As promised, I’m back with a special restaurant review! While 2019 was amazing, I 150% can’t wait for 2020. Of course, it’s very important to get things started on the right foot. What better way than with a spectacularly delicious dinner?

Let’s get going!

LAGO

LAGO is a contemporary Italian restaurant by Michelin starred chef Julian Serrano.  If the name sounds familiar, it is. The original is one of the swankiest restaurants in Las Vegas. Julian Serrano? He’s the mastermind behind Picasso.

LAGO’s tagline is “Small plates, Big Flavour”. Instead of ordering one entree each, diners are meant to order small plates to share- Chinese style western dining (although with less food 😉 )

Aside from the unique dining concept, LAGO’s plating is legendary. Let’s eat!

Food

Goat Cheese Mousse- The meal started with this delightful little bite. The mousse was incredibly light, almost resembling whipped cream, but don’t be fooled, it packed a powerful flavour punch. The use of ripened cheese gave the dish a slight funk resembling a mild brie or camberet. This paired perfectly with the tangy sweetness of the balsamic glaze and briny pop of the salmon roe and light crunch of the truffle dusted tapioca crisp

Charcoal Veal Crudo with Tuna Crema and Caviar- This is one of their signature dishes for very good reason. The meat itself was marinated to perfection with a slight hint of bitter char that round out the sharpness of raw meat. The borderline translucent slices melted in my mouth. For those questioning a tuna crema, don’t. It brought the perfect little touch of rich funk to complement the lean beef.

Truffle and Buffalo Mozzarella Pizzetta with Pancetta- I’m definitely not a pizza person, but I guess it’s because I haven’t had real pizza. The thin, crispy crust had a slight yeasty taste that paired perfectly with the tangy mozzarella. The pancetta, truffle and quail egg pushed the decadence through the roof and the arugula cut through the richness.

Minestrone Soup- My mom’s always up for soup and given the rich starters (and rich dishes to come), she decided to go light with a classic minestrone. It was delicious, but honestly nothing special. The spiced breadstick on top was a different story though 😉

Seafood Linguini- What’s an Italian meal without some pasta? The dish was good, but like the soup, it wasn’t spectacular. The pasta was perfectly al dente with an incredibly fragrant and rich sauce that coated every noodle. The seafood was also very fresh, but slightly overcooked.

Panna Cotta with Gelee and Mango Sorbet- This dessert is the textbook definition of a spectacular ending. It was (almost) too pretty to eat. The luscious, creamy panna cotta had the slightest hint of champagne. The gelee added a playful texture and added some acidity to cut through the rich creaminess. The sorbet was bright and incredibly fresh.

Service and Atmosphere

Service and atmosphere were (almost) as beautiful and modern as the food!

The entire restaurant exuded modern chic- elegant and upscale but far from stuffy. The dark, simple, metallic decour elevated the ambience effortlessly while the open bar and cool lighting kept the frills in check. While the interior was stunning, nothing beat the view:

The North Bund is seriously the place to dine now!

LAGO has seating for parties of up to 10 in addition to special rooms for larger gatherings, so it’s perfect for pretty much any occasion.

Overall Impression

Overall, LAGO was an amazing experience. I was a bit underwhelmed with the main dishes, but that’s probably because Italian’s not really my favourite. I definitely want to try some more of their small plates if the right occasion comes up.

I hope everyone had a wonderful new years. There’s no telling what 2020 will bring, but whatever happens, I look forward to a great year and decade to come. Until next time, Bye!

 

 

 

 

• Dining