Prime Steak Tartare

Prime Steak Tartare

Steak tartare used to be the Rodney Dangerfield of the food world—it got no respect. In fact, it spent quite a lot of time being the brunt of jokes, including a particularly cruel bit courtesy of Mr. Bean, in which the titular character spends his entire meal trying to hide the dish in question wherever he can find space on the table, rather than just telling his server he really doesn’t want to eat it. Those days are fully in the rear-view mirror. Savvy diners know that not only is steak tartare a must-try dish at higher-end restaurants, it can often define the dining experience.

On its face, the dish can seem deceptively simple: It’s traditionally made with raw ground beef and served with any number of ingredients, from onions and Worcestershire sauce to capers and pepper. But take one bite of steak tartare at any of Las Vegas’ top steakhouses, and you’ll realize that description falls short. The only limits to steak tartare here are the chefs’ imaginations.

There’s the sublime Prime steak tartare at Aria’s Bardot Brasserie, a visual feast with its orange egg yolk seeping into every crevice of the dish. A small bit of sauce verte (green sauce) adds just a bit more color and flavor, and the deep flavors of the meat pair perfectly with house-made waffle fries.

Beefsteak Tomato Tartare

Beefsteak Tomato Tartare

Bazaar Meat by José Andrés at Sahara Las Vegas has a fantastic selection of tartares, each more inventive than the next. As good as Vittore 1950 is (small medallions of flawless tenderloin with black pepper, Parmesan, capers, brown-butter croutons and sherry dressing), fans—and especially vegetarians—will want to dive into Andrés’ beefsteak tomato tartare, which looks like the real thing but is a taste sensation all its own. Flavored with balsamic vinegar, cucumber and black olive, it will have you asking, “How did he do this?”

Hank’s Fine Steaks & Martinis at Green Valley Ranch provides an excellent 7X wagyu beef tartare for its happy hour, and you won’t be happier than when you’re experiencing the flavor sensations of quail egg yolk and smoked paprika aioli on some toasted brioche.

The newest arrival on the block, hand-cut Prime beef tartare at Bugsy & Meyer’s Steakhouse at Flamingo, comes courtesy of head chef Lamar Moore, and it’s easily one of the best things on the entire menu, who shared his secret to making the melt-in-your-mouth appetizer: dry-aged New York Strip. “When it comes to steak tartare, the quality of beef you buy matters more than ever,” Moore says. “If you have a local butcher or specialty meat shop, it’s best to purchase your meat there. The more tender the meat, the less chance you’ll encounter chewy bites of gristle.”

If you’re inspired by these dishes and want to replicate them at home, here are some tips, courtesy of Moore:

1. Use the sharpest knife you have available.

2. Cut the tenderloin into very thin slices (1/8-inch thick, if possible), cutting crosswise into bite-sized pieces.

3. Freeze a stainless steel bowl a day in advance, as you will definitely want your tartare to be cold.

4. Add ingredients you love. Once again, the only limits to this dish are your imagination.

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