Tableau
 Las Vegas, Nevada         Date of Visit  12/14/10              http://www.wynnlasvegas.com/#dining/tableau/ 

Okay, I have to make a confession. We had discussed eating at Tableau at the Wynn, but I was torn. When we stopped by the front door to check out the menu, there were two unique dishes I was certain I wanted to try. Neither of which Steph had any interest in. What to do what to do? Well we decided if we got up in time we would go for breakfast (Tableau is only open for Breakfast and Lunch). We decided we would make a bet to settle our breakfast choices. Since Drew Carey and the Price is Right was on when we got back to our room we decided a home battle of the Showcase Showdown would decide our orders. During the commercial break, someone fell asleep. Should I wake her? Nay, Nay! Winner of both showcases by default and taster of two awesome breakfasts! So I’m evil, so what? I am also hungry.
 

House Made Ketchup
 

Tableau is swanky but allowed us in underdressed without a blink of the eye. The service was prompt and courteous and the server here also appeared genuinely excited that we ordered two of the odder breakfast choices. I ordered the housemade elk sausage and poached eggs with charon sauce. Sauce charon is essentially a small sauce of a béarnaise which is a small sauce of a hollandaise. Most folks are familiar with hollandaise (egg yolks and butter) to which you would add a reduction of vinegar, white wine, peppercorns, shallots, tarragon, and chervil or parsley to make the béarnaise. A touch of tomato paste for richness and a pink hue make for the sauce charon. The poach on the eggs was precise, the marble potato hash with various heirloom fingerling potatoes was just right and the elk sausage was a hammer to the forehead. Astonishing flavors, meaty, shots of spices, ooooohhh so good! Mixed together with the egg, the running yolks, the rich sauce and potatoes…I was sad when the plate was empty. We also ordered the Tableau potatoes which ended up being sort of tater tots on steroids. Shredded and formed into a puck-like shape the potatoes are then deep fried and served along with a house made ketchup. The potatoes were great and the ketchup had mustard grains which brought the potatoes to a new level.

Now to the less than happily anticipate breakfast special…at least by Steph. I did feel a little guilty but not enough to argue her out of it, she was dead set. She had the braised duck en vol au vent (in puff pastry) with scrambled eggs and a tomato hollandaise. I thought she might need it as she was going flying today. When she cracked into it, the eggs revealed an absolute load of duck. I don’t think this was particularly good news at this point. From my end, the whole thing was a work of art. Flaky pastry, luscious-moist-delicious duck, fluffy eggs and a well executed hollandaise. What’s not to love? Later that day she mentioned that the duck dish was the best single thing she had in Vegas.

Guilt Be Gone!

It would be a mistake to miss a chance to dine at Tableau…and order something a little out of the ordinary.

 

Chock-full of Duck