Sometimes an article in one magazine will inspire one in another.  This is precisely the case, here!  Last week I was flipping through the pages of WYNN magazine, and came across an article about the various tableside presentations at Wynn’s fine dining venues.  Now, I’m no stranger to dining out, nor am I unfamiliar with the restaurants at Wynn; but what became abundantly clear – especially upon seeing an absolutely gorgeous photo of the Prime Rib Cart at The Country Club – was that I’d managed over the past decade to have never eaten dinner at The Country Club.

Was this possible?  I love the food at The Country Club, and think Chef Carlos Guía is one of this city’s finest chefs.  Furthermore, I find the lunch there to be wonderful (one of Las Vegas’ prime “power lunch” spots), and the Sunday Jazz Brunch more than worthy of waking-up for, after a late Saturday, on the town! 

So, when some friends (in town for the rugby tournament) assigned me with the not-unfamiliar task of picking our restaurant for the evening, I said, “We’re eating at The Country Club.”  And we did.  And it rocked!

It all started with the bread.  I thought it was fab, but then one of the ladies began raving about the bread they’d had at SW the night before; so, overhearing this, one of our bussers hightailed it to SW, and returned with a basket of their bread (including some crazy muffin and bread baked with bacon).  Talk about service! 

We were all hungry, and ordered like it was our last meal; which resulted in my double-fisting the doggie-bags, on the way back to Valet, after dinner – but I’m skipping ahead.

To start, we ordered some appetizers for the table, including the Fire-Seared Sea Scallop Ceviche (citrus juices, zest, jalapeño, mint, and red chili threads), the Australian Wagyu Beef Carpaccio (black truffle vinaigrette, parmesan, mushrooms, tomatoes, pine nuts, and arugula), the Shrimp and Grits (sautéed shrimp, creamy Anson Mills grits, and shrimp gravy), and the Butcher’s Platter (venison & wild boar sausage, duck prosciutto, grain mustard, pickled vegetables & clementine preserves).

I tend to shy away from Wagyu (as it’s so rich that after a couple bites, I’m full); but prepared as Carpaccio, it was delicious.  The Shrimp and Grits was, in a word, perfection.  And while I’m still unsure of what possessed me to order the Butcher’s Platter, the charcuterie was a hit with everyone – especially the Duck Prosciutto! Who knew? (I never got around to the Ceviche, but word around the table was that it had some zip.)

Next we all got a soup or salad.  One of the ladies ordered the Tuscan Kale Salad (aged goat cheese, Gala apple, spiced pecans, apple cider vinaigrette), and the other ordered the Candy Striped Beet Salad (watercress, goat cheese mousse, pistachios, pomegranate arils, pomegranate molasses).  Both were a hit (insomuch as a salad can be a hit).  Mike ordered the Sweet Corn Chowder (aromatic vegetables, tortilla crisps) which was ceremoniously poured into his bowl, from a silver pitcher, and he said it was marvelous; whilst Justin and I both ordered Chef Carlos’ Gumbo (house-smoked Andouille sausage, shrimp, crawfish).  As a general rule, if something on the menu has the chef’s name next to it, it’s worth trying.  I’ve now had Chef Carlos’ Gumbo for brunch, lunch, and dinner – and it never disappoints.

But we weren’t close to finished, yet; and now it was time for the entrées.  Meg ordered the Sesame-Crusted Yellowfin Tuna (forgetting that she’s not a fan of sesame, so they kindly remade it, sans sesame – resulting in a pair of delicious sashimi-grade pieces of tuna).  Mike got the 24oz. Dry-Aged Porterhouse Steak, and left nary a sliver.  Justin went rogue and got the 14oz. Chile-Rubbed Oregon Flat-Iron Wagyu Steak (Chef’s roasted garlic mojo), and boy was it zesty!  Eryn got the 9oz. Filet Mignon, which was delicious simplicity, itself; whilst I got the Roasted Prime Rib of Beef (carved tableside, au jus, creamy horseradish sauce).

I have to say, the Prime Rib more than lived up to its hype.  Not only was the tableside presentation done with aplomb, but the meat itself was exactly the way I like it (medium around the edges and medium rare inside).  It reminded me of that commercial that said “Beef: It’s what’s for dinner!”  Except in this case, it was for dinner and a pair of midnight snacks and lunch the following day.  That’s one generous piece of meat!  

I think our ordering the Beignets was the gastronomic equivalent of gilding the lily, as we had passed “full” about 25 minutes earlier; but as one would expect, they were light and flaky and went perfectly with the Café du Monde dipping-sauce.

And as I sit here, reflecting on that scrumptious meal cooked steeped in New Orleans flavor and spirit, all I can wonder is why on Earth it took me a decade to get around to dining at The Country Club.  So I guess my message to you is to avoid my error and not to put-off going to dinner at The Country Club: Between the service, the views, and the exceptional cuisine – you’ll be humming your favorite tunes by The Meters and Dr. John, all the way home.

The Country Club – A New American Steakhouse
Wynn Las Vegas
Click HERE for info

Get into it!