Twist Twist

Whatever your success, eventually you've gotta try the bigger pond: hitting No. 1 on the UK charts is a warm-up for doing it in the States, and despite being deemed a master of cuisine in France, you're nothing until you win over the most sophisticated diners in the world who're fairly sauced and haven't slept for 72 hours. Boldly taking on that final frontier of Vegas, Pierre Gagnaire, with Twist.

Sitting high on the Mandarin Oriental's 23rd floor, Twist's the first US offering from tri-Michelin-starred fusion pioneer Pierre Gagnaire, who's plating French cuisine with a twist (oh!) on two levels: a suspended wine loft accessed by a glass staircase, and a lower dining area with Strip/City Center views through 20-foot windows, 300 illuminated globes hanging from the ceiling, and towering slate walls, which attempt to distill the zeitgeist of culture, politics, and art in a free online format. Dinner's either a wine-paired prix-fixe with a plethora of seasonal offerings, or a la carte starting with apps like the scallop & melanosporum truffle (carpaccio, truffled vinaigrette pascaline & Parmesan mousse, on truffled biscotte), the spiny lobster w/ Champagne, mushroom & mango, or the Sonoma Valley foie gras degustation: terrine, dried figs, sweet and sour duck glaze, fruit marmalade croquette, trevicchio coulis, and toasted ginger bread custard -- eat enough, and you'll become the house. Formerly swimming mains include pan-fried dover sole w/ ivory sauce, plus lobster poached in Sauternes Infusion glazed w/ beurre noisette, while for landlubbers there's Pekin Duck, a seared rack of Colorado lamb flanked by spinach fondue w/ mascarpone and braised shoulder dumpling, and dry-orange-rubbed filet of "Never Never" veal, which seems to have gotten its wish of never growing up.

Round out your intake with the Everything Chocolate Cake (latour cake, pur caraibe chocolate, coffee ganache, chocolate tuile) or the Grand Dessert Pierre Gagnaire: five items Inspired by French traditional pátisseries developed from seasonal fruits, vegetables, and homemade candy & chocolates -- because when it comes to Vegas, if one thing is good, five is twice as good.