The SLY Foodie

Because of Top Chef, I have always wanted to go to one of Daniel Boulud’s restaurants, the closest one being at the Wynn resort in Las Vegas. Daniel Boulud Brasserie (DBB) received a Michelin star in 2009, so you already know that the food is great, if not, exceptional. So given the opportunity, I immediately made reservations at least 6 weeks in advance.

Before even arriving in Las Vegas, we had already made up our minds to try their “Taste of Wynn” menu. The Wynn resort offers “A Taste of Wynn,” which are prix fixe 3-course menus offered by many of their fine dining establishments for a relatively low price. DBB’s Fall Menu includes the following:

First Course: Choice of Parsnip Soup, Greens Salad, or Duck Terrine
Second Course: Choice of Sea Scallop, Steak Frites, or Sonoma Chicken
Dessert Course: Choice of Warm Seasonal Fruit Clafouti, Chocolate Hazelnut Fondant or a Trio of Seasonal Sorbets

We tried our best to order different dishes so as to maximize our dining experience at DBB, because after all, it’s not every day one gets to eat great food. For the first course, I chose the Parsnip Soup, which was served with some homemade black walnut spice bread and a dollop of cream on top. Words simply cannot describe how good the creamy consistency of the soup combined with the crunchy, flavorful walnut bread was. My husband chose the duck terrine served with onion marmalade. The presentation of the dish was really cute, but I don’t think he appreciated all the mustard and pickle flavors from the dish. Honestly, I was too busy savoring the soup to really try the duck. He did mention that it reminded him of Spam, though.




For the second course, he chose the Sea Scallops, served with beurre noisette, capers, raisins and cauliflower. I tried a small piece and thought that the flavor profile was very good and the scallops were seared perfectly. The only drawback in my opinion was it looked too small to make a decent meal. That was the main reason why I chose the Steak Frites, an 8 oz. sirloin served with onion compote, greens and fries (hence the frites). The steak was cooked perfectly, pink throughout the middle, and the onion compote added a sweet, tangy flavor to the meat. Of course, I finished off the greens first, so I can fully devote my attention to the steak and fries. Great fries, too.




In addition to the main course, we ordered a couple of extra side dishes to share, brussels sprouts and roasted mushrooms. If I dare say, I think those sides definitely stand on their own because they were outstanding. The sprouts are a testament to my current love affair with them; these yummy goodies were pan sautéed with bacon and chestnuts. They were so good – to the point that I’m still thinking about them. They weren’t mushy, or undercooked, they were perfectly cooked and seasoned. The mushrooms (I believe there were oyster, shiitake, and crimini varieties) were cooked perfectly as well, not lacking in flavor or texture. Absolutely perfect.




For dessert, I chose the Warm Fig Clafouti, which is essentially a pancake-like batter poured over fresh figs, baked off and topped with either powdered sugar or ice cream. I have never had fresh figs before, so I was definitely excited to try this dish. It proved to be very tasty, the vanilla ice cream melting into the clafouti, combined with the sweet figs. The servers were nice enough to make my plate extra special by adding a candle and the words, “Happy Birthday” written on the plate. It was beautiful. My husband chose the Chocolate Hazelnut Fondant, with espresso ice cream and a nougatine crunch. From what I remember, it was overall a good dessert, but I don’t remember the hazelnut flavor coming through.




We also ordered a cheese course comprised of three different types of cheese: cow, goat and sheep's milk cheeses. It was served with fruit and crackers, and I wish that I had takent the time to write down exactly what type of cheeses we were enjoying. The server was kind enough to choose on our behalf, and he did an excellent job recommeding good cheeses to us. At the end of the meal, he came out with a small plate of petit fours, compliments of the chef. It was the best way to end one of the best meals I've ever had.




I have nothing but good things to say about Daniel Boulud Brasserie, it was impeccable all around – ambiance, food, service. It is quite easily one of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to, if not, the best.