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Sin City is home to a lot of restaurants and bars, but there are tons of hidden gems that the majority of Las Vegans aren't unearthing. To help guide us to these potential discoveries, we've enlisted some of our city's food players to share their recommendations for a feature dubbed Dining Confidential.
You can blame Sebastien Polycarpe for those brioches in savory and sweet renditions at Restaurant Guy Savoy and Brioche by Guy Savoy, both at Caesars Palace. The executive pastry chef at the restaurants comes with Michelin-starred experience. The Montauban, France, native started culinary school at 16 in Souillac, a small town in the southwestern region of France. By 20, he moved to a three-star Michelin restaurant in St. Tropez. He then caught the eye of Alain Ducasse at 22 and was invited to work in Monaco. A year later, he returned to the French Riviera to work at the two Michelin star restaurant, La Réserve de Beaulieu in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, as a sous pastry chef. By 2012, he began working under chef Guy Savoy in Paris, and then in March 2013, Polycarpe was invited to work at Guy Savoy’s only restaurant in the United States, Restaurant Guy Savoy in Caesars Palace. Here he shares three of his favorite restaurants in Las Vegas, including two off the Strip.
Which restaurants do you turn to when you’re not working?
Naked Fish's Sushi & Grill, Mesa Grill at Caesars Palace and Hearthstone Kitchen & Cellar at Red Rock Resort.
What dishes are most memorable?
At Naked Fish’s, I like the yuzu seared salmon. It’s a really simple dish but always well executed.
At Mesa Grill, I like the grilled lamb porterhouse chops. Since I have moved to the U.S., I have discovered Southern cuisine. I really like the style of Mesa Grill and how they play around with the spices, especially with the lamb dish.
At Hearthstone, I like the steak tartare. It’s a classic dish that they do very well.
Why do you enjoy going there?
For me, Naked Fish’s is really convenient is close to where I live. I know that the quality will always be good and the service is great.
For Mesa Grill, when I’m off, I really try to avoid the Strip, but Mesa Grill is one of the few places that brings me back on the Strip on my days off. The team in kitchen does a great job, everything is always on point
For Hearthstone, I really like the concept of a casual "bistronomie" restaurant, and you can see it’s a restaurant for the locals.