Las Vegas, Scarpetta at the Cosmopolitan

In mid October I was out in Las Vegas with my Mom. Though our trip got cut short unexpectedly, we did manage to get in a few meals. Highly recommended by Steve & Mary the first one on the itinerary was Scarpetta in the Cosmopolitan. A modern Italian restaurant by Scott Conant, this beautiful venue overlooks the fountains at Bellagio if you're lucky enough to get a seat by the windows.

We had an early seating since we'd flown across country that morning and would soon be fighting off jet lag. We were seated towards the back of the restuarant on the windows with a view of the fountains. I ordered us a bottle of Ayala Rose Majeur NV. A champagne from Ay, the blend is 51% chardonnay, 30% pinot noir, 10% pinot meunier and 9% still red wine of the region. I found this to be elegant and fruity with a short finish and beautiful coppery color. Very nice wine to have with our appetizers.

We decided on three courses - two appetizers and a pasta each. I spoke to the engaging waiter and went with many of his recommendations. To start, the raw yellowtail with micro greens and olio de zenzero and pickled red onion. Perfectly fresh with a degree of firmness I associate with very fresh sushi. Excellent way to start the evening and paired nicely with the champagne.

 My mother started with split pea soup. Thick and seasoned with bacon and pork belly, micro greens and herbs.

 Next course was the salads. Mom went with a traditional caprese with heirloom tomatoes and buratta that was a colorful dish of end of season tomatoes and fresh, soft cheese. Very nice.

It's hard for me to pass up Diver Scallops...especially when the staff recommends them as a favorite. I'm so glad I listened! These perfectly prepared scallops were served over white asparagus with a light garlic aioli and micro greens. Just wonderful and so beautifully presented.

For entrees we both selected pasta dishes. My mother ordered the short rib agnolotti with brown butter horseradish and toasted breadcrumbs. I thought it was a little too sweet - not enough horseradish to compensate for the distinctive taste short ribs get...they often need to be paired with a heavy reduction to highlight the ribs. The pasta was perfectly al dente with a nice bite but I don't think I could have finished an entire plate. My mother didn't have that problem and seemed to like it quite a bit.

I went again with a suggestion from our waiter who said his favorite dish was the signature duck & foie gras ravioli with marsala reduction. The pasta was perfect here to, just a tiny bit of crunch and that super freshness when they are making it on site. The duck & foie gras filling was all that it should be - the duck having a gaminess and the liver giving it a rich, decadence. The marsala is a pretty heavy reduction that worked well here to offset the dish.
Really, really good!

We were tired from traveling all day and skipped dessert but this experience turned out to be one the more memorable ones I've had in Las Vegas. Every dish was unexpected and almost exceeded hopes.

Jenn's Rating: 88
Zagat: not yet rated