Chowhound: Botero at Encore Las Vegas
There are few things in life that make me happier than a perfectly seasoned and perfectly cooked steak. Thankfully, Botero at Encore Las Vegas was able to deliver both.
Botero is named after Colombian artist Fernando Botero, and dining there is almost like visiting an art museum; several of Botero’s art is on display at the restaurant. This adds an elegant and sophisticated flair to a space that is enhanced by large windows that give way to a nice view of the Encore pool. There is also a giant Buddha located in a shallow fountain positioned in the center of the restaurant. While the art is quite appealing it doesn't stop there. The wait staff is one, if not the most, attractive I've seen at any restaurant I've ever dined at. Looks aside, the service the evening I dined at Botero was as great as you'd expect at a restaurant at Encore or Wynn Las Vegas.
After taking in the environment I tried to settle in to the restaurant, but my dinner was interrupted by the faint sounds of "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice pumping through the speakers (seriously). Of course, that could have been pumping through the walls as the restaurant is located next to XS Nightclub. After a while the boom booms from XS were easily part of dinner. I'm a patient person and was mostly able to just block out the noise and focus on conversation with friends.
I only spent about 10 seconds looking at the menu before knowing that I wanted a New York strip with a simple side of whipped potatoes and mozzarella. However, it took a while for me to make it through the massive wine list. Besides the wine list being huge (with over 600 different wines), there were few bottles under $100.
Nobody at the table ordered appetizers, but after we were told that it takes at least 25 minutes for steak to be cooked and served, we probably should have. The extra time gave me the chance to take in the atmosphere, wine and good conversation with good friends. That's what a good meal is all about anyway, right?!
When our entrees arrived, my New York strip was seasoned to perfection with ample salt and pepper and cooked to a perfect medium with a lovely pink center. The exterior of the steak had a great sear to it and the inside was mouthwatering juicy. In fact, the steak was so good that I barely touched the whipped potatoes. All in all, as a self-described steak snob, I'd rank Botero as having one of the best steaks in Las Vegas.
While the steak was fantastic, there were a couple of drawbacks to Botero. The coffee that I had at the end of dinner was awful and that the thumping bass from XS, that I was able to mostly block out, got louder as the restaurant emptied. If you dine at Botero I highly recommend making an early reservation so that the music doesn't get in the way of a great meal.
Some additional menu highlights you won’t want to miss out on: crudo tasting and dungeness crab agnolotti for starters and the branzino and bone-in filet for entrees. If you’re really in the mood to feast, opt for the Châteaubriand for two.
