Review: SWITCH at Encore Las Vegas

From Encore Las Vegas

When I first heard word of a new unnamed restaurant at Steve Wynn's new Encore resort adjacent to Wynn Las Vegas that would have walls/lights/scenery that changes with your dining experience two things came to mind.  Corn, as in corny, and the Bellagio.  Steve Wynn has a knack for taking the theatrical and applying to interiors in innovative ways.  Case in point the Lake of Dreams at Wynn.  Some hate it, some love it, but you have to give it due as an original art piece and entertainment method.

As a restaurant, SWITCH (appropriate name, no?) is intimate yet grand, and the changing interiors only highlight the idea that fine dining can encompass many moods.  The changing walls create three distinct atmospheres, one looking like it the original vision, a Wynn classic look, the other a something of a French Nouveau art look with its fragmented windows and torn curtains which come into view with a light show, accompanied sounds, and lighting.  The third change is in my opinion the grandest of them all, when the walls slide completely out of sight and the ceiling opens up, revealing a 20 foot coffer with large ornate and organic flower themed chandeliers.  Seeing the ceiling open, and the restaurant become exposed to the rest of the hotel's atrium makes one feel like they are in a great space, and that the gem box has been opened for everyone to see.

Additionally there are other touches which make the restaurant stand out.  A dining table amongst the wine cellar is a great place for tasting dinners paired with the sommelier's choices for your meal.  There are also two intimate family tables in columned rotundas that offer excellent views of the atrium and the show inside.  Every detail is thought out thoroughly, as is every design element that goes into a Steve Wynn endeavor.  The wait staff also is incredibly talented and attentive, making sure everything is as it should be, that you are well taken care of, and even giving you messages from your room if you have them (as was my case.)

The food is not second rate to the show here, it should be mentioned.  The french inspired menu from former Le Cirque and Wynn Executive Chef Marc Poidevin is adorned with amazing cuts of beef, seafood creations, and all the other staples you'd expect in a five-star resort.  I personally had a SWITCH Caesar salad which was crisp, with the right amount of parmesan and dressing.  I followed it up with a 9oz filet mignon, which was paired by the waiter with a bernaise sauce.  The steak was amazing, very similar to one I had had at SW a year ago at the Wynn.  It was cooked perfectly and buttery on the tongue, with the perfect level of sear and seasoning on the outside.  I chose to pair it with sweet potato fries, served in a playful iron cone on the table.  While they came out hot to the point of tasting very little of the seasoning, after they had cooled a bit they were delicious with just the right amount of salt to offset the sweet.  The sommelier also paired the meal with a wine choice, a Bordeaux which was the perfect compliment to the filet.  I would recommend consulting with her, as my wine was not on the menu, but she managed to nail exactly what I was wanting with what I was dining on.

Dessert was amazing as well and my hats off to the pastry chef.  The white chocolate orange french toast was cooked perfectly, and the pairing of a red-wine reduced pear mingled the tastes together beautifully.  The inclusion of a blood orange sorbet with the dish cleaned the palette and left one refreshed and satisfied but not overly full.

I will, and have, highly recommended this restaurant to all of my Vegas bound friends.  The menu is high, but on par with restaurants of this quality, and the show you get with the exquisite food makes for an entertaining and extremely fulfilling dining experience.  

SWITCH is located within Encore at Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV.  Reservations can be made by calling 702.248.DINE.  

Below is a video from YouTube of a few of the scene changes at SWITCH.  Enjoy.