Helloooo from LAS VEGAS! Yep, your girl is outchea in these Vegas streets, celebrating my girl’s 40th birthday. Come through Melanin and black girl magic, we are getting turnt up!
Neal decides that since this was my first trip here, going on a food adventure was necessary! He made a reservation at Twist, a restaurant by Pierre Gagnaire. I am soo excited, especially as this is the only restaurant by Monsieur Pierre on this side of the pond. My sister-circle generally think I am extra AF for indulging way too much in my food obsession. Ha ha! Hi, my name is Ndidi and I am a foodholic ha ha ha! sorry not sorry!
I am not alone on this food adventure, I have my girl Sia with me. My travel buddy, make-up obsessed, fashionista sister-friend. The one who always makes sure my bronzer is on point and my glow is just right! Always up for an adventure and is quick to tell you hard truths whilst rolling her eyes! I won’t have it any other way though and the visit to not only Twist but Vegas was dope because she came with.
Twist is located on the 23rd floor of the Waldorf Astoria. Listen! Monsieur Pierre’s decorator is FIRE! The restaurant is foinnnnneeee! The walk way to the reception is dimly lit, with single flowers in tall vases and hanging flowers making it feel mystical. Once inside the dining area, the high ceilings and mirrors gives a sense of grandeur and space. Talk about selfie and picture moments, you know we had to seize the moment and get our pictures on! yassss!! We were early to our 6pm reservation errr… no ‘african time’ folks’! so we had plenty of time to post up! More importantly, we got to enjoy the gorgeous Vegas views as the sun set over the city. Our head waiter was a brethren (s/o to Dayo) and he was a hoot. My man had his game on point- knowledgeable, good banter, basically ACE! We tried the grand tasting menu which was a five-course meal paired with wine and it was something I tell ya!
Head Chef John’s introduction was the amuse bouche made of up six distinct thingy majig’s consisting of bread sticks, cream cheese and jelly type items which were darn good! the butter was soft and light, literally MELT-IN–YOUR-MOUTH type ish! Now y’all know I usually tend to write about the dishes that were stand out to us. This is because, sometimes, a taster menu could be 15 courses or more! As much as I love the food adventures, writing about them will never truly capture the experience effectively on paper but more importantly, providing summaries on 10 courses will bore not only me but you guys too, plus, DON’T NOBODY GOT TIME FOR THAT! However, this taster menu I could quite happily write about every dish! Every dish on the 5 course menu was one of a kind! Each accompanied with the perfect wine. OMD! the wines here… looooovvvved it.
The first wine pairing was a Trisaetum reisling! I mean… that is how you kick off your taster menu – gunz blazing lol. It was served with a watermelon dish which really was campari, elderflower, tomatoe seeds, burrata Ice cream and Dill blossom. Allz I am saying is this course was F R E S H! fresh tasting, fresh like refreshing, fresh like when you step out on one of those mornings where its supposed to the be late spring but the temperature be giving you late winter vibes?! The Riesling? – aromatic with orange flavours, just brought the whole dish together nicely!
You know I love me some sea food! Chef John served up a squid and prawn dish, Oh My Days! It was squid in prawn mousse, prawn with green curry, fregola with red currant and bisque of lobster. It was paired with a white wine from Maisonry stage coach vineyard, from Napa Valley which although had lingering nutty taste, tasted like a cross between a sauvignon blanc and Chardonnay! The other courses were just freaking awesome – summer squash chawanmushi made of petite summer squash, pea tendrils, creme fraiche, English peas and smoked Trout Roe. The foie gras was fantastic – seared in summer fruit chutney, grilled savoy cabbage, cherry black currant sorbet and braised rhubarb! I mean come on now! The taste fruity elements did not make the foie gras too sweet but rather enhanced it, which was really dope because foie gras sometimes (depending on how it is prepared) can have a lingering bitter taste – think livers as a comparison. The American Wagyu aka beef steak came with black truffle, artichoke, celeriac and spinach.
Chef John pulled the hat out of the bag with the desserts! We were served with an array of 5 different desserts served with Eisrebe dessert wine! This wine was delicious as it was refreshing. Eisrebe is a play on two German words Eis (ice) & rebe (wine) meaning ice wine. Yep! The wine was served ice cold and by god it was delicious exactly what you need for the Vegas heat! Just when we thought we could eat no more, Chef John decides as a thank you for coming to give us another array of desserts which Sia and I dubbed pudding 2.0!
Yes chef, you did THAT! Thank you for a sweet evening!
Cheers
Ndidi
