Voted Best New Restaurant in a Hotel Las Vegas Review-Journal — Best of Las Vegas Awards

Named one of Top Casino Restaurants Casino Player Magazine

Named one of top Five Gourmet Restaurants Travel and Leisure Golf Magazine

Host of one of 2001 Chaine Des Rotisseurs Dinners

Exceptional Eats Celebrated Living - American Airlines, Fall 2001

After a couple of Bourbons I felt more like sitting under a magnolia tree watching cargo float down lazy river. Of course restaurant has a choice of non-alcoholic beverages, or try eye openers — Commander’s Palace Bloody Mary or Champagne Mimosa.

All appetizers are à la carte and all priced at $8.50 at time of our dining experience (May, 2005), making it easy and inexpensive to try several. Jane and I decided to try Turtle Soup Ali Sherry, now that turtles are being raised on farms, and threatened species are not on menu. But hey, you are in New Orleans (sort of — even though pavement outside is starting to crack in heat, we are chilled in style). I notice one of soups is a 1-1-1 and found out it is a demitasse portion of three soups: Gumbo, Turtle, and Soup du Jour. We passed on Breakfast Parfait of fresh and sun-dried fruit, house-made granola and vanilla yogurt. I am certain that French Quarter Beignets are traditional bite-sized ones dusted with powdered sugar — accompanied by warm café au lait sauce. Then we were served up Shrimp Remoulade, Creole seasoned Gulf shrimp tossed in spicy Louisiana remoulade sauce with salted lemon zest (an additional $2, but worth it.)

Jane had never tried alligator and I had not had it since dining at award winning restaurant, "The Yearling", in Cross Creek, Florida where they shoot gators out back door (okay, in season of course) and serve it on a plate chicken-like: “It taste’s just like chicken”. ( I am sure you have heard that one somewhere.) That is way they serve it in some parts of South and The Yearling won Five Golden Spoon Awards more than once to prove that this is traditional tell-tale gator tail. But Commander’s Palace in Las Vegas pounds their gator into sub-consciousness and it is so tender and non-rubbery that there is no hint that it is gator at all — or chicken!

We wanted seafood, so we passed on many of delicious sounding entrées, such as Panfed Pork Chop Milanese-style, and Onion Crusted Fried Chicken Cobb Salad. I can’t stomach bottom feeder fish so we passed on Louisiana Pecan Crusted Catfish. BUT, our eyes did stop half way down menu at Gulf Shrimp Creole — tender Gulf Shrimp pan seared and steamed in a full-flavored Creole-spiced (medium spicy) tomato ragout — served with Louisiana popcorn rice. BUT, not before Brunch Special Appetizer of Louisiana Crawfish Bienville — Sautéed fresh Fleur de Lys crawfish tails, roasted mushrooms, and house-smoked Tasso, smothered in a brandied Gulf shrimp cream — topped with French bread crumbs (an additional $3).

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Kriss Hammond, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com

The second course of evening: Classic Lobster Bisque ($14), with chef adding Lobster Oil with a garnish of fresh cayenne pepper and a Roulade infusion of scallops. Another choice could have been Chilled Bell Pepper and Tomato Soup with Crab Cocktail ($12), or a more expensive choice, Russian Beluga Caviar “AAA” at market price.

The third course: Star Anise Crested Sea Scallops — two scallops at about an ounce each sautéed in butter and garlic with herbs placed on a cloud of celery root puree with lemongrass and orange reduction ($31). Another outstanding choice could have been Dover Sole Meunière (Veal Demi-Glace Sautéed Bok Choy, and Lemon Confit — $40).

The fourth course is entrée of Sautéed Beef Tenderloin (Rossini Style) — four ounces of tenderloin cooked to temperature — Chef Andre recommends medium rare, with a ½ medallion of fois gras and a drizzle of black truffle and merlot, coming with a side of Potato Croquettes, making their arrival in a cute, small personal cast iron pot with little handles, keeping spud pinky fingers bursting hot ($38).

Other finely designed Lutèce entrées include:

Farm Raised Chicken (Cocotte Style — $29) Roasted Muscovy Duck (Peking-Style — $29) Pepper-Crusted Rib Eye ($36) Grilled Colorado Rack of Lamb ($39) Pan-Roasted Squab ($31) Milk Fed Veal Chop ($41), or: Braised Beef Short Rib ($30).

The final fine dining endeavor is Verona Chocolate Mousse Cake with hardened shell. No woman alive can deny this delicacy – nor any man!

Originally out of New York City, Lutèce opened four years ago (2001) at Venetian Resort (the New York venue is closed), and designed and blueprinted for two stories (but now Vivid Night Club is upstairs). The fashionable (A metallic faux teakwood swirls across main room.), contemporary restaurant — no 90 degree angles anywhere — has seen a series of celebrity chefs, including David Faye and Gustav, principal Lutèce owner, and now Andre Becker.

Lutèce, which is ancient name of Paris, France, is an intimate cubbyhole of a restaurant, with only 18 tables in main room where we watched from a small alcove glorious sun setting across Strip; there are also 16 tables in private salon and 16 patio tables that are perfect with right night temperatures.

Lutèce is open

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Kriss Hammond, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com