In September we wrote that the new Durango Social Club would have a five-course-tasting-menu format, with dinners prepared by owner/chef Dan Krohmer, an excellent chef who also owns Other Mama. As it turns out, that wasn’t the plan. The concept now seems to be a changing line-up of chefs and events, ranging from a smashburger pop-up with $8 burgers to a chef residency called “Lilli by Chef Tyler Vorce” for $125. We missed the smashburgers, which we were told were terrific, but got the whole seven-course treatment with Lilli in this experimental dining experience at 3655 S. Durango Drive.
The Chef
When you reserve online, you can choose to eat at a table or at the “chef’s counter” if available. We opted for the counter, where we got to talk with Chef Vorce. He grew up in Maine and worked at several high-end restaurants, but his main feather is a five-year run at the vaunted French Laundry in Napa, where he worked under chefs Thomas Keller and David Breeden. Vorce chats with the customers while he prepares the dishes. He told us he’s scouting a move to Las Vegas; hence, this test-run residency. Unless you want privacy, the counter is the way to go.
The Food
There’s only one way to do this, and that’s to walk you through it the way we did it. There’s a wine pairing add-on for $75, which one in our party did, and part of that is a choice of cocktail to start. We had a martini.
First Course — Porcini Mushroom Bouillon
Second Course — Red Sea Bream, with radish, pear, and lemon verbena
Third Course — California Black Cod, with parsnips, tarragon, and grapefruit sabayon
Fourth Course — Violet Artichokes, with butter beans and smoked paprika
Fifth Course — Liberty Duck Breast, with quince, maitake mushrooms, and red walnut sauce
Sixth Course — Lamb Saddle, with stewed plums, sweet carrots, and preserved lemon sauce
Seventh Course — Fennel Pollen Pavlova, with satsumas and Nevada pine nuts
It’s a tasting menu, so portions are small, but the cooks know what they’re doing and you won’t leave hungry. Keeping in mind that this is LVA and we’re pretty much powered by hot dogs, shrimp cocktail, and prime rib specials, we felt there was a bit too much fruit going on (count the grapefruit, satsumas, and quinces above). For example, the stewed plums and sweet carrots kinda got in the way of the lamb, but flavor pairing is what gourmet dining is often about. As would be expected, different dishes were preferred by different diners and that makes for an interesting dining experience. We also opted for an add-on caviar dollop that we split between two and it was added to the sea bream. Caviar is costly ($45), but it made for one of the best pairings. It was the birthday of one in our party, which is the reason for the candle on the dessert.
The Verdict
This was a treat, albeit an expensive one. After the wine and caviar add-ons, a side cocktail, an 18% mandatory gratuity, and tax, the bill came in at $450. But along with a memorable meal, it was an unordinary experience, which is what Krohmer is aiming for with this effort. The meal described here will be offered on Saturdays and Sundays through December 28, then there will be new events at different price points. Monitor the schedule here and pick one that you like.