The steakhouse is a Las Vegas institution, dating back to the Strip's infancy, and seemingly a license requirement for anyone wanting to open a casino resort. Equally as ingrained in the city's culture is the celebrity chef—while the latter tradition only dates back less than three decades, it is nearly as ubiquitous in the resort corridor. And where those trends coincide, diners are treated to the epitome of the Vegas culinary experience.
An example of this is Charlie Palmer Steak at the Four Seasons, a venue which was amongst the early openings in the Mandalay Bay complex and remains a stalwart to this very day. Tucked away off the Four Seasons lobby, the venue is a hidden gem, flying under the radar to many visitors and locals. Undergoing a remodel a few years back, the space exudes an airy, classic steakhouse feel with a backdrop of Nevada micro-landscapes in an ode to its desert home. And it's the perfect space to take in Charlie Palmer's cuisine as presented by chef de cuisine Eduardo Saavedra, aka Lalo. Under his watchful eye, the baby spinach salad exudes the holy trinity of tastes: smoky, salty and sweet. It's adorned with brioche croutons, and a warm mustard vinaigrette commingles with bacon and truffled egg for a welcome start to your meal.
Elsewhere under appetizers, sweet and savory seared foie gras, a staple of high-end restaurants, is given a bit of a piña colada flair with braised pineapple and a booze-infused whiskey syrup atop pistachio French toast. It's an apropos presentation for the tropical environs of Mandalay Bay. Equally as intriguing is Snake River filet beef tartare accented by horseradish and a charred scallion aioli. But best of all are the littleneck clams accompanied by grilled garlic sourdough crusted with Parmesan for dipping. This spicy bowl is a true destination dish.
Saavedra has gone to great lengths to source quality ingredients. Big Glory Bay salmon hails from down under in New Zealand, while steaks are from Midwestern grass-fed cows finished on corn. A particularly appealing option is the bone-in ribeye, deeply marbled as is typical for the cut. For something a little more atypical, tamarind-glazed braised bone-in short rib with spicy pears and pickled jalapeño offers another tropical-tinged contrast to the American steakhouse menu.
It is said that steakhouses are best represented by their side dishes and Charlie Palmer's don't disappoint. Spicy broccolini delivers hints of heat to the sautéed green vegetable stalks, while mushrooms and onions are a terrific complement to any cut of beef. On the starch side, Charlie's namesake CP fries are a fixture, the crispy spuds served with ketchup and aioli always worth an order, while the cheesy potato gratin is a mustn't-miss dish, combining asiago, Parmesan and Gruyère is a hearty side.
Saving room for dessert might be difficult but you'd be advised to in order to get a bite of the Peanut Butter Bar which is sweet without becoming cloying.
On the lighter side, flan with mango sorbet conveys hints of grapefruit in a dessert which tastes practically healthy. And it's probably for the best after a hearty steakhouse dinner. But when in Vegas!
Four Seasons, 5-10 p.m. Mon.-Sat. 702.632.5120
