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Switch at Encore

Just The Facts, Please.

Location

Encore

Dining Hours

Open daily, 5:30p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

Chef

Rene Lenger

Cuisine

French / Steakhouse

Price Range

$50+

Suggested Attire

Business Casual

Notes

Decor actually changes every 20 minutes, as the restaurant cycles through three themes.

Sample Menu Items

A creamy roasted butternut squash soup served with scented foie gras and wild mushrooms.

Burgundy snails are seared with Pernod and garlic-parsley butter.

Ribeye with Sweet Potato Fries and Maple glazed tri-color carrots roasted with a maple glaze.

Mavens Overview: Switch

Switch at Encore serves French cuisine with an emphasis on steaks. The standout feature at Switch is the way the decor changes every 20minutes, as the walls and lighting actually change and transform the whole room.

The Internet Buzz is mixed, for both food and service. Some comments that the changing decor is interesting at first, but quickly becomes tedious.

Internet Buzz: Switch

There are three main themes that change on a 20 – 25 minute rotation. These themes include a distressed baroque look, an Italian villa made with real stone, and then a completely open look where guests can look out to the lobby and front atrium. Music and seductive mood lighting adds to the show, which lasts about a minute.
When we arrived there was a middle eastern maraca theme. Then 30 minutes later the ceiling opens up the walls change the music changes and it honestly feels like you are in completely different restaurant.
Switch is known for the way the walls change every 15-30 mins. I kid u not. Walls come out of the ground up, walls come from ceiling down, the ceiling transforms and the light fixtures change. I'll have to admit while it does feel like a gimmick, that is one expensive gimmick.
Red Snapper- this was what took me into the sweet stairwell to heaven. It is grilled then laid on top of a bed of tomatoes and onions. The sauce is tangy and zesty. Sides: Yukon mashed potatoes- Golden, creamy, and whipped to perfection. Creamed spinach- There was a sweet taste to it that made my palate jump to surprise. But it still was delicious. Creamy and sweet, what a weird mixture for spinach- but it worked.
The Burgundy snails are seared with Pernod and garlic-parsley butter. While the snails are perfectly cooked, tender, not chewy, the sauce is a little heavy. It's very rich and of thick consistency. The portion is definitely enough to share.
Do not get suckered into trying this wanna be "steakhouse". The premise seems cool @ first, every 20 minutes or so the decor of the restaurant changes, but after a couple "switches" it gets old. To be honest, the meal I had was not bad at all. Started off with the lobster bisque, which was actually excellent. Rich creamy bisque and an ample amount of lobster. For my meal, I had the kobe beef carpaccio w/arugula salad and mac & cheese. Both were good, but I wasn't blown away by either.
If you love steak, but also love long waits and middling service, this is your place.
The changing room decor every 30 minutes is cool the first time, but you quickly realize that this is just another Las Vegas show to keep you oohing and aahing. the food is the standout here. I had the strip steak--medium rare--and it was delivered perfectly cooked and extremely tasty. It cut like butter and was, as I said, one of the best steaks I have ever had. The sides are big and good. the table enjoyed the sauteed mushrooms, lyonees potatoes.
Truffle Risotto - I have to say, every bite was equally delicious, and my taste buds didn't get bored with the explosion of flavors. So butter and truffle risotto, along with shaved truffles on top - a symphony in my mouth. Want more.
For side dishes we had asparagus and creamed spinach - good but nothing special. I also had the bone in rib eye - which was good, but didn't seem like a $50 steak.
As for the food and service, it was okay. Service was a little frazzled and disorganized at first and it was hard to tell who was our server. The sommelier was difficult to locate.
Loved it. We rec'd outstanding service and food was excellent.
I stopped by for a quick bite. Very pricey, as is everything in Vegas, but the steak was wonderful!