Tiny Urban Kitchen

Exploring Food from Boston to Hong Kong and Beyond

  • About Me
  • Travel
  • Recipes
  • Michelin
  • Subscribe
  • Taiwanese
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About Me
  • Travel
  • Recipes
  • Michelin
  • Subscribe
  • Taiwanese
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About Me
    • Travel
    • Recipes
    • Michelin
    • Subscribe
    • Taiwanese
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    • Godenya Hong Kong
      Godenya Hong Kong (revisited)
    • The Chairman Hong Kong
      The Chairman Hong Kong (1 Michelin Star)
    • Hanu Wan Chai Hong Kong
      Hanu (Korean Beef) Wan Chai
    • Always Joy Hong Kong
      Always Joy Hong Kong
    • Michael Chiarelli Ottimo Yountville California
      Bottega + Ottimo Yountville
    • Ciccio Yountville California
      Ciccio Yountville
    • Charter Oak St. Helena Napa Valley California
      Charter Oak St. Helena Napa Valley California
    • Cole’s Chop House Napa California
      Cole's Chop House Napa California
    • Compline Restaurant Napa California
      Compline Restaurant + Wine Shop Napa
    • Napa, California
      Thomas Keller's La Calenda: A Tribute {Now Closed}
    • Ad Hoc Thomas Keller Brunch Yountville California
      Thomas Keller Ad Hoc + Addendum + Bouchon Bakery
    • Mandalay San Francisco
      Mandalay San Francisco (Burmese Food)
    Home » US Travel » Las Vegas

    Spago Las Vegas (Wolfgang Puck)

    Published: Apr 8, 2015 by Jennifer Che

    wpid16577-DSC0348.jpg
    This is the second post in the Winter in Las Vegas Series detailing my trip to Las Vegas in January to attend CES. Other posts in this series: Yusho Las Vegas.

    I'm starting to feel like a broken record when I mention (again!) that the Strip in Las Vegas is a great place to sample outposts of some of the U.S.'s best restaurants all within a couple miles from each other.

    But it sometimes comes at a price (literally and figuratively).

    First of all, prices on the Strip tend to be higher. I've dined at both Mario Batali's and Joe Bastianich's Babbo in New York City and B&B Ristorante in Vegas. Though the quality is reasonably comparable at both, B&B is about 25% more expensive. It's annoying and definitely felt like sticker shock the first time I came to Vegas, but it's something I've learned to just

    Second, the ambiance is often different. Case in point: Rao's in New York is a tiny, exclusive, impossible-to-get-into Italian joint that's been around for decades and really hasn't changed one bit. Rao's in Vegas tries to recreate the look of the small, intimate New York Italian restaurant by putting up a fake, indoor version of the same facade in New York. However, it's really not the same. There's only so much you can do when you're inside a casino.
    wpid16555-DSC0328.jpg
    And then there's the question of quality. Is the Vegas version going to be just as good as the original? We wondered this about Spago, Wolfgang Puck's flagship restaurant in Beverly Hills that opened a second version in Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.

    The original Spago has an impressive list of awards, everything from the AAA Four Diamond Award and multiple James Beard Awards to two Michelin stars in the Los Angeles Michelin Guide (2008 and 2009). Michelin stopped producing guides for Los Angeles after 2009. How would the Vegas one (which does not have any Michelin stars) compare?

    We were due for a visit to find out. A perfect opportunity came up when it was one of the few places with available dinner reservations during the busy week of CES. We decided to visit with Bryan's cousin, who happened to be in town the same week.
    wpid16553-DSC0327.jpg
    Consistent with most of the higher-end restaurants I've visited, Spago starts out the meal with a choice of several in-house baked breads. It's always fun to try a few, so I chose the French baguette and another more interesting roll (maybe a cheese bread?). Both were delicious.

    The menu is divided up into three main food sections, simply called "One", "Two", and "Three." "One" consists mostly of appetizer sized starters, "Two" includes several house-made pastas, and then "Three" has all the main entrees. Our party of three decided to sample across the menu, ordering two dishes from "One", two from "Two", and three from "Three".

    We would, of course, share everything so that we could each enjoy all the dishes.

