Sage Restaurant at Aria Casino – Las Vegas, NV: For a restaurant in a casino hotel, it definitely did not feel like one. It felt much more upscale and elegant, more akin to what you would find in a high-end restaurant in New York or San Francisco; not in a casino in Vegas.

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From the chic black tables and chairs, to the tableware which consists of nice crystal, china and flatware, everything about the place was definitely tastefully done. With critically-acclaimed Chef Shawn McClain running the kitchen, Sage Las Vegas is a contemporary American spot that is surely going to give anyone a great fine dining experience.

Looking through the menu, I saw that overall there was a wide selection of dishes that not only sounded high-end, but their price tags confirmed it as well. However, when you are in a place like Sage Las Vegas you aren’t paying for just the food, but the whole experience; the atmosphere, the service, the ambiance, the little touches that make a dining experience worth remembering.

The choices for starters included Oysters, Tuna Belly and Creamy Artichoke Soup to name a few. I ordered the Roasted Sweetbreads with glazed bacon, polenta and trumpet mushrooms while my partner ordered a Wild Mixed Green salad. The other options for salad included Duck Fat Roasted Heirloom Beets, Citrus Marinated Baby Octopus, and Grilled Asparagus Salad

When they served them to us I was a bit concerned we had made the wrong choice of restaurants. The presentation wasn’t quite up to par for a high-end restaurant, but one bite of my sweetbreads and I rethought my hesitation. I knew we were in for a splendid evening.

Less than five minutes after our appetizer dishes were cleared from our table, our main dishes arrived and that was just too fast so we had to send them back. Our waiter came to apologize and promised that they would be remade.

     The main courses at Sage Las Vegas included:
     Steaks and Braises: ($41-49) Hanger Steak, New York Strip,
     Braised Veal Cheeks and Short Ribs
     and some lighter meats like:
     Pork Loin, Duck and Chicken.

     Pasta and Seafood: ($22-48) Sugar Snap Pea and
     Green Garlic Risotto, Potato Gnocchi,
     Maine Day Boat Scallops, Alaskan Halibut

After a short wait, our main courses arrived. My main dish was the Maine Day Boat Scallops with braised oxtail, wild mushrooms and salted caramel reduction. It was mouth-watering, luscious. The fabulous thing was I would never have thought of putting scallops and oxtail together. To say I was blown away with the dish would be an understatement. My partner had the Braised Veal Cheeks with king trumpet mushrooms, creamy polenta and black garlic. Of course, I had to try them; tender, tender, tender! They were easily some of the best veal cheeks I’ve ever had.

After that remarkable appetizer and main course, I expected the dessert to be as amazing but it was a let-down. I ordered the Crunchy Chocolate and Peanut Butter Tart with Cassis Sphere and Toasted Marshmallow while having a glass of Port with it. My partner had a glass of Citron with his choice of Warm Carrot Cake with Toasted Coconut Sauce, Candied Ginger and Cream Cheese Ice Cream. Both desserts were nice but nothing special compared to the rest of the food. We also tried a small scoop of their homemade honey ice cream and smoked white chocolate ice cream, they were delightfully just as I had hoped. The creamy honey ice cream was decadent.

Apart from the perfect food, the wine list is extensive and we had a bottle of El Molino Pinot Noir which was the perfect match to our dinner. Sage Las Vegas also serves the recently legalized Absinthe which is an anise-flavored highly alcoholic spirit.

The presentation of the Absinthe is a production in itself. They roll over a large cart that has all nine different kinds. They talk about the history of Absinthe and explain each different variety. Once you pick the one you want, the actual production of serving it begins (Absinthe is poured into a glass, a sugar cube is placed on an absinthe spoon above the glass, cold water is slowly poured onto the sugar cube, louching occurs, the clear green liquid turns cloudy and then the rest of the sugar is then stirred into the drink). Then you drink it! Be prepared, the alcohol content is anywhere from 90-140+ proof!

It was quite a production and all I can say is that the kick that you get from Absinthe is quite powerful.

Dinner at Sage Las Vegas should have gotten a Fantastic Bombastic rating, but the few slip ups with timing and subpar desserts knocked off a few points. However, the Sage Las Vegas gets a very solid Bombastic rating from us. You absolutely do not want to miss out on trying Sage on your next visit to Vegas.

What I liked:Extensive wine list and perfect food

What I didn’t like: The desserts were disappointing

Rating: Bombastic

Address and Telephone Number:
Sage Restaurant
Aria Hotel
3730 Las Vegas Boulevard
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Telephone: 877-230-2742

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