This past week John and I were honored to participate in the first ever (red) Dinner by Mario Batali here in Vegas to raise funds for (red), an HIV and AIDS charity. All of the Batali-Bastianich restaurants participated and each had a different menu. We elected to go to Carnevino and I am so glad we did! Interesting conversation and terrific steak and wine were enjoyed by all at the communal table. The only downside? It wasn’t as well attended as I think it should have been. Maybe because it wasn’t well publicized? Maybe because it occurred during Restaurant Week (more on that later)?
Of course Chef Nicole Brisson, the new culinary director for all the Batali-Bastianich properties here in Vegas, served incredible meat from their beef program to give us all a wonderful meal, as seen below. Each course was paired with wine, and while I am no expert, I truly enjoyed most of them. and what could be more (red) than gorgeous beef?
Right now beef carpaccio and tartare are two of my favorite things and this was a stellar representation.
90 day aged ribeye carpaccio. Yeah, it was THAT good!
Bone-in NY Strip. Perfectly cooked and perfectly rested as you can see.
You would think, “Mashed potatoes? Big Deal!” and you’d be dead wrong. These are the stuff dreams are made of. It arrives at the table as shown and then you break the yolk and mix the egg in. The first time I had this, I was skeptical, but this time I cleaned my plate without hesitation. All kidding aside, I could have eaten this and the carpaccio and been totally thrilled with my meal.
Mashed potatoes with a poached egg and guanciale? Yes Please!
Light as air crepe filled with sweetened ricotta and lemon and topped with luscious berries and whipped mascarpone.
This is an event we will definitely attend again and you should too!
(red) works to make an AIDS free generation a reality by providing healthcare to AIDS and HIV positive patients, as well as research and education on HIV and AIDS worldwide.
