February '08 Entertainment—Celebrity Chef Connection Column

It is a day to show the one you love appreciation, gratitude, admiration and just that you care. It can be your spouse or significant other, your parents, your grandparents or just a very special person. It is February 14, Valentines’ Day and dining at a very special restaurant is certainly one way to enjoy the day and show your love.

TREVI Italian Restaurant at The Forum Shops at Caesars offers cocktails on the patio next to The Fountain of the Gods and dinner on the Mezzanine Level with a view of the shops and fountain. The ambience, Italian specialties and creative cocktails make for an unforgettable dining experience.

“From the elegant chandelier and rich, oval bar to the murals and Mezzanine Level, our guests feel like every meal is a special occasion at TREVI,” said Nick Catanella, General Manager and Managing Partner of TREVI Italian Restaurant. “TREVI is ideal for cocktails and appetizers, dinner or a late-night cappuccino and dessert.”

Specialty cocktails include the Pomegranate Cosmo, Macchiato Martini, Frozen Lemon Sorbetini, Nona’s Cinnamon Cookie, Italian Margarita and Mojito. All specialty cocktails are available for $9.95 each.

TREVI’s menu features appetizers, such as the Polenta Fries and Calamari Fritti. There is a variety of homemade soups certain to warm the appetite. Salads include Tuscan Tuna Salad and Mediterranean Salad.

Brick Oven Fired Pizzas feature Classic Pepperoni, Chicken Marinated, Margherita, Italian Sausage and Classic Cheese. Entrees range from chicken and veal to pastas and seafood.

After dinner, homemade gelato is offered in assorted flavors, made fresh daily and the Spaghetti Ice is one of their signature desserts. Fresh espresso, cappuccino and an assortment of beverages are the perfect accompaniment.

TREVI Italian Restaurant at The Forum Shops at Caesars

Hours:

Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.

702-735-4663.

www.trevi-italian.com.

The Las Vegas restaurants of the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group are setting the perfect ambiance this Valentine’s Day to share the food they love. Spago inside the Forum Shops at Caesars, Trattoria Del Lupo at Mandalay Bay and Postrio at The Venetian will offer special tasting menus in addition to their a la carte offerings. Four of the five restaurants will offer the Passionate Chocolate, a special sweet treat created especially for the holiday.

All five restaurants will offer the tempting libation known as the Scarlett O’Hara, perfect to compliment any meal enjoyed at the fine dining group. Created from the perfect blend of 2-oz. Southern Comfort, 1-oz. cranberry juice and 1-oz. fresh limejuice, the Scarlett O’Hara is served in a martini glass and garnished with fresh cranberries or a slice of lime. Guests can enjoy the Scarlett O’Hara for $12.

Executive Chef at Spago Eric Klein is offering this Valentine’s Day irresistible dishes such as the Four Cheese Agnolottie with French Black Truffle served with sautéed Oregon wild mushroom, pecorino and celery leaves. Other selections range from sashimi, duck and a Bartlett pear salad. For dessert, guests can treat themselves to the Passionate Chocolate created by Director of Pastry Kenny Magana, who combines hot passion fruit soufflé with a white chocolate liquid center and chocolate raspberry swirl.

SPAGO

Oyster Gratinée

Oyster / Spinach / Béarnaise / Caviar

Marinated Japanese Hamachi and Tuna Sashimi

Sticky Rice / Wasabi Soy-Yuzu / Ponzu Sauce

Huckleberry Poached Santa Monica Farmers Market Bartlett Pear Salad

Maytag Buttermilk Bleu Cheese / Frisée Lettuce / Candied Walnuts / Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Four Cheese Agnolotti with French Black Truffle

Sautéed Oregon Wild Mushroom / Pecorino / Celery Leaves

Pan Seared Maine Diver Scallops “Meunière”

Cauliflower Purée / Golden Raisins / Blood Orange / Pinenut-Caper Brown Butter

Pan Roasted Breast of Duck

Carrot Vichy / Glazed Turnips / Wild Onions / Chanterelle Mushrooms / Quince

“Passionate Chocolate”

Hot Passion Fruit “Soufflé” / White Chocolate Liquid Center / Chocolate Raspberry Swirl

$100 per person ($150 w/ wine pairing)

Eduardo Perez, Executive Chef at Trattoria del Lupo, starts off his special menu with antipasti, perfect for sharing, which includes a Poached Sea Scallop accompanied by braised leek, Oscetra Caviar and Tuscan olive oil. The menu continues with indulgent offerings of pasta, fish and meat and is completed with the Passionate Chocolate.

