Chicago Bites #79
Picasso
Tammy's tasty poached oysters topped with caviar.
In this fourth and final installment of our Las Vegas dining adventure, Tammy and I take on the game-heavy menu at Picasso. And I make a surprising discovery. I like pigeons... roasted!
(7.7 M)
00:00 - 01:33 A grown-up place to eat
01:34 - 03:38 Service--a little too much bending over backwards
03:39 - 05:11 The menu--focused on meat and game with an edge
05:12 - 07:56 Starters--Oysters and mint soup
07:57 - 09:59 Seafood sausage and seasonal veggies with foie gras
10:10 - 12:42 Snapper and pigeon (not your usual rat with wings in the park)
12:43 - 15:42 Architectural desserts--Tammy finds figs to love
15:43 - 20:13 The element of fun and dining scene commentary
20:14 - 21:47 Ratings and sign-off
Picasso
Bellagio Hotel
Las Vegas
Bridget rates Picasso 9/10
Tammy rates Picasso 8/10
Artistic figs to love.
1 Comments
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Bridget Houlihan & 
Tammy GreenWe're here for 3 reasons:
- To meet people
- To expand our culinary horizons &
- To play with cool technology
At the request of Bridget, I'm posting this:
To add to the discussion, or perhaps to answer a question: The existence of the no-a la carte prix fixe isn't so much a new trend. In part, Tammy is right in saying that it helps kitchens and chefs to focus on fewer options - although it depends - some restaurants offer so many options on their prix fixe that it might as well just be a regular menu.
The *real* point of the prix fixe is economics-based. Some high-end restaurants fear "those diners" who order nothing but a main course. The prix fixe forces a diner to commit to a full 3-4 course dinner. It also acts as a gatekeeper - weeding out those non-serious diners who may just take up an extra table and the staff's attention for just a $30 plate of food and no drink. Also,the longer and more food a diner is having, the more likely they'll order (alcoholic) drinks.
I need to go online and look at Picasso's menu format. I think your description jives with my overall impression (and fear) of what the restaurant is like these days: hyper-fussed and non-intuitive (Tammy's experience with the black pepper on the dessert is a good example).
Again, I need to see the entire menu (Tammy had mentioned it was particularly game-heavy), but Bridget's pigeon sounded pre-maturely autumnal - given that you were there on the tail of summer (notwithstanding the fact that you were eating in a desert, to boot).