The Capital of Cuisine

The Las Vegas restaurant boom is proving that the best tables are not for gambling

James Suckling
From the Print Edition:
Vegas, Mar/Apr 2006

(continued from page 3)

Charlie Palmer Steak Four Seasons
It's hard to maintain an excitement for this restaurant with all the hot steak houses in town, but Palmer (a keen cigar smoker) continues to deliver good, no-nonsense grilled meats with all the usual accompaniments in copious proportions. The Martinis are always good at the bar. And it's very cigar-friendly.

L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon MGM Grand
The main reason to come here is to be able to say you ate Joël Robuchon food without paying the hundreds-of-dollars-a-person tab you would be charged at his high-end restaurant only a short walk away. Eat at the bar and enjoy his Paris brassiere food, which comes as tapas. It's a sort of sushi bar without the sushi, à la Française. Friendly.

Bouchon The Venetian
Don't expect to experience much of the magic of Thomas Keller's food at this brasserie. This is not Napa's French Laundry or New York's Per Se. However, it is a good bistro with plenty of soulful dishes, from succulent roasted chicken to tangy braised pork and cabbage.

Piero Selvaggio Valentino The Venetian
The food here is starting to look a little dated compared with new names in Italian cuisine on the Strip. But chef Luciano Pellegrini's pastas, roasted fish and grilled meats are always satisfying. Its Wine Spectator Grand Award wine list has the best Italian selection in the city. A little Parmesan cheese, prosciutto and salami with a great bottle of Barolo always make a satisfying light lunch or dinner.

Nobu Hard Rock
You don't need to go to New York City, or even London, to experience the best of sushi and sashimi guru Nobu Matshisa. The ubiquitous chef's signature dishes are all here, including the black cod with miso, the new-style (pan-seared) salmon sashimi and the yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno. The quality of the food is as good or better than at its New York City counterpart, and the restaurant is loud, casual and full of a young crowd from the casino. Order some German Riesling with your sushi.

Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House
Just about the only restaurant worth a trip off the Strip, Del Frisco's always serves excellent grilled steaks, as well as offering solid service and an extensive wine list-more than 1,100 selections. This is a classic, no-nonsense American steak house. Cigar smoking is encouraged here. The restaurant's separate cigar lounge, Havana Dee's, has a good selection of cigars, including Padróns and Fuentes.

Joe's Stone Crab Caesars Palace-The Forum Shops
You know the score here-lots of juicy stone crab claws, crunchy hashed brown potatoes and key lime pie. The grilled steaks are also very good. You don't have to go to Miami's South Beach for the Joe's experience anymore.

Boa Steakhouse Caesars Palace-The Forum Shops
This is the Vegas outpost of the trendy Los Angeles steak house of the same name and the menu is essentially identical, with dry-aged steaks and lots of