Wynn Magazine - Las Vegas
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/498649
photograhy by sabin orr (hearts of palm sal ad); barbara kraft (patio) T he recipe for properly enjoying spring and summer begins with a beautiful meal of the freshest food served in the plushest, most verdant outdoor setting. Imagine savoring strawberries and Champagne while birds fly high above lofty trees and impeccably manicured lawns and koi cavort in a stream near a waterfall. All in the middle of the Mojave Desert. "When I talk to the guests on the patio, they can't believe what a great setting it is, and they can't believe they're in Las Vegas anymore," says chef Carlos Guía of Wynn's The Country Club. "Even for me, in the afternoon, I like to take a break and walk out there and take in nature and collect my thoughts." Perhaps those walks inspired Guía's new menu items. "You have some lighter ingredi- ents in spring and summer," he says, "like our grilled fresh hearts of palms with sugar snap peas, watermelon radish, and a goji berry/passion fruit marinade, or the baby heirloom tomatoes that I'm pairing with Burrata cheese, basil blossoms, chia seeds infused with basil, olive oil, and balsamic reduction—things that remind you of nature and go great with the outdoor experience." The fact that certain ingredients appear only fleetingly in the brief interlude before summer's steam returns makes them all the more prized. "I always look forward to spring's wild ramps," the chef adds. "That's my personal favorite, with the wonderful garlicky notes. Morels are another one." As summer sets in, Guía likes to tantalize guests with watermelon gazpacho. "It's a perfect dish for the patio once watermelon season hits," he says. "It's very refreshing and light with cilantro, crab meat, and avocado." Country Club diners can pair the soup with the most floral of white wines. "A lot of our guests like to start with Champagne on the patio, but a little Viognier is nice, light, and fruity. Personally, I like a nice bourbon cocktail when I sit outside and take in that beautiful view." Guía isn't the only Wynn chef who finds the tranquility of nature just outside his kitchen. "If you close your eyes when you're out there and you hear the water, it relaxes opposite page: Grilled fresh hearts of palm with sugar snap peas, watermelon radish, and a goji berry/passion fruit marinade at The Country Club. above: Chef Guía's summery watermelon gazpacho with crab meat and avocado. below: A waterfall view from The Country Club's patio. Wynn 55