Michelin Dining Experience - Le Cirque at Bellagio Las Vegas

I'll let pictures tell the story of my dining journey at this exquisite one Michelin star restaurant at the Bellagio, Las Vegas, NV.

Before diving into the feast -

Macallan 18 -

Le cirque is a French word for circus -

Bread and butter (salted/unsalted) -

You can choose from a wide selection of bread of course, I picked the one infused with some fresh herbs.

"Champagne, Ruinart, Blanc de Blancs, Reims, MV" -

Gazpacho -

"Santa Barbara Sea Urchin, Yuzu Gelée, Panna Cotta, Fennel Cream, Osetra Caviar, Seaweed and Sesame Tuile" -

"Poached Farm Egg, Osetra Caviar, Lemon Crème fraîche, Scottish Smoked Salmon, Fingerling Potato, Pepper Mignonette" -

Egg yolk close up -

"Roasted New Zealand Langoustine, Jamón ibérico, Asparagus, Parmesan, Petite Mustard Greens, Citrus Sabayon, Jus de Veau -

Paired with "Puligny-Montrachet, Jean Chartron, Burgundy, 2011" -

"Sautéed Foie Gras, White Chocolate and Raisin Brioche, Roasted Almonds, Kirsch Glazed Cherries, Crème de Cassis Gastrique" -

Paired with "Maury, Pla del Fount, Roussillon, 1939" -

This was divine, by far one of the best pairing combinations I've ever had.

"Wild Pacific Barramundi, Baby Leeks, Braised Celery, Artichoke, Rutabaga, Lardon, Vitelotte Potato, Barigoule Sauce" -

"Gevrey Chambertin, Vieille Vignes, Marc Roy, Burgundy, 2009" -

"Japanese A4 Kobe Beef Rib Eye, Pommes Confit, Caramelized Cipollini, Tempura Spinach, Maitake, Bone Marrow, Hearts of Palm, Bordelaise Sauce" -

Tender beefy paradise -

Camembert -

View of Bellagio's dancing water show from our table -

Towards the end of the night -

Ready for dessert?

"Chocolate Ball" before -

After -

Friend's dessert and petit four in the foreground -

"Mango and Passion Fruit Macaron, Tapioca Pearls, Coconut Sorbet and Croquant" -

Petit four again -

Tea -

Little gift box with two truffles -

Le Cirque
3600 South Las Vegas Boulevard
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 693-8865
(866) 259-7111
http://www.lecirque.com/
http://www.bellagio.com/restaurants/le-cirque.aspx

Hours of operation:
Tuesday to Sunday 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
*Currently holds one Michelin star as the date of September, 2013

Pork Ribs with Salted Black Beans 豆豉排骨- So Flavorful, You Won't Even Know It's Just a Steamed Dish!

Friday night quick update.

This is one of the dishes that I've always requested begged my mom to make every time I'm in Taiwan. Only a few ingredients are needed, let the meat marinate overnight, steam for 30 minutes then BOOM! A plateful of pork ribs packed with Asian flavors.

The key lies on the quality of the ingredients especially with such a simple recipe. Make sure to source the best bone-in pork, salted black beans, and soy sauce possible.

Mommy's love - Pork ribs with salted black beans -

Ingredients?

• Some pork ribs (preferably with bones)
• Some salted black beans
• Some very spicy red chilies
• Some soy sauce
• 4 cloves of garlic

How?

My mom made the dish and this is what she told me, beware, the steps and ingredients might sound too simple to be true. 

Discard the stems and finely chop the red chilies. Peel and finely chop the garlic cloves. Easy on the garlic cloves otherwise it'll hinder the aroma from the salted black beans.

Simply marinade the pork inside a bowl with about 1 to 2 big spoonfuls of salted black beans, chopped chilies, chopped garlic, and just a few splashes of soy sauce. Massage the meat and let it marinate overnight in the fridge, make sure to stir the meat half way through to make sure every pieces are well seasoned.

Once ready, just pop the bowl into a steamer with a lid on. You can also cover the bowl with cling foil to prevent the water/vapor from dripping down to the bowl and dilute the flavors during the process. About 30 to 40 minutes then you'll get this chopsticks tender pork that falls right off the bones.

Here's my other recent recipe using salted black beans:
Spicy chicken stir fry with salted black beans 辣炒豆豉雞

- Sidetrack -

I peeked through the curtain the other day and saw this dove couple. I was in love with the heart shaped silhouette.