Wynn Magazine - Las Vegas
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/98961
FOOD FOR THOUGHT The Peking duck at Mizumi is misomarinated and served with roasted baby beets and pomegranate. "My goal is to come up with something exciting and original while remaining true to authentic Japanese flavors."—Devin Hashimoto On the wall and on your plate: the Mizumi Mask chocolate mousse and sweet rice dessert. teriyaki, and even Wagyu beef that patrons cook for themselves at the table on a stone. Vegans and vegetarians will be delighted by a separate menu that is remarkably versatile. In this case, the surprise is robatayaki—items grilled on skewers over a special type of Japanese charcoal—such as roasted sweet corn, shishito peppers, and Gardein "chicken" yakitori served on skewers. Robatayaki is Hashimoto's most popular specialty. For non-vegetarians, make an effort to taste what he does with quail, diver scallops, pork belly, and Wagyu short ribs. The unique aspect of Mizumi, in fact, is versatility. In Hashimoto's own words, "It's important to have teriyaki and tempura in a restaurant that caters to a diverse clientele, but I want my guests to have options. My goal is to highlight seasonal ingredients while remaining true to 88 authentic Japanese flavors, and come up with something exciting and original while doing it." One innovative new dish not to miss is spicy king crab and taro tacos, with the makeshift taco shell made from the starchy root vegetable instead of corn; another is yellowtail sashimi and jalapeno gelée; and a third, Wagyu beef tartare, is topped with a toothsome quail egg. The meal commences with a formal tea service, premium blends served in glass pitchers. Kikucha is sweet, medicinal, and pungent. Genmai is toasty, brown-rice tea with the finish of buttery popcorn. There are several other options. Should you choose to eat a kaiseki—or multicourse dinner—at Mizumi, it might go something like this: You'd begin with sashimi, as tradition demands, something simple such as a modestly priced mackerel, or a luxury item such as otoro (fatty tuna belly) or uni (sea urchin). The tuna has a texture like soft butter, and the uni has a magical iodine tang and a flavor unlike any other foodstuff on earth. The quality of the fish here is impeccable, but another important aspect WYNN 086-090_W_DINING_FFT_Winter13-2.indd 88 12/12/12 5:23 PM