Vegas Foodalogue- part 2

I like Jean and Primm in Nevada- they are quaint. My Dearly Beloved and I skipped them this time, in our mad dash to get to Las Vegas. We parked at the Bellagio to see the Christmas display. Unfortunately, the Bellagio’s garden display was pretty much a repeat of last year. An employee had confided last year, the Christmas tree decorations had cost so much that they’d have to use it for years to get their money’s worth. It’s just too bad that I don’t like them.

Up until a year ago, Jean-Philippe’s Patisserie in the Bellagio was a mandatory stop for us. The pastries there were the best in Las Vegas. Time hasn’t done them any favors though. While you can still get a great dulce de leche brioche there, their pastries have become more about pleasing the eye then pleasing the palate. We’ve been opting to make our first food stop at Payard in Ceasars for the last few trips.



I fell in love with Payard (the place) the first time we ate there, right after they opened- so much so that my dearly beloved and I picked up two of Francois Payard’s books (Chocolate Epiphany and Bite Size). Great books with great pictures. Someday I’d really like to try my hand at his Spicy Chocolate Pots de Creme. I fell in love with Bouchon’s pots de creme years ago, and have always been scared that if I ever found out how to make them, I’d go overboard making and eating them. I’m fat enough already.

Payard has a candy counter- which is filled with one of my favorite types of candy - fruit jellies.



Unfortunately, none of the employees were able to help me at the candy counter. They were too busy wrapping up items for their Christmas displays to bother with customers that were standing at counters, five feet from them, shouting, “Excuse Me. I want to buy something. Hello!”

We had better luck at the pastry counter.



Dearly Beloved opted for a freshly made fruit crepe, which looked divine, while I went for the Cendrillon.






The Cendrillon was a wonderful pastry with pumpkin mousse, cranberry marmalade, cinnamon and ginger. There were also some macaroons on the sides. Underneath the orange coating, the mousse, marmalade and some cake, are built into delicious, moist layers of heaven. I was too blissed out to have any reaction other then "Yum".