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Don't be afraid to call La Madonna’s cuisine ‘divine’
BY JARRET KEENE

If you’re searching for an upscale South of the Border dining experience, look no further than La Madonna Mexican Avante-Garde Cuisine & Bar, located on South Fort Apache Road. Soaked in candlelight and dark red rose petals, La Madonna is a lovely shrine devoted to the culinary gods, where passion for fine dining is expressed in every detail. From the attentive service to the sensual Catholic ambience, this is a place where food ascends to the level of art. Whether the metaphor is a painted canvas or a delicate poem, La Madonna will forever alter the way you think about dining in the Las Vegas Valley.

Moreover, this is real, genuine, authentic Mexican cuisine straight from the upper echelon of Mexican society and culture. It’s not Tex-Mex; it’s not beans and rice. La Madonna offers a recipe for bringing artists together to form a restaurant and then have them push their imaginations to the breaking point — hence the term “avante-garde.” Indeed, you can literally taste the creativity in every entrée, from the oh-so-tender Ancho Chile Rib Eye Steak (with roasted corn tamale, chipotle chile butter and smoked chile sauce) to the mouthwatering Sea Bass con Cilantro (with fingerling potato, roasted tomato, banana leaf and cilantro butter) to the stellar Sarape de Pollo (pan-seared chicken breast with black bean sauce, mint chimichurry and fresh avocado relish).

But why rush to the dinner entrées? Let’s first take a moment and mediate upon La Madonna’s gorgeously prepared specialty drinks. This is a restaurant where seduction calls for — no, demands — a smooth, exquisite concoction. There’s La Madonna’s rendition of the Paloma (Mexico’s national drink), composed of fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice, splash of lime, tequila and topped off with a spritz of Sprite. There’s the incredible Amante Picante (translation: “Spicy Lover”) comprising muddled cucumber and cilantro, Rock Candy sweetener, tequila and fresh lime. Along with a Classic Margarita (fresh lime juice, Rock Candy, tequila) and a Traditional Mojito, La Madonna also specializes in a Tangerine Mojito, made from fresh tangerines, Rock Candy, Cruzon rum, and lime juice. This drink will fast become your favorite.

After a drink, there’s an awesome assortment of appetizers to choose from. We highly recommend the Mexican-style Crab Cakes, which are boosted by a chipotle aioli, roasted corn relish and a jalapeno toreado emulsion. Or ask for the celestial Grilled Shrimp Tamale, with plump shrimp surrounded by roasted corn relish with chile-infused oils and served with cotija-cilantro sauce. We could go and on about even the simplest-sounding items on the appetizer list, because they’re anything but simple — like the cilantro-battered calamari served with sweet chipotle sauce and Serrano cilantro sauce, or the Traditional Quesadillas (steak and chicken) served with mushrooms, black bean puree, guacamole and chipotle drizzle. Or, for those claiming to be locked into a diet, if you wish to opt for a dinner salad, we urge you to delve into the Ensalada de Petalos de Rosa (translation: “Rose Petal Salad”) with actual rose petals, pine nuts, cranberries, radish and a heavenly pomegranate vinaigrette. It’s the most romantic salad you’ll ever experience.

We’ve already discussed a few of the entrées, but let’s describe a couple more to you — like the Pollo Rostisado, or roast chicken prepared with tamarindo chile glaze, roasted corn tamale, honey nut butter and a decadent mango habanero salsa. And who can forget the Beef Tenderloin Chile Relleno with mushroom and potato stuffing, smoked chile sauce and crema fresca? Try just one bite and tell us you haven’t sampled a work of art.

You can’t leave La Madonna without a bit of dessert. The Margarita Mousse consists of tequila mousse, lime zest and mango habanero couli, and will transport you to another realm. The Bunuelos ice-cream fritters, meanwhile, are layered with vanilla ice cream and strawberry and jalapeno sauce. Two spoons won't work; these are too good to share.

There you have it: La Madonna will leave you satisfied in only the way a great painting or a divine encounter can. Try it once, and you may find yourself worshipping there more often than you realize.

La Madonna is located at 6115 S. Fort Apache Road, Suite 112. Catering is available. For table reservations, call 702-586-0925.

LA MADONNA'S MAN
Prepare to have your taste buds delightfully dazzled by Chef Solano
BY JARRET KEENE

Behind every great woman is a great man. And La Madonna’s significant other is Chef Robert Solano, whom restaurant owner George Harris jokes about having won in a poker game. The truth is less glamorous but still worth sketching out: Helping a friend find work on Craigslist, Solano spotted an opening for a new, upscale, Mexican-themed restaurant. He sent his resume in, Harris and business partner Irma Aguirre called him in for an interview.

“I ended up doing 20 tastings,” reveals Solano, “which I had never heard of before. They wanted to sample everything I could deliver, and I delivered.”

Indeed, Harris is keenly aware of the fact that Solano is a true culinary talent and artistic soul.

“We hit it off like long-lost family members,” says Harris. “The food here is the best anyone’s ever going to eat in Southern Nevada. Nothing leaves his kitchen unless it’s perfect. He’s like a poet, really. Just watch him make his shrimp tamale or filet mignon — he puts his absolute best into everything he does.”

Solano is hesitant to call himself an artist, but he admits to studying the culinary arts on his own. Back in 1990, he started working at The Mirage as busser. Gradually, he started analyzing the plates and how the chefs decorated them.

“For some reason, it was the visual power of fine cuisine that initially drew me to cooking,” he admits.

He studied a show on the Discovery Channel called “The Great Chefs,” and found himself recording every single episode. He actively sought out new ideas, bringing them to the restaurant he was working at and, eventually, developed his own unique style of cooking, his own style of presentation.

“I think about food in terms of flavors, textures, colors,” he says. “The dishes I have designed for the La Madonna menu are all spur of the moment. I had to fall back on pure creativity. I didn’t bring in a prepared menu. Irma is herself Mexican, and had plenty of upscale, fine-dining ideas. I tried to meet her standards and match her passion for food. I put lot of imagination into this menu, because this is my passion: Mexican-themed cuisine. But passion is only half of it. It’s also about attention to detail, and a lot of long hours in front of the stove creating, experimenting and, more often than not, determining what works best.”

Raised in Chicago, Solano moved to Vegas when he was 14. A graduate of Valley High, he’s a local boy done good who is not above taking suggestions he receives from La Madonna’s patrons.

“What inspires me is the comments I get from people,” he says. “I love it when they tell me they love the food. I’m just a local boy, really, trying to put some great food together for people looking for a high-end experience. You see a lot of people apply for chef positions in the industry, but 90 percent of them are just collecting paychecks. To create a real menu, you need to bring your passion. It takes a chef to do a chef’s job.”

At La Madonna, that chef is Robert Solano. Prepare to have your taste buds delightfully dazzled.