é - exploring the mind of José Andrés

The meal at é isn’t a fantastic in a traditional sense. It isn’t family plates of comfort food that stroke our soul into that safe place but it is a thinking meal, a look at tradition and an appreciation of imagination and culinary technique. Dining here is essentially a look into José Andrés mind. Through his food he brought us to a place in Spain that exist in his mind through memory and flavour and tells you a story about who he is and where he has come from, a chef that stands between the traditional and the avant-garde and America and Spain.

The food was very entertaining. There were at some points where I thought there was an overuse of foam but the meal was incredible in terms of the breadth of technique in creating ethereal light, airy, crispy, cold, paper thin textures and the flavour combinations that were unfamiliar but fascinating.  At the same time, Jose Andres is also what I would call a chef’s chef where he serves you what chefs want to eat in their after hours – a whole lobe of foie gras and secreto of iberico pork - big flavours, simply done.

Below is the menu we were served on 8 Sep 2013

hand invitation

REBUJITO - tonic water, nitrogen freeze dried sherry and espuma

APPLE "BRAZO DE GITANO" - apple meringue, Spanish blue cheese, hazelnut spread

NITROGEN ALMOND CUP - almond components and caviar

BARQUILLO - anchovies, basil flowers and truffle espuma

"EL VERMUT" - escabeche mussels, vinegar, spherification of olives and escabeche foam

"MERIENDA" - typical Spanish after school snack of muffin with goat's cheese and iberico



CRISPY CHICKEN SKIN EN ESCABECHE - chicken oysters and chicken skin

CAVA SANGRIA

"FABES" CON JAMON" - jamon consommé with cubed fat, spherification of white Spanish beans and garlic puree

LOBSTER WITH CITRUS AND JASMINE

"KOKOTXAS" AL PIL-PIL - Northern Spanish cod jowl with a squid ink sauce

WHOLE LOBE OF FOIE GRAS BAKED IN SALT

WHOLE LOBE OF FOIE GRAS BAKED IN SALT - with clementine, chocolate and grapefruit confit

 

SECRETO OF IBERICO PORK WITH SQUID





SECRETO OF IBERICO PORK WITH SQUID

TORTA PASCUALETE WITH COTTON CANDY

FLAN - with ice shavings and caramel

PAN CON CHOCOLATE - chocolate soil, shaved frozen chocolate, bread, cream and olive oil

"ARROZ CON LECHE"



COCOA PAPER WITH DRIED STRAWBERRY



25 SECOND BIZCOCHO



25 SECOND BIZCOCHO AND CHOCOLATES

Getting a spot here is another story altogether. The dining bar only sits 8 and we were a party of 4 and they only do 2 sittings. Reservations are tough but not impossible, so if you can, you should get a seat at this table.

 

é by josé andrés
3708 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89109