piece of John Dory. Presentation was artful and a perfect choice for Rita.

With some small dietary requirements, Irwin did his own thing. The servers and chefs fulfilled all of his requests, including just the white of the quail egg on his tartare. While we rejoiced over the signature dessert trios, Irwin sighed contentedly as he sipped on a tall soda fountain-sized root-beer float topped with root-beer sorbet instead of ice cream. The warm chocolate chip pecan cookies that accompanied the float were awesome.

The rosy glow of contentment that comes from such a wonderful repast is now a wonderful memory.

Short orders

Firefighters meatball challenge: Maggiano's Little Italy at Fashion Show mall will present its first meatball challenge to firefighters from Clark County and the city of Las Vegas. The winning meatball will appear on Maggiano's November menu.

Firefighters are invited to cook up their favorite meatball recipe to help benefit Project Sunshine of Nevada, a nonprofit organization that provides cost-free camping experiences for children with a life-threatening illness.

Maggiano's chefs and culinary team will select the top 10 entries. Finalists will present their meatballs to a celebrity meatball panel at Maggiano's, Oct. 8. Fire stations interested in competing should submit recipes by Sept. 30 to: Great Balls of Fire Competition, 515 South Seventh Street, Las Vegas, NV 89101. For more info call 933-7777.

Le Cordon Bleu Las Vegas: Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts has appointed Claude Cevasco as restaurant instructor and Peter Sherlock as chef instructor. Cevasco will oversee operations at Cafe Bleu, the student-operated restaurant; Sherlock will be chef instructor of the culinary proficiency skills classes. Cevasco and Sherlock have had European training and have worked in fine Las Vegas restaurants.

Mercury in fish: Wild Oats Markets Inc. was the first national retail company to post mercury warnings at their seafood cases. Wild Oats has posted these signs since May 2003.

The signs address the population most identified as high risk: nursing women; women who may be pregnant or planning to be; and young children. Four species of fish are known to have the highest levels of methyl mercury: swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish. Posted signs also advise all customers to limit consumption of albacore tuna and certain farm-raised salmon.

Wild Oats sells most of the fish mentioned here. This, according to "Mike," at the meat and fish counter. "All of our fish and meats are certified by the USDA, and are of the highest quality." Just remember not to eat the same questionable fish every day. A varied diet is best for most of us.

Watercolor exhibit at Rosemary's: The public is invited to a Meet the Artists reception Saturday at Rosemary's Restaurant at 8125 West Sahara. Happy hour-priced cocktails and complimentary hors d'oeuvres will be served. Reception attendees who stay for dinner will receive 10 percent off from the food portion of their bill. This group watercolor exhibit, H20 IV, will be on display in the West Wing through Oct. 15. Reservations are recommended. Call Wendy Kveck for more information ... 869-9002 or visit mwshet@cox.net.

Paws that refreshes: Ice cream is not good for dogs. Dairy products are often difficult for them to digest because of the lactose. Yet, what indulgent canine owner can sit by licking an ice cream come without feeling guilty.

Frosty Paws maker Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream understands your angst. Frosty Paws Frozen Treats For Dogs were designed especially for canines and are fortified with protein, vitamins and minerals help dogs maintain good health. No added sugar, sodium, artificial flavors or artificial colors.

Frosty Paws Frozen Treats are available in the ice cream section of most supermarkets and grocery stores in two flavors, the original and the new peanut butter. Each box ($3.59) contains four cups. Pop the treat out of the cup into Fido's bowl and get out of the way. Tail-wagging good stuff that won't get a pooch into trouble.