TRATTORIA DEL LUPO

Antipasti

Poached Sea Scallop / Braised Leek / Oscetra Caviar / Tuscan Olive Oil

Pasta

Maine Lobster Ravioli / Tarragon / White Truffle-Clam Sauce

Pesce

Roasted Red Snapper / Spinach / Sun Dried Tomatoes / Capers

Carne

Petit Filet of Prime Beef Tenderloin / Cauliflower Gratin / Black Truffles

Dolce

“Passionate Chocolate”

Hot Passion Fruit “Soufflé” / White Chocolate Liquid Center / Chocolate Raspberry Swirl

$75 per person

Complimentary Glass of Champagne

At Postrio, Executive Chef Mark Sandoval creates novelties perfect for a romantic dining getaway set in the romantic ambiance of Venice, Italy. His four-course menu is ideal for tasting and sharing as each course offers guests a choice between two delectable dishes.

POSTRIO

First Course

Yellow Fin Tuna Tartare / Fennel / Olive / Preserved Lemon

Salad of Winter Greens / Citrus Vinaigrette / Blood Orange / Pomegranate

Second Course

Peeky Toe Crab Ravioli / Cipollini Onion / Lobster Nage / Baby Arugula

Puree of Potato and Leek Soup / Black Truffle Pistou / Crispy Leeks

Main Course

Butter-Poached Ingrid Bengis Lobster Risotto / Sunchokes / Oven-Dried Tomatoes

Prime Filet Mignon / Confit Potatoes / Roasted Baby Vegetables / Red Wine Sauce

Dessert

“Passionate Chocolate”

Hot Passion Fruit “Soufflé” / White Chocolate Liquid Center / Chocolate Raspberry Swirl

$75 per person

In addition to Trattoria del Lupo and Postrio, the Passionate Chocolate also will be offered at Spago at The Forum Shops at Caesars and at the Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill at MGM Grand and is priced at $12.

For reservations and additional information call 1-877-4-WOLFGANG or www.wolfgangpuck.com.

Chocolates are a tradition when it comes to Valentine’s Day. Some say it can’t be done, pairing wine with chocolate, but if you have the right wine to complement the right chocolate, it can be a match made in heaven! Fleming’s Wine Guru Jackie Evon shares her expert tips, tricks and techniques on dessert wine pairings.

Whether you are pairing a delicate milk chocolate or a lively dark chocolate with wine, there are a few pairing tips to keep in mind:

For ultimate pairing success, adhere to one basic rule: the wine should be sweeter than the chocolate. If the chocolate is sweeter than the wine, it will make the wine taste dry, flat or even sour.

The best match for a chocolate pairing is a Port. To compliment rich, dark flavors try the Cockburn, Tawny Port 10 Year Old NV.

To avoid having your tongue curl up like an old leather shoe, stay away from tannin and oak flavors in wine. These will leave a bitter taste in your mouth and will delude the rich, sweetness of the chocolate confection.

Pair lighter, more subtle styles of chocolate that have a lower cocoa content with aged or fruiter dessert wines, like a Tawny Port and Late Harvest Riesling.

By the same logic, strongly flavored, dark chocolates with 70 percent or higher cocoa content demand a wine with more intensity, higher alcohol levels and concentrated fruit, like a Banyuls, Late Harvest Zinfandel, Vintage or Late Bottled Port or even a Cognac.

Ultimately, each pairing is unique. You may just have to try lots of different combinations. Which, when chocolate and wine are involved, isn’t exactly torture!

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse

8721 W. Charleston Blvd.

Monday –Thursday and Sunday from 5-10 p.m.,

Friday and Saturday from 5-11 p.m.

702-838.4774

www.flemingssteakhouse.com

Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!