Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/836019
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANTHONY MAIR practically in the mist of Bellagio's foun- tains, while Michelin-starred chef Julian Serrano offers tapas-style Mediterranean dishes such as an excep- tional red wine risotto, simply grilled langoustines, and crudo with blood orange. INSIDER TIP: Call ahead and ask for table 80, closest to the fountains. Bellagio, 702-693-8865; bellagio.com LAKESIDE While the aptly named Wynn restau- rant—located on the surreal Lake of Dreams—has always had a terrific sea- food program, chef David Walzog's relationship with fishermen in Hana, Hawaii, now yields tons of snapper, monchong, shutome, mahi-mahi, and ono, flown straight from the Pacific and sometimes served the day after they were caught. Try a flight of the day-boat fish simply prepared with fennel and citrus, pickled vegetables, and ponzu broth. Wynn Las Vegas, 702-770-3310; wynnlasvegas.com LAVO Find unpretentious Italian standards at Lavo, famous for its bottomless brunch and dishes like lobster eggs Benedict. Now a hybrid private gaming room and sexy Italian lounge with bottle ser- vice, its weekend Casino Club brings food and beverages right to your reserved gaming table via a butler- steered cart. Grand Canal Shoppes at Venetian and Palazzo, 702-791-1800; venetian.com LE CIRQUE This opulent, Adam Tihany-designed French restaurant is as impeccable as when it first opened more than 15 years ago—modeled, of course, on Sirio Maccioni's New York landmark. For the full experience, order the 10-course Prestige menu, saving room for the the- atrical boule au chocolat. Bellagio, 702-693-8100; bellagio.com LIBERTINE SOCIAL This bar-meets-kitchen-meets-hangout space dishes up specialties from chef Shawn McClain, like his Modern Fried Egg, cooked sous vide with sweet corn custard, topped with American stur- geon caviar, and served in its own shell. Also don't miss the barrel-aged and Mexico, Argentina, and Venezuela. Don't miss ceviches from the cold bar, churrascaria grilled meats, and arepas with everything. Wash it down with a glass from her collection of wines by female vintners from every country in South America.Venetian, 702-430- 1235; venetian.com COSTA DI MARE Chef Mark LoRusso flies in exquisite seafood and exotic shellfish from Italy daily at this Wynn favorite, where the emphasis is on seasonal and unusual catches. INSIDER TIP: Look for rarities like moleche (Venetian soft-shell crab) in fall and spring, centrolofo (imperial blackfish) in summer, and its legendary live langoustines, whose source ships to only a dozen restaurants in the world. Wynn Las Vegas, 702-770-3305; wynnlasvegas.com DELMONICO STEAKHOUSE Star chef Emeril Lagasse puts a modern, Creole spin on his own New Orleans steakhouse, a century-old restaurant that he purchased and renovated 20 years ago. Cuts like the bone-in rib eye, the Japanese Wagyu, and even a Chateaubriand carved tableside for two are superlative, but don't miss Lagasse's classic barbecue shrimp. And the wine selection tops 2,300 bottles. Grand Canal Shoppes at Venetian and Palazzo, 702-414-3737; venetian.com EIFFEL TOWER RESTAURANT Directly facing Bellagio's fountains, the intimate Eiffel Tower offers traditional French fine dining and one of the most romantic views in Vegas. INSIDER TIP: Call far in advance, ask for table 56 (aka "the proposal table," the corner spot whose two seats both face the fountains), and order the famous soufflé as soon as you arrive so it will be ready by dessert. Paris Las Vegas, 702-948-6937; parislasvegas.com ESTIATORIO MILOS This sunlit Greek fine-dining restaurant in Cosmopolitan (an offshoot of its original New York City location) allows diners to choose from piles of fish and live lobsters hauled in from Mediterranean waters. Simply grilled or baked in salt crusts, the seafood is the star, but don't miss the Milos Special: paper-thin fried chips of zucchini and eggplant in a mound of thick tzatziki. INSIDER TIP: The $29 three-course lunch menu, not at all downsized, is the best lunch deal in town. Cosmopolitan, 702-698-7930; cosmopolitanlasvegas.com GORDON RAMSAY FISH & CHIPS Batter up! Fried British fare never tasted so good, from fresh cod filets to sausage and "dirty" chips to bangers and mash, at Ramsay's traditional takeaway-style "chippy." The Linq, 702-322-0529; thelinq.com HERRINGBONE Star chef Brian Malarkey's fish restau- rant with La Jolla roots takes the relaxed, ocean-to-table concept to a new level with beach-chic décor and live music on a patio overlooking Aria's pool. Big group? Order a "yacht" of a dozen oysters, Alaskan king crab, Maine lobsters, and jumbo shrimp. Aria, 702-590-9898; aria.com JOËL ROBUCHON At this mecca of haute cuisine, diners start with Dungeness crab, lobster gelée, and fennel cream topped with osetra caviar—which helps explain why this is the sole Michelin three-star res- taurant in Vegas. Enjoy the 16-course tasting that follows from a private booth or the Garden Terrace. MGM Grand, 702-891-7925; mgmgrand.com KITCHEN TABLE Passionate local gourmands flock to this unassuming rustic Henderson kitchen, where the chef (whose roots are in fine dining) elevates the fresh, simple dishes of his El Paso childhood. Look for a decidedly unvirtuous doughnut sand- wich (filled with bacon, fried egg, and Irish cheddar) and smoked pork belly eggs Benedict with jalapeño hollandaise. 1716 Horizon Ridge Pkwy., 702-478-4782; kitchentablelv.com LAGO BY JULIAN SERRANO This contemporary Italian restaurant features a crisp white design by Munge Leung, inspired by early-20th-century Italian Futurism. The patio tables are Arepas at Chica. VEGASMAGAZINE.COM 91