Reviews

Jardin marks a successful start to Joe Zanelli’s second tour for Wynn

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Jardin’s chilaquiles rojos.
Photo: Jon Estrada

Most Las Vegas Strip properties have three-meal restaurants to accommodate gamblers and hotel guests wishing to dine throughout the day. Most serve standard fare with little flair and a utilitarian purpose. But Wynn and Encore are no ordinary properties, and the new Jardin is no throwaway coffee shop simply serving as a placeholder.

The Jardin burger.

The Jardin burger.

Instead, in typical Wynncore fashion, you can hardly avert your gaze from the space that previously housed Botero. Flashes of color highlight the floors and walls without overwhelming. And whether you’re on the just-large-enough patio or dining behind the floor-to-ceiling windows with pool views, you’re connected to the outdoors, a great benefit this time of year. In fact, Jardin is on par with Veranda at the Four Seasons for the Strip’s most accommodating outdoor seating.

But if the food isn’t worth a visit, the artistry of the space is immaterial. Executive chef Joe Zanelli has a prolific resumé, with stints under culinary luminaries including Wolfgang Puck, Michael Mina and Daniel Boulud. Add to that more than seven years at Wynn before spending the past three with local restaurateurs Elizabeth Blau and Kim Canteenwalla, and it’s obvious the man can cook.

Zanelli is making the most of his return to the Strip, crafting an interesting menu heavy in standards—it’s a three-mealer, don’t forget—that also rewards more adventurous eaters. The Boston native is adept with seafood, which appears in a multitude of options. Yellowtail tartare ($19) is spiced with serrano chili and accented with a complex, flavorful ginger coconut sauce that doesn’t mask the subtle fish flavor. Roasted Portuguese octopus ($20) is elevated with dried chorizo and decadent duck-fat potatoes. And the sea scallop cioppino ($29) is in the northeasterner’s wheelhouse, its hearty broth serving as a foil to the buttery bivalves—just ask for more garlic bread to sop it all up.

Jardin's roasted Portuguese octopus.

Jardin's roasted Portuguese octopus.

Zanelli doesn’t restrict himself to continental cuisine, either. While the Cubano sandwich is tasty enough, it won’t necessarily transport you to Havana. On the other hand, a newer addition to the menu, the hot pot, is a take on Korean favorite bibimbap worthy of Spring Mountain Road. With crispy rice laden with pork belly and house-made kimchi, the only thing missing from this dish is a hearty helping of gochujang and maybe a selection of banchan.

Other dinner mains range from short-rib ravioli ($24) and a New England-style fish fry ($24) to a turkey burger with avocado ($18) and a ribeye cap ($45) with au poivre sauce. Jardin’s offerings are extensive at breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch, too. Bear in mind that it’s still on the Strip, so it’s not exactly discount dining; entrées range mostly above $20 for lunch and dinner. But if you’re looking for an escape—or maybe you’re a local on spring staycation?—visit Jardin to see why Wynn was so glad to welcome Zanelli back into the family.

Jardin Encore, 702-770-3463. Sunday-Thursday, 7 a.m.-11 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 7 a.m.-1 a.m.

Tags: Dining, Food
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