Restaurant Guy Savoy – A Two Michelin Star Dining Experience

You can count on two hands the number of Michelin Star restaurants in Las Vegas, and all of them are located along The Strip. There is a total of nine, all ranging from one star, two stars, and to the illustrious three stars, which is Joel Robuchon at MGM Hotel and Casino. I have been to three of those nine so far, the most recent being Restaurant Guy Savoy inside Caesar’s Palace Hotel and Casino.

In the kitchen with Executive Chef Nicholas Costagliola

Now Technically speaking, Michelin has not rated Las Vegas restaurants since 2008-2009, but that does not mean these once stared restaurants are not worth the visit. When stars were given out in Las Vegas, Guy Savoy had two stars, which is a restaurant that demonstrates excellent cooking- definitely worth a detour. It was unfortunate that during 2008-2009, the guide to Las Vegas sold so poorly that they decided not to publish any additional guides to the city since then; and Las Vegas no longer was rated in the guide book.

All the restaurants that were once rated in Las Vegas, are still the best for top gastronomic experiences though!

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Many may wonder what makes a Michelin Star restaurant, and why so many including myself, are shall we say- obsessed with them? The Michelin star system, which began in 1931 rewards restaurants up to three stars. It has been a prestigious award for chefs and restaurants, and are based on certain criteria, which includes:

Use of Quality Products
Mastery of Flavor and Cooking Techniques
Personality of the Chef in the Cuisine
Value for Money
Consistency of Food

Qualified Michelin Star Inspectors dine at potential restaurants or those who have current stars anonymously, without the restaurant knowing, and look at the criteria listed.

The art of fine dining and Michelin Star restaurants have been a passion of mine for decades. The chef’s expressive creations, the impeccable service, the artistic food presentation, and the exquisite wine pairing are all part of an extraordinary dining experience. This class of restaurants are not just a place to sit down and eat, they are a grand experience for all the senses, which can last two to three hours.

I had come to Restaurant Guy Savoy with a long time friend who is also obsessed with Michelin Star restaurants and fine dining. We have been friends for over 30 years, grew up in the Los Angeles food scene, and had been hitting fine dining establishments since we were fresh out of high school.

We had come in for my belated birthday dinner to Restaurant Guy Savoy, and left with a lot to talk about when it came to the beauty of the dish presentations, the marvelous flavors of the cuisine, and the outstanding service from everyone who helped our dining experience to be extraordinary. Everything went very well from the time we checked in until the moment we walked out of the kitchen for a quick tour, and to meet Executive Chef Nicolas Costagiola.

I will start off with the genuine and friendly service at Restaurant Guy Savoy. Everyone was courteous, knowledgeable, and at times we shared a few laughs, as well as a lot of smiles. I have always found that an attentive and hospitable staff runs parallel to the extraordinary dishes served with fine dining establishments.

I will not describe in detail every item we ordered and received (photos to follow), although I will express that we enjoyed every morsel. We delighted in all the starter bites including the miniature Wagyu beef burger, foie gras, and the amuse-bouche. All to ignite our appetites for the bread cart, starters, main entrees, and desserts.

I will recommend several dishes and wines that we did find exceptional with presentation and flavors. As for wine/ champagne, I would recommend the Drappier Carte d’or brut which is made from the three champagne grapes- pinot noir, meunier and chardonnay. It had a delicious full body of stone fruit, great minerality and tight bubbles. Also the 2011 Chateau Larcis Ducasse was a beautiful Bordeaux red blend, very well balanced of merlot and Cabernet Franc.

In the Kitchen – The Magic Behind the Scenes

For starters and mains, I strongly suggest Chef Guy Savoy’s signature dish, the Artichoke and Black Truffle Soup accompanied with the Toasted Mushroom Brioche with Black Truffle Butter. This magnificent starter was a delicious choice for me as I do enjoy truffles. It was especially delicious when I tore a piece of the brioche, and dipped it into the soup. This is a beautiful and tasteful dish for those who also love black truffles.

I absolutely enjoyed the Lobster, Trilogy of Carrot, Tortellini with Natural Coral Jus for my main entrée. Lobster dishes are one of my favorite items to order, and this dish was one of the best presented and most creative that I have come across. The bright shades of orange and red of the lobster, coral jus, tortellini, and foam were all beautifully presented.

American Wagyu Filet, Charred Leek, Jus Bordelaise

At the end of the meal, I was treated to a beautiful slice of Happy Birthday dessert, which I found a place for in my stomach since I was entirely full. I also topped it off with a double espresso, and then we were given a delicious brioche with candied fruit as a lovely good-bye gift.

From beginning to completion, Restaurant Guy Savoy certainly offers one of the best dining experiences on the Las Vegas Strip- their two Michelin Stars prove just that.

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