There’s a palpable sense of whimsy circulating through PISCES Bar & Seafare, the new upscale seafood restaurant at Wynn Las Vegas helmed by Chef Martin Heierling.  Whether it’s the sumptuously multitextured interiors by Todd-Avery Lenahan (President, Wynn Design & Development)—think: comfortably upholstered burled wood chairs backed in a fabric evoking ersatz scales, glittering custom mosaic floors by SICIS featuring real gold leaf, giant ceramic urns, the copper-trimmed mosaic bar—the prime waterside location, overlooking the Lake of Dreams; or the dishes Chef Martin and his team send out from the kitchen (including the world’s happiest soup and a smoke-breathing ceramic crab!), it all warmly beckons with a knowing wink, and the result is something really special.  In short, PISCES is a multi-sensory treat!

My most recent meal at PISCES commenced with one of the cocktail menu’s Zero Proof options.  Created by Mariena Mercer Boarini, Wynn’s high priestess of the mixological arts, the Mykonos Muse (with cucumber soda, lemongrass, cardamom, preserved lemon, and yuzu) is cool and refreshing and perfect for this summertime heat.

Dinner at PISCES properly begins with bread: In this case, the puffy Italian pull-apart bread known as Pane Sfogliato, served with the creamy and spicy Greek dip of whipped feta and red peppers called Htipiti.  The pairing is perfection and leads right into the soup course. 

Earlier, I mentioned that PISCES is home to the world’s happiest soup, and I’m gonna double down on that settlement.  Gazpacho de Cereza is a variation of the popular chilled Andalusian tomato soup, but where the traditional recipe zigs with garlic and cucumber, this version zags by adding cherries.  Chef Martin takes it further, whipping the soup to a rich, velvety, bisque-y, dessert-like concoction, topped with sherry, feta, and extra virgin olive oil.  And I’ve noticed it a few times now, that when someone mentions having eaten at PISCES, and I ask if they’d tried the soup, invariably an almost glazed look comes over their eyes as their mouth curves into a reminiscent smile.  It’s that good. 

The restaurant’s signature seafood tower, The Pisces, is an absurdly abundant two-tiered seafood tower filled with lobster Catalana, king crab, langoustines, Oishii shrimp, balik salmon, oysters, clams, mussels, and spicy tuna tartare.  Earlier this summer, a friend and I each had the soup and split The Pisces.  Neither of us suffers from a poor appetite, and we went to town.  Yet, despite our best efforts, a couple of hours later, I found myself meandering back to the Tower Suites Valet, with a shopping bag of takeout containers in each hand.  [By volume, it was a bag-and-a-half, but you can’t very well carry half of a bag.]

Another time, following the now de rigueur bowl of Gazpacho de Cereza, the journey began with the Grilled Octopus (with whipped fava puree, capers, and a roasted pepper sauce), and the Crab Cigars (with crispy filo, lemon, and a piquillo pepper remoulade).  The Spanish octopus was grilled to perfection and elevated by the flavor of the roasted pepper.  The Crab Cigars weren’t so much a dish as a multi-sensory, multi-media food presentation, complete with ersatz smoke being emitted from a ceramic ‘crab’ vessel looming over the inviting appetizers, which were crispy, tasty, and fun. 

Next was the lobster course, with the Whole Atlantic Blue Lobster (with endive, fennel, orange, green apple-citrus salsa, and spicy dressing), followed by the Spicy Lobster Spaghettini (prepared Arrabbiata-style, with fennel, and extra virgin olive oil), and enjoyed with an order of Greek Taverna Fries (with oregano, spiced salt, sumac, and Parmigiano Reggiano).  The Whole Atlantic Blue Lobster is a beautifully-arranged dual presentation of French Blue Lobster, with the tail served chilled with green apple pipirrana alongside the claws and knuckles, which are in a spicy espelette dressing.  Zesty and piquant, without overwhelming the lobster, these look great and taste even better.  While I needed them like I needed a proverbial hole in my head, keep in mind that the Greek Taverna Fries have already been deep-fried and seasoned to perfection by the time the Parmigiano Reggiano is sprinkled over them with a heavy hand.  At one point, I tried ‘dipping’ a few fries into the chilled lobster (á la steak tartare), and it was so perversely delicious I repeated this a few times.  As for the Spicy Lobster Spaghettini, just one bite of the piquant Arrabbiata clinging to the light and porous pasta I’d twirled around my fork was all the explanation I needed as to why Chef Martin was importing noodles crafted by the century-old Tuscan pasta factory, Pastificio Familia Martelli.

Ending our culinary journey on a sweet note (or two), we opted for a pair of desserts: the If Wishes Were Fishes (a salted caramel ganache layer cake with warm fudge sauce), and the Greek Yogurt Soft Serve (with sour cherry compote and baklava donuts).  The If Wishes Were Fishes is another show, wherein the server pours the warm fudge sauce over the white chocolate ‘bones’ of the fish, causing them to melt and fall to the side.  The Greek Yogurt Soft Serve was exactly as refreshing and delicious as we’d hoped it would be, and thanks to its sour cherry compote, it formed the omega to the Gazpacho de Cereza’s alpha, bringing our meal to a delightful conclusion.   

PISCES Bar & Seafare
Wynn Las Vegas
Click HERE for info and reservations

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