restaurant review: db brasserie in las vegas

DB Brasserie.

While other people like to go to Las Vegas to party or to gamble, I like to go to Vegas to eat. Many well known and/or highly regarded chefs have set up restaurants there including, Mario Batali, Jose Andres and Daniel Bouloud. Chef Bouloud opened DB Brasserie at The Venetian Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. On a recent business trip, I dined there for lunch along with four other associates. Below are my thoughts on my meal.

The Scene

Between the time we arrived at noon and the time we left at around 2-ish pm, the dining area was fairly empty but for a few other diners here and there. A shame, really, because I thought the restaurant offered a fairly affordable meal: $32 for a starter, a main and a dessert. They also offered a la carte items that were pricier but still good value. But, for our purpose of discussing work, the quiet atmosphere served as well.

The lunchtime crowd.

The Food

I ordered from the prix fixe menu and had the following:

• Salmon Rillettes - This dish was light and fresh. The capers added a touch of brininess that went well with the salmon. It came with crostini but I preferred the house bread with it. 

Salmon Rillettes.

• Chicken Paillard - The chicken breast was a tad bit dry, unfortunately, but the fries were perfectly crisp and fluffy inside.

Chicken Paillard.

• DB Rocky Road - A beautifully sweet (non-ice cream) dessert with rich chocolate outside and rich marshmallows inside. It was topped with gold shavings, which did not taste much of anything. Otherwise, a decadent dish.

Rocky Road.

I also tasted the following dishes:

• Coq au Vin - From the a la carte menu, this was a well made dish with burgundy wine and paired with a hand rolled pasta. 

Coq au Vin.

• Cauliflower Curry Soup - This was a beautiful soup with hints of cumin.

Cauliflower Curry Soup.

• Frangipane Tart - This dessert was refreshing and crisp.

Frangipane Tart.

The Service

The host, servers and bussers were friendly (but distant) and efficient. 

Mr. Sazy Rock, who was one of my dining companions, was unhappy with the bussers' enthusiasm in clearing the tables while other diners were still eating. Bussing tables when others are still eating allow restaurants to turn tables quickly. See, when a person is done eating and the staff takes away the dishes, a person who is still eating will feel rushed to finish the food on their plate. The quicker diners eat, the quicker they leave, and the quicker new diners can be seated. While Mr. SR understands that restaurants are businesses and need to turn tables, we were eating in an almost empty restaurant. So, there was no need to "rush" us out of our table given the many, many options of empty tables. (For the record, we still took a leisurely time dining and talking shop but I did observe other dining companions eat faster after the bussers cleared the plates of those already done eating.)

The Price

DB Brasserie's lunch menu was affordable compared to the dinner menu. Below was the lunch menu during my visit. I also posted the dinner menu so you can compare the price.

Lunch Menu.

Dinner Menu.

The Verdict

There were dishes I enjoyed, and dishes I did not. Despite the flaws, if back in town, I'd love to try the other options on the menu.

We made our reservations via Open Table but you may call (702) 430-1235, if you wish.

Have you dined at DB Brasserie? If so, please share your thoughts below.