Craftsteak (Las Vegas, NV)

THE MEAL
Wine: Seasonal Wine Flights (Chardonnay from Washington, Merlot from Washington, and Dolcetto)
Appetizers: Hand-Cut Wagyu Beef Tartare, Fresh Seasonal Oysters, and Farm Fresh Salad
Entree: American Wagyu Flat Iron Steak and 24 Hour Short Ribs
Sides: Brussel Sprouts and Butternut Squash
Dessert: Cinnamon Monkey Bread

THOUGHTS
So, we traveled to Las Vegas and proceeded to order oysters from -- you guessed it -- Virginia. Well, one of the three seasonal oysters was from Virginia ("Olde Salt" oysters from Rappahannock River Oysters). Whether or not the byproduct of recent criticisms, the menu identifies the farms and purveyors from which the food at Craftsteak is sourced. At the very least, this practice has the effect of instilling in the diner a certain amount of trust in the quality of the product.

After whetting our appetite with oysters, we moved onto a fresh arugula salad and the beef tartare. While the arugula salad tasted fresh and flavorful, nothing about the salad was particularly memorable.

The beef tartare, however, provided a glimpse into the Tom Colicchio we've seen on Top Chef. Aggressively seasoned, the beef tartare burst with flavor and enhanced the delicacy of the wagyu beef. Served in a deep bowl, the tartare was garnished with an egg yolk, finely chopped red onion, and finely chopped chives. While ordinarily I find red onion off-putting, I was surprised by the sweetness of the red onion atop the tartare (perhaps a reflection of the fresh produce used at Craftsteak). While I enjoyed the tartare, my dining partner thought it was overseasoned. Certainly, the flavor profile of the beef tartare toed the line of being aggressively seasoned and overseasoned.

Next up, we had our entrees. The flat iron wagyu beef was juicy, succulent, and melted in one's mouth. Compared to our Christmas prime rib dinner from the evening before, the flat iron steak had a surprising lightness. The 24 hour short rib, although heavier than the flat iron steak, was fall-off-the-bone tender and had the rich depth of flavor that can only come from some serious slow cooking.

We concluded with the Cinnamon Monkey Bread at the strong recommendation of each of the three servers in our area. The Monkey Bread, generally, is a yeasty cinnamon roll topped with pecans, sugar, and caramel. Though a pleasant end to the meal, I would be lying if I were to say I was impressed. Other than the caramel drizzled on top, the Monkey Bread was virtually identical to my mother's home-made cinnamon rolls. While I consider my mother's home-made cinnamon rolls to be outstanding, I expect a high-end restaurant to put out a dessert that goes above-and-beyond what one might get at home.

CONCLUSIONS
Food (8/10)
Service (4.5/5)
Errata (4.5/5)
Total (17/20)
Price $$$$