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Wife's Eggplant Parm. Head to Carlo's Bakery for an after-dinner cannoli. Grand Canal Shoppes at Venetian and Palazzo, 702-607-2355; buddyvlasvegas.com CARBONE When Major Food Group launched Carbone in New York's Greenwich Village, the company envisioned a high-end red sauce restaurant celebrat- ing the distinctive interpretations of Italian food in the five boroughs. It was only natural to bring the concept to Vegas—and quadruple the space, of course. Don't miss the tableside Caesar salad and the immense veal parmi- giana, divided into four sections by your Zac Posen tuxedo-clad waiter in the stylish, theater-inspired room in Aria. Aria, 702-590-2663; aria.com CARNEVINO ITALIAN STEAKHOUSE Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich's signa- ture Italian style comes to a carefully curated pretheater menu. Try the sim- ply grilled tagliata di manzo with arugula, meaty homemade tagliatelle Bolognese, and pear budino with whiskey butterscotch (or in warmer weather, the semifreddo). If you're here for regular dinner service, the reserva steak, aged locally for six to eight months—and with sauces such as truffle vinaigrette and Barolo ristretto—is the must-order. Grand Canal Shoppes at Venetian and Palazzo, 702-789-4141; carnevino.com CHART HOUSE The many locations of Chart House across the country serve exceptional seafood and steaks, but only the newest outpost—in Golden Nugget—dazzles with a 75,000-gallon tropical aquarium. INSIDER TIP: Go for lunch and ask for a seat behind the aquarium for one of Las Vegas's best, and most discreet, power lunches. Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino, 702-386-8364; chart-house.com CHICA Star-struck Top Chef Masters fans flocked to the grand opening of Lorena Garcia's new restaurant for a star sight- ing and stayed for the innovative interpretations of flavors from Peru, DINING ANDIAMO ITALIAN STEAKHOUSE The Downtown outpost of Andiamo— Joseph Vicari's acclaimed family of Detroit-area restaurants serving meats from the nation's top providers (think Pat LaFrieda and Strauss)—is an old- school steakhouse treasure hidden on the second floor of the D hotel. The tableside Caesar salad is worth the trip alone, as are the handmade pastas, though carnivores shouldn't miss the 32-ounce rib eye. The D Las Vegas, 702-388-2460; thed.com ANDIRON STEAK & SEA The high, whitewashed ceilings and relaxed vibe of Elizabeth Blau and chef Kim Canteenwalla's modern steak- house recall dining in the Hamptons. It's all about elevated simplicity, with steaks charred over an apricot wood- burning grill and whole branzino. Don't miss witty starters like Nueske bacon- wrapped matzo balls or the crispy/ gooey mac-and-cheese waffle. INSIDER TIP: "Local Love Tuesdays" mean $1 oysters, plus $5 martinis all night in the bar and on the patio.1720 Festival Plaza Dr., Summerlin, 702-685-8002; andironsteak.com BARDOT BRASSERIE Gold lettering on the windows, Laguiole cutlery, and a central zinc bar epitomize the singular quality of Michael Mina's elevated French brasserie in Aria, where classics like onion soup are refined with aged Gruyère and Périgord truffles in one of the most romantic and transporting dining rooms in town. INSIDER TIP: Simple roasted chicken? Mina treats his all-natural Hudson Valley heirloom birds like Peking duck—brined, blanched, and hung to dry before being roasted with artisanal soy and vin jaune from France's Jura region. Aria, 877-230-2742; aria.com BAZAAR MEAT José Andrés's elegant ode to carnivores is, as you might expect, all about the meat, with dishes like wild boar sausage and even an entire 10-pound suckling pig. INSIDER TIP: Though the meaty menu can be daunting, the restaurant's new Bar Centro menu, offered nightly beginning at 5 pm, provides an intro with smaller bites like gazpacho shots, beef tartare sliders, and a just a taste of that suckling pig (in a sandwich). SLS Las Vegas, 702-761-7610; slslasvegas.com BOUCHON BISTRO This airy Thomas Keller bistro is hid- den away on the 10th floor of the Venezia Tower of Venetian, looking out onto fountains and gardens. In good weather, take your breakfast on the patio; it starts with a basket of fabu- lously flaky French pastries. (Try the giant, gooey pecan sticky bun.) Venetian, 702-414-6200; venetian.com BOTTIGLIA The Tuscany- and Napa-inspired restaurant with its cheery interior and convivial patio capitalizes on fresh ingredients for dinner specialties like pappardelle bolognese, but it's most crowded for weekend brunch, when revelers ease out of the weekend with lemon ricotta pancakes and blood orange mimosas. Green Valley Ranch, 702-617-7075; bottiglialv.com BUDDY V'S The lines to get into "Cake Boss" Buddy Valastro's Carlo's Bakery wound through the Venetian when it opened, and his family-style Italian place across the corridor gets the same kind of attention. Can't-miss favorites include Jersey City-style fried mozza- rella named for his Aunt Nina, his grandmother's meatballs, and My ‒ Secret Source ‒ JIMMY LEE WHO: CEO, The Wealth Consulting Group; supporter, Faith Lutheran's WCG Academy of Business and Entrepreneurship; Member, Running Rebel Club. NIGHT OUT: "The food and ambience are always on point at Beauty & Essex and Zuma (Cosmopolitan, 702-737-0707 and 702-698-2199; cosmopolitanlasvegas.com). And if you're looking for a fun place for cocktails after without going to a club, Clique Bar & Lounge (Cosmopolitan, 702-489-2129) is great." HIGH TEA: "Afternoon tea at the Mandarin Oriental Tea Lounge and/or drinks with tapas at Mandarin Bar (Mandarin Oriental, 702-590-8888; mandarin oriental.com) next door both offer stunning views of the Las Vegas Strip and are impressive places to entertain guests." GREAT OUTDOORS: "After all these years in Las Vegas, I still enjoy driving the Red Rock Scenic Loop (1000 Scenic Loop Dr., 702-515-5350; redrockcanyon lv.org) and stopping for a hike. And I love to get out of the heat in the summer with a hike at Mt. Charleston and a stop at Mt. Charleston Lodge (5375 Kyle Canyon Road, 702-872-5408; mtcharlestonlodge.com)." The SOURCE: SCENE 90 VEGASMAGAZINE.COM