Los Santos Insider | Azure, a luxurious culinary experience?

Lomadias · June 26, 2024

About Insider - Photography - News - Join Us - Social Media - Insider Tip Line

Azure, a luxurious culinary experience?

Written by Kate Park, 20/06/2024

(Pictured above: Azure Grand Opening)

On the 14th of June 2024, The Diamond Casino and Resort had the grand opening of its brand new project "Azure". Bolstering claims of culinary excellence with contemporary dining this restaurant has opted to appeal to the public with a high-class, luxurious experience similar to the rest of the renowned complex. At the center point is food that the state has been crafted with "precision, passion, and utilizing the finest ingredients". We had to check this out - let us know in the comments section what you think about this new addition. Please do enjoy our review on - Azure.

Situated in the Northern part of Los Santos, Azure sits just off Los Santos Freeway, and close to Mirror Park so finding the establishment isn't too hard for first-timers. On arrival, you'll notice as you step through the doors a modern luxurious aesthetic. It's clear to me the architects they contracted paid attention to detail with the design. It's consistent with the rest of the resort which has been expanding rapidly over the last few years. General Hospitality manager Spyros Jones promised exciting changes to the resort, and with it he has produced this dining experience situated on the first floor of the resort.

On arrival, I was greeted by restaurant manager George Diaz who gave me a warm welcome and escorted me to my seat. There wasn't much of a wait to be seen, and seated however a reservation had been made for myself. I would recommend booking if you intend to visit as it appears to be a popular spot given the recent opening. George and the rest of his team appeared enthusiastic and passionate about being there, during my stay I had interactions with many of the staff who were always happy to assist me with any problems. That said it would have been nice to have a single server rather than the whole team rotating onto my table as it would feel more personable. I had been given an insightful recommendation however something else on the menu tickled my fancy.

(Pictured above: Diners enjoy Azure whilst a pianist sets the vibe)

The menu spans over three starts with the traditional starter, main course, and dessert. Azure offers both starter and dessert as complimentary when a main option is selected. Whilst this appears to be a good deal on the face it is accounted into the price of the dishes. If you attend Azure expect to pay a minimum of $1,700 and a maximum of $3,000 for the most premium of dishes. That said this price tag is to be expected given the marketing of such a luxurious culinary experience. The menu contains a wide variety of dishes complete with unique descriptions below them. crab, lobster, scallops, duck, steak, lamb, Octopus, and Cavier to name a few options, they are plentiful. At least for the meat eaters - as I looked through the menu I only noted a single main dish, and a single starter for the vegetarians out there. The menu also lacked any sort of allergy details or other dietary requirements that may be helpful to those with intolerances. Alongside the menu sits a selection of wines to compliment the dishes. If you're not feeling hungry the bar area sits close to the restaurant where you can enjoy the views of Northern Los Santos.

I selected saffron and lobster risotto balls to start with. The dish arrived fairly quickly, arriving well presented and warm which is always a good start when it comes to fine dining. Cooked with a light crisp the balls appeared with a golden hue each perfectly formed for consumption. The combination of saffron and lobster was a harmonious mixture blended well to produce this complex flavour profile that left you wanting a little bit more. The exterior crisp contrasts nicely with the soft rich interior. All in all, it was delicious.

(Pictured above: Saffron and lobster risotto balls with a spicy aioli sauce).

Up next I selected Option 2, the Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb with red wine reduction or at least I thought I did. There was a slight blunder when the wrong order was passed to me, but that said it was quickly rectified and the correct dish was sent out as a priority. The dish was elegantly plated showcasing a perfectly cooked lamb rack enough to feed a family. The aroma of wafting up of the roasted meat with a fragrant mix of blended herbs. The meat was succulent it sat well on the palate, each bite revealing new flavours making the dish a real stand-out. I will agree that they offer a unique taste experience - one that filled me up making it difficult to be excited about the dessert.

I selected the chocolate decadence torte with raspberry coulis. To keep it short, and sweet it was nice, but it was what you would expect from a dessert. The restaurant is certainly right about the main dishes but it is not a sweet expert nor does it fame to be. It likely didn't help that the two previous dishes filled my abdomen and given the complimentary nature of the dessert I felt obliged to eat it and give it a taste.

My overall impression on Azure will be lasting and I am in a hurry to return to try the rest of the exciting dishes. The attention to detail spans through the hospitality staff, chefs, and into the food it's self providing a unique experience to those with a taste for the finer things in life. The food; was exquisite, the ambience; was elegant. I would however reserve the trip for a special occasion given the large price tag that you will find being placed on your table at the end of service. It is one hundred percent worth it, however. I hope that the impeccable service, and tantalising food continues throughout the year and this is not a disguise of a grand opening.

RATING: 5/5 STARS
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