    ONE
    wpid16559-DSC0332.jpg
    Our first appetizer, simply called Sashimi, included paper-thin slices of yellowfin tuna sashimi wrapped around thinly shredded root vegetables and a tiny interpretation of nigiri, tuna on top of rice. This was served with a crispy rice cracker, grilled shishito pepper, and dots or splashes of sauces aji limon and yuzukoshō. Execution was great, and the flavors came together nicely.
    wpid16557-DSC0329.jpg
    Prime Beef Tartare came with thinly sliced toasts, capers, minced onions, dijon aioli, horseradish, and a quail egg. This is a classic combination and it worked really well. The beef was high quality, and we really enjoyed making mini toasts where we could design our own combinations of the beef together with the various accoutrements.

    TWO
    wpid16563-DSC0334.jpg
    To me, the most memorable dishes of the night were the simple pasta dishes. They had Burgundy Truffles! You can choose to enjoy these over either their house made spaghettini or risotto. We tried it both ways (inadvertently - more on that later), and they were both fantastic. Bryan favored the house-made spaghettini, which had a perfect al dente texture and captured the creamy and flavorful sauce so well.
    wpid16565-DSC0336.jpg
    I was partial to the Parmesan Risotto (also topped with Burgundy Truffles), which was just bursting with the richness of the intense truffle flavors. We had only ordered the smaller portion, and part of me was a bit sad since the portion size was really quite tiny, especially for three people to share!
    wpid16567-DSC0337.jpg
    The Saffron Risotto with shrimp and reggiano cheese was also excellent. The texture of the risotto was perfect, and the single shrimp was juicy and succulent. I would recommend getting a larger size if you want to share since it only comes with one shrimp!

    THREE
    wpid16575-DSC0346.jpg
    The entrees were also quite solid, though in my mind I couldn't stop thinking about the pastas. The Tuna was only barely seared, leaving a beautiful rare center. These lovely slices were served over roasted vegetables and topped with a crispy kale chip.
    wpid16571-DSC0341.jpg
    The Pan Seared Sonoma Duck Breast, a classic menu item, came over white corn purée, spinach, roasted turnips, cipollini onions, and huckleberries.
    wpid16573-DSC0343.jpg
    The Grilled French Seabass was served over a parsnip purée, wild mushroom, sautéed Brussels sprouts, salsify, and Fuji apples.
    wpid16579-DSC0351.jpg
    Dessert was another favorite (though I'm biased because I love anything with popcorn). A tiny slice of  cheesecake with a chocolate cookie crust came topped with a crazy collection of toppings, like caramel popcorn, ice cream, meringue, cocoa nibs, and pretzels. It was like a fancy Cracker Jack cake - a perfect blend of sweet and salty, crunchy and creamy.
    wpid16581-DSC0352.jpg
    At the end of the meal, Bryan's cousin told us about a cocktail she wanted to try.

    While she was waiting for us to arrive, she had started chatting with the server. He convinced her to try Wolfgang Puck's signature Old Fashion ($22).

    What makes it special? This cocktail is made with Michter’s Rye, Demarara, and Angostura Bitters and then barrel-aged in oak barrels for six weeks in-house using some special proprietary method.

    Both Bryan and his cousin ordered one and loved it.
    wpid16569-DSC0340.jpg
    All in all we were impressed with the quality of the food at Spago. Everything was well executed. It's not 2-Michelin star quality, but it's still quite good. My personal favorite was definitely the Burgundy truffle pasta dishes.

    We had one slight hiccup with the service. We had originally ordered just the Burgundy truffle spaghetti and the Saffron Risotto. The server brought out two Burgundy truffle dishes (the spaghetti and the risotto) but no saffron risotto. When we told the server, at first he tried arguing with us saying that we were wrong, but eventually took away the wrong dish, brought out the right dish, and then later brought back out the wrong dish letting us keep it "with their compliments."

    All was taken care of at the end, but the process of getting there was just a bit awkward.

    In any event, I'm hoping it was a one time event and not a reflection of the service at the restaurant as a whole. As a side bonus, the "wrong dish" turned out to be one of my favorite dishes of the night, so I'm glad I was able to discover it.

    Reservations seemed a bit easier to get compared to other restaurants on the Strip. There is also a more casual cafe out front, offering a separate, simpler menu of pastas, pizzas, and salads.

