Wynn Magazine - Las Vegas
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/314388
photography by sabin orr caught some 11 fish, mostly yellowfin tuna, on a line and packed his catch to be delivered to the restaurant the next day. "It's hard work," he says. "We were reminded it's called fishing, not catching." When the fish arrive at the restaurant, just 24 hours out of their warm Hawaiian home, they are treated with the utmost care and respect. Part of the appeal of having such an exclusive roster of fish, Walzog believes, is that guests can control their dining experience. It's a notion he's carrying over from running SW Steakhouse next door. "People ask why steakhouses are so popular," he says. "Why is à la carte so popular? A lot of it is that guests are able to be the driver. They know what they want." The idea of Walzog's current fish program is as simple as that of the American steakhouse: Diners choose their fish and how they would like it prepared. "We buy the best fish and expertly cook it to temperature." The catches are referred to by both their Hawaiian names and their more common names—to add local color while helping to allay any guest apprehension about trying seafood that sounds unfamiliar. From the snapper family, for example, you'll find ehu (short-tailed red), opakapaka (pink), and uku (blue-green), each with its own distinct texture. The opakapaka is generally firmer, as is uku, but the ehu has a nice medium density, slightly more tender than its cousins. All the snappers are delicately flavored and work well with a variety of pre- sentations. The preparations, as they're called on the Lakeside menu, are both seasonally and geographically driven, with nods to Asian and Mediterranean influences. And each preparation complements any number of fish choices. "They are all built to work with each other," says Walzog. He calls the citrus set the "default" for guests who don't want to above: Marlin is one of the more popular choices on Lakeside's menu. Here it is made with a citrus preparation, which includes supremed segments of Mandarin orange, candied kumquat, dill, and extra-virgin olive oil. 64 Wynn FooD SPoTLIgHT 060-066_Wynn_FEAT_FoodSpotlight_Spring14.indd 64 5/15/14 1:17 PM