Tucked inside the opulent Wynn Las Vegas is Okada, all-star chef Masamichi ‘Masa’ Ishizawa’s elegant restaurant spotlighting contemporary Japanese and Asian-fusion cuisine. Step through Okada’s entrance gate of cherry blossom petals and proceed to an exotic garden and koi-filled ponds, and you’ll forget that you’re in the American West – but that’s only part of the story. Chef Ishizawa’s interpretations of Japanese classics will fill you in on everything else you need to know about this premier Eastern outpost in the Nevada desert.
Once you make your way into Okada, the visual feast doesn’t end; the architectural firm Hirsch
Bedner made sure of that.
From the dining room’s clean lines to the choice of materials such as bamboo and maple, Okada updates Japan’s rich heritage with contemporary touches for an entirely unique treatment. Most striking, perhaps, is Okada’s success in bringing the outdoors inside, conjuring up the sensation of dining in the tranquility and grandeur of nature, complete with an exterior lake and waterfall.
You might take a seat at the Floating Pagoda Table, putting you near the center of the pond on a wooden deck, where you’ll enjoy an unobstructed view of the breathtaking waterfall. Or you might settle in at the Teppanyaki room, a space with a design inspired by the beams of light in the “Land of the Rising Sun” motif and that offers a stunning view of the lake. Okada’s private dining room, adorned with silk wall coverings, also envelopes diners in natural splendor matched only by the chef’s inspired dishes.
The dishes you’ll enjoy range from classic entrees such as sushi and sashimi crafted at the restaurant’s sushi bar to robatayaki cooked over authentic Japanese charcoal grills, but chef Ishizawa goes beyond the traditional menu to create selections that incorporate his knowledge of Japanese cuisine, his American training, and his boundless imagination.
This autumn, diners can indulge in chef Ishizawa’s nine-course tasting menu ($120 per person). Start with the Oshitashi Yuzugama, which sees the chef serving dressed watercress and wild mushrooms in a yuzu cup. An assorted appetizer platter follows, presenting portions of monkfish liver tofu, flathead fish tempura, charcoal grilled Japanese eggplant, pickled lotus root, and shishito pepper. The plates will keep coming, as chef Ishizawa puts together intriguing combinations of grouper, tilefish, wild mushrooms, Maine lobster, Kobe beef, and many more ingredients for the dining pleasure of Okada’s patrons. Okada’s Teppanyaki menu also beckons, featuring bay scallops, Scottish salmon, Gulf shrimp, Chilean sea bass, Maine scallops, Maine lobster, organic chicken, New York sirloin, prime beef tenderloin, and Japanese Kobe beef sirloin.
Executive chef Masa Ishizawa first began cooking in his hometown of Kyoto, Japan, where he returned after attending college in San Francisco and had French training. He took his place in some of the country’s best kitchens; it was at the Kyoto Hotel, Sciyo Zendokoro “Okumara,” and Bell in Shiga that he nurtured and sharpened his culinary techniques. He once again came back to the United States, where he worked with Nobu Matsuhisa and Julian Serrano to further perfect his skills.
Before settling at the Wynn in Las Vegas, Chef Ishizawa made his mark in San Francisco, working at Hotel Nikko, Masa’s Restaurant, Brasserie Tomo, and Chika. He also spent time in Los Angeles as chef at the Riviera Country Club. Though the chef has traveled the world, Kyoto continues to inspire him, moving him to create the classical Japanese menu at Okada using clean, simple, and seasonal ingredients, as is the tradition in his homeland.
When you travel to Las Vegas, you want to take home memories. A visit to Okada will truly leave you with a wonderful experience to reminisce upon.
3131 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, Nevada
(702) 770-3320
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