Mambo Italiano!

A few Wednesdays ago I was part of a true treat.

It involved great company, great wine, and a great night out.

Salvatore Ferragamo, grandson of the famous Italian fashion designer, was in town at Loews Lake Las Vegas resort for an exclusive Il Borro winemaker’s dinner, and I was there enjoying every drop.

The intimate gathering included Las Vegas elite, including the owners of Lake Las Vegas.
Sitting at Ferragamo’s table, I got to partake in entertaining repartee, extensive descriptions of the wine, and of course, all the head chefs from Loews’ restaurants came directly to our table.

And while I could go on for days about pumps and stilettos, handbags and attachés, I digress, for this is still a food blog.

The dinner included playful dishes like quail eggs and ham. Iberico ham and sunny-side up quail egg was served with root vegetables and topped with a chestnut glaze.

The duck, duck goose, barbecue Korean duck and duck confit was tender, moist and delicious. Served with a crispy foie gras eggroll, the duck dish was my favorite.

A rich deconstructed carrot cake with equally rich cream cheese mousse was a bit on the heavy side to end such a well-rounded meal, but the extra calories were worth it!

Let’s not forget the wine! Lamelle, a well-rounded crisp, dry white wine was the perfect way to begin. And the Il Borro, a rich red, is the perfect way to end. One of my favorites was the Polissena, a medium bodied red wine that complemented the duck course beautifully.

An amazing experience was had by all! There was even an impromptu operatic performance by a Lake Las Vegas resident in honor of our Italian guest.

On a side note, if you haven’t been to Marssa over at Loews, do try! With delicacies prepared by Chef Fuji, the only master sushi chef in Las Vegas, Marssa is a truly remarkable experience, sure to please your palette.

Il Borro, the Ferragamo’s wine label, is offered in Marssa and Rick’s Café at Loews Lake Las Vegas.

-- By Nikki Neu