New Andre’s keeps up flavor, lags in service

Andre Rochat, intense, traditional but zeitgeist-savvy and Las Vegas’ original celebrity chef, inadvertently embarked on a trip into the history books when he opened his eponymous restaurant in downtown Las Vegas in 1980. It wasn’t a stellar era for Las Vegas dining; nearly every casino had a “gourmet room” and the fine-food choices pretty much ended there.

Rochat had followed a girlfriend to Las Vegas after leaving his native French Alps and working at various East Coast hotels (and even as an in-flight chef for United Airlines). He opened a bakery here first before the restaurant. His attention to the finest detail led to the restaurant quickly becoming a downtown landmark (the city even named a street after him) and he’d go on to open and close several more restaurants in the valley in the next 30-plus years.

He’s mostly retired now, but his disciples still operate Alize atop the Palms and, since early January, Andre’s Bistro & Bar, in the former DW Bistro location.

The new Andre’s is a streamlined, contemporary version of its forebear, distressed-wood accents and concrete floor mixing with lots of glass and leather. That’s in keeping with the food, which leans heavily to updated, American-tinged versions of French classics.

One example is the foie gras, long a Rochat standard. It’s updated here ($18) with a Sauternes glaze and a plank of grilled Nutella brioche topped with boozy strawberries. The sweetness was an effective counterpoint to the earthy flavor of the liver, and balanced all of that richness.

Rochat’s pere had a butcher shop in their native France and the fils has long honored that tradition with a respect for charcuterie. That’s reflected here in the artisanal housemade sausages ($20), chunks of duck, spicy lamb and garlicky pork sausages that had a juicy richness and diverse but complementary flavor profiles. On the side: Lyonnaise-style potato salad, fingerling potatoes with onions, bacon and a healthy shot of vinegar.

Good, fresh fish doesn’t require a lot of fussing, and the trout ($22) met the criteria. Gently sauteed with almond butter and topped with shaved almonds, its delicate nature was offset by the crisp-tender texture and springlike flavor of the haricots verts on the side.

Another Rochat standard, the Grand Marnier souffle ($20). Worth the wait (pretty close to the 20-minute caveat on the menu), no doubt about it. It’s an ethereal juxtaposition of light and creamy, completed with a splash of creme Anglais.

But the souffle wasn’t the only thing that would pose a wait. Andre’s is fairly new and drawing crowds, but a second dining room had been closed off, and even those with reservations were waiting at least 10 minutes past the appointed time to be seated. A seat at the table didn’t ensure things would speed up; water, wine and all of the courses were preceded by delays that were longer than they should have been.

Time-honored traditions live on at Andre’s Bistro & Bar, but alas, the service doesn’t keep pace with the digital age.

Las Vegas Review-Journal restaurant reviews are done anonymously at Review-Journal expense. Contact Heidi Knapp Rinella at Hrinella@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0474. Follow @HKRinella on Twitter.