    Overall the food is good and we had a pleasant time dining there. It's pricey and the dishes are not too exotic, thus making it a good and safe option for business dinners. As a food enthusiast I might not rush back, but I wouldn't hesitate to book it if I were in charge of picking a restaurant for a business networking dinner.

    Spago Las Vegas
    Caesars Palace
    3500 Las Vegas Boulevard S
    Las Vegas, NV 89109
    Spago on Urbanspoon

    More Las Vegas

    • Libertine Social Las Vegas -Mandalay Bay
    • Exquisite Chinese food at Blossom Aria in Las Vegas
    • Tao Asian Bistro at the Venetian in Las Vegas
    • Lotus of Siam Las Vegas

    Recent Posts

    • Godenya Hong Kong (revisited) June 12, 2025
    • The Chairman Hong Kong (1 Michelin Star) June 6, 2025
    • Hanu (Korean Beef) Wan Chai June 2, 2025
    • Always Joy Hong Kong May 29, 2025
    • Bottega + Ottimo Yountville May 14, 2025
    • Ciccio Yountville May 11, 2025
    • Charter Oak St. Helena Napa Valley California May 8, 2025
    • Cole's Chop House Napa California May 5, 2025

    Trackbacks

    1. New Series! Winter in Las Vegas - Tiny Urban Kitchen says:
      January 3, 2016 at 10:14 pm

      […] in the Las vegas location of Wolfgang Puck’s flagship restaurant in Los Angeles. {Update! Link to post here} Staying with the Wolfgang Puck theme, we also checked out his high-end steak house (a place Bryan […]

      Log in to Reply
    2. An Exploration of Asian Food in Vegas says:
      July 6, 2016 at 10:14 pm

      […] it all, taking a risk with the Strip by opening a second location of his flagship restaurant Spago at Caesar’s Palace in 1992. His success caused others to come. Now, Las Vegas has become one of the best places to […]

      Log in to Reply
    3. Las Vegas Eating Guide - Tiny Urban Kitchen says:
      November 11, 2017 at 1:02 am

      […] Palace Spago by Wolfgang Puck CUT steakhouse Mr. Chow Serendipity 3 Beijing Noodle No. 9 Mesa Grill (Bobby Flay) Raos Spago Cafe […]

      Log in to Reply
    Jennifer Che Tiny Urban Kitchen

    Hi, my name's Jen and welcome to my cooking, eating, and travel site! I am an expat who moved from Boston to Hong Kong 5 years ago. Born and raised in Ohio to Taiwanese immigrant parents, I am a chemistry nerd, patent attorney by day, blogger by night, church musician on weekends, and food enthusiast always. Feel free to explore away, maybe starting with the Recipe Index or one of the travel pages! I hope you enjoy this site!

    More about me →

    logo
    Food Advertisements by

    Explore

    • Recipe
    • Restaurant
    • US Travel
    • World Travel

    Popular Posts

    • Boulettes Larder Ferry Building San Francisco
      Boulette Larder (Ferry Building) San Francisco
    • Bodega SF California (Vietnamese)
      Bodega SF (Modern Vietnamese)
    • Tselog Daly City California
      Tselogs (Filipino food) Daly City California
    • Mesa by José Avillez Macau
      Mesa by José Avillez Macau

    Recipes

    • Appetizer
    • Snacks
    • Meat
    • Vegetables
    • Soup
    • Salad
    • Seafood
    • Noodles

    Recently Traveled

    • Hong Kong
    • France
    • Belgium
    • Boston
    • California
    • United Kingdom
    • Germany
    • Spain

    Support Us

    Support Tiny Urban Kitchen by making purchases on Amazon through our affiliate link:

    Recognition


    Featured on the front page
    of the FOOD Section: 2015

    Best Food Blog Awards:
    Restaurant & Dining 2012

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • My Equipment
    • In the Press
    • Project Food Blog
    • Privacy Policy

    Eating Guides!

    Eating & Travel Guides
    Trip Reports
    "Kawaii" (Cute Foods)
    Around the World

    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • YouTube
    • Mail
    • RSS Feed

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Shop at Amazon

    Copyright © 2024 Tiny Urban Kitchen