Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
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TASTE Cafe Bellagio continued from page 72 FLOWERS AS INGREDIENTS have made their way into base spirit brands as well. Gran Centenario Rosangel tequila is infused with the tropical hibiscus flower and is available at Javier���s and SHe steakhouse, and on pool menus across town in refreshing drinks such as the Pink Tequila, which mixes it with Campari, lime, and a float of Squirt. Hendrick���s, a Scottish gin, is teeming with blooms including elderflower, chamomile, and yarrow flower, but, in addition to the notes of cucumber, its rose essence sets it apart. Made from the oil of pressed Bulgarian damask rose petals, combined with water and alcohol, the essence is added at the end of the distillation process, delivering subtle hints of rose to the spirit. Chris Hopkins, property mixologist at Cosmopolitan and general manager of its Vesper Bar, built his By Any Other Name cocktail around Hendrick���s, adding Lillet Rose and fresh citrus to usher out winter and herald the arrival of sunnier days. V The Buffet at Wynn Chris Hopkins Poppy Den petal pushers BY ANY OTHER NAME This flower-powered cocktail, created by Chris Hopkins, is served at Cosmopolitan���s Vesper Bar. 1 strawberry 1 1���2 oz. Hendrick���s gin 1 ���2 oz. Art in the Age Rhubarb Tea 1 ���2 oz. Lillet Rose 1 oz. lemon juice �� oz. strawberry/rhubarb/ rose water syrup Dash of egg white Muddle strawberry in mixing glass. Add remaining ingredients and shake with ice. Fine-strain into chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a rose petal. 74 BY EMMA TROTTER I n sunny Vegas, the spring���s warm desert air finds diners antsy to end their hibernation and return to their beloved sunlit dining hot spots���eateries bursting with the color and fragrance of fresh flowers. Sure to be a new favorite is Poppy Den, which bloomed at Tivoli Village this year. At the trendy Asian gastropub, helmed by former Top Chef All-Stars contestant Angelo Sosa, the bright crimsons and oranges of poppies are reflected in everything from the wall d��cor to the furniture. With its sprawling patio, the restaurant���s poppy garden���set to flourish this spring���will offer the prettiest seats in the house, with a variety of flowers and herbs that play off the restaurant���s dishes. ���People love dining among flowers, because there���s a disconnect from nature when you live in an urban place,��� Sosa says. ���I like to provide my customers with an oasis to escape to.��� Tivoli Village, 702-802-2480; vegaspoppyden.com Caf�� Bellagio The Bu���et at Wynn For Strip dining among flowers, there���s perhaps no better view in town than at Caf�� Bellagio, which sits adjacent to the famed Conservatory & Botanical Gardens���one of the city���s most staggeringly busy attractions. With quite a few coveted tables near the flower displays, the open, airy Caf�� Bellagio is the hotel���s casual-with-aview destination. Wait times can reach an hour, which leaves enough time to peruse the garden���s seasonal displays before your meal. Bellagio, 702-693-7111; bellagio.com Wynn Las Vegas���s extreme attention to detail and presentation extends to its venerable buffet, which features a stunning array of tropical plants, fruits, and luxe flowers such as chrysanthemums, calandivas, hydrangeas, and begonias. The entrance is lined with a hedge of lady and kentia palms, plus two Ming Aralias and overgrown peace lilies, while schefflera plants, bird-of-paradise flowering plants, Philodendron ���Xanadu,��� and tall dracaenas enhance the restaurant���s interior. Wynn Las Vegas, 702-770-3340; wynnlasvegas.com PHOTOGRAPHY BY SABIN ORR (HOPKINS), GABE GINSBERG (POPPY DEN), BARBARA KRAFT (BUFFET AT WYNN), COURTESY OF BELLAGIO (CAF�� BELLAGIO) GARDENSIDE DINING IS GROWING IN THE DESERT. VEGASMAGAZINE.COM 072-074_V_SC_LocalFlavor_FlowerPower_Spring13.indd 74 2/12/13 3:45 PM