A number of celebrity chefs are cooking in Vegas, awakening us to the opinion that Vegas's rep for lackluster restaurants is no longer deserved.
Best Restaurant to Blow Your Money On: You could lighten your wallet at the craps table -- and why not? -- or you could spend that same amount, and take a lot longer doing so, exalting in the culinary work being done at Joël Robuchon (tel. 702/891-7925), in the MGM Grand, where you will have a once-in-a-lifetime meal. Somewhat less in the stratosphere, but still plenty costly, are Alex (tel. 888/352-3463) and Paul Bartolotta's (tel. 888/352-3463) eponymous places in Wynn Las Vegas, and Hubert Keller's Fleur de Lys (tel. 702/632-7200) at Mandalay Place, not to mention L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon (tel. 702/891-7925), the master chef's less-formal venue that won the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant 2007. Meals come dear at all five places, but each is turning out works of edible art, from four different inspired sources of creation. To us, this is what Vegas indulgence is all about, and the memories make us much happier than our losses at the table.
Best All Around: Given our druthers, we are hard-pressed to choose between Alizé (tel. 702/951-7000), at the top of the Palms, where nearly flawless dishes often compete with the sparkling view for sheer delight, and Rosemary's Restaurant, 8125 W. Sahara Ave. (tel. 702/869-2251), a 20-minute drive off the Strip -- and worth twice as much effort -- for some Southern-influenced cooking. Each of these may well put the work of those many high-profile chefs, so prominently featured all over town, to shame. Speaking of high-profile chefs, we have just sworn allegiance to Thomas Keller's Bouchon (tel. 702/414-6200), in Venezia, at The Venetian. Keller may be the best chef in America, and while this is simply his take on classic bistro food, you should never underestimate the joys of simple food precisely prepared. We also never ever turn down a chance to eat what Julian Serrano is making over at Picasso (tel. 866/259-7111), at Bellagio.
Best Inexpensive Meal: Capriotti's, 322 W. Sahara Ave. (tel. 702/474-0229), serves monster submarine sandwiches. They roast their own beef and turkey on the premises and assemble it (or cold cuts, or even vegetables) into delicious well-stuffed sandwiches, ranging in size from 9 to 20 inches, and most of them under $10. We never leave town without one or two.
Best Buffet: On the Strip, it's Le Village Buffet (in Paris Las Vegas, tel. 888/266-5687), where the stations break from standard form by adhering to regional French food specialties (from places such as Provence, Alsace, and Burgundy), and the results are much better than average. Though not cheap, this is a reasonable substitute for an even more costly fancy meal. If you want a little more traditional buffet -- as in, one not devoted to one particular cuisine -- Wynn Las Vegas (in Wynn Las Vegas; tel. 702/770-3463) is terrific all the way, even through the usual buffet weakness, dessert. Downtown, the Main Street Station Garden Court (in Main Street Station; tel. 702/387-1896) has an incredible buffet, with all live-action stations (where the food is made in front of you, sometimes to order): wood-fired brick-oven pizzas; fresh, lovely salsas and guacamole in the Mexican section; and better-than-average desserts.
Best Group Budget Meal Deal: Capriotti's, 322 W. Sahara Ave. (tel. 702/474-0229), again -- a large sandwich can feed two with leftovers, for about $5 each.
Best Bistro: We ate nearly the entire menu at Thomas Keller's Bouchon, in The Venetian (tel. 702/414-6200), and didn't find a misstep, just what you might expect from one of the most critically lauded chefs in the country. But don't overlook Mon Ami Gabi (tel. 702/944-4224), in Paris Las Vegas. Offering lovely, reasonably priced bistro fare (steak and pommes frites, onion soup), it's also a charming spot.
Best Restaurant/Nightclub Interiors: The designers ran amok in the restaurants of Mandalay Bay. At Aureole (tel. 877/632-1766), a four-story wine tower requires that a pretty young thing be hauled up in a harness to fetch your chosen vintage. The cheeky, peek-a-boo stripper/brothel look of Strip House (tel. 702/737-5200) is a fun change of pace to the usually staid steakhouse genre. Speaking of change, that's what happens to the walls and decor of Switch (tel. 702/248-3463), with a different atmosphere every 20 minutes. And then there is the futuristic fantasy of Mix (tel. 702/632-9500), on top of THEhotel, where stunning views of the Strip compete with a giant beaded curtain made of hand-blown glass balls, to say nothing of silver pods in lieu of booths.
Best Spot for a Romantic Dinner: Alizé (tel. 702/951-7000), at the top of the Palms, has windows on three sides of the dining room, with no other buildings around for many blocks. You get an unobstructed view of all of Vegas, the desert, and the mountains from every part of the restaurant. Aren't you in the mood already?
Best Spot for a Celebration: Let's face it, no one parties like the Red Party, so head to Red Square (tel. 702/632-7407) in Mandalay Bay, where you can have caviar and vodka in the ultimate capitalist revenge.
Best Free Show at Dinner: At Wynn Las Vegas, Daniel Boulud Brasserie (tel. 888/352-3463) provides front-and-center seating for the strange-yet-compelling Lake of Dreams show. And then there is the vista offered by the restaurants in Bellagio -- Picasso (tel. 866/259-7111), Le Cirque (tel. 866/259-7111), Olives (tel. 866/259-7111), and Circo (tel. 702/693-8150) -- which are grouped to take advantage of the view of the dancing water fountains.
Best Wine List: It's a competitive market in Vegas for such a title, and with sommeliers switching around, it's hard to guarantee that any wine list will retain its quality. Still, you can't go wrong at Mandalay Bay's Aureole (tel. 877/632-1766), which has the largest collection of Austrian wines outside of that country, among other surprises.
Best Beer List: Rosemary's Restaurant, 8125 W. Sahara Ave. (tel. 702/869-2251), offers "beer pairing" suggestions with most of its menu options, and includes some curious and fun brands, including fruity Belgian numbers.
Best Views: Mix (tel. 877/632-1766), on top of THEhotel, and Alizé (tel. 702/951-7000), at the top of the Palms, win with their floor-to-ceiling window views, but there is something to be said for seeing all of Vegas from the revolving Top of the World (tel. 702/380-7711), 106 stories off the ground in the Stratosphere Casino Hotel & Tower.
Best Italian: You won't find anything more authentic outside of Italy than at Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare (tel. 888/352-3463), at Wynn Las Vegas. Given that the chef has his fish flown in daily from the Mediterranean, this also wins "best seafood."
Best Deli: Wars are fought over less, so all you New Yorkers can square off on behalf of Carnegie Deli, in The Mirage (tel. 702/791-7310), while Los Angeles residents fight for the branch of their beloved Canter's Deli (tel. 702/894-7111), in Treasure Island. The rest of us will find our mouths too packed with pastrami to weigh in.
Best New Orleans Cuisine: Emeril's Delmonico Steakhouse (tel. 702/414-3737), in The Venetian, brings the celebrity chef's "Bam!" cuisine to the other side of the Mississippi, and we are glad.
Best Red Meat: Lawry's The Prime Rib, 4043 Howard Hughes Pkwy. (tel. 702/893-2223), has such good prime rib, it's hard to imagine ever having any better. If you want cuts other than prime rib, Strip House (tel. 702/737-5200) has some of the best steaks in town, though the more budget-conscious might want to either split the enormous cuts or try the justly popular Austin's Steakhouse, in Texas Station, 2101 Texas Star Lane (tel. 702/631-1033).
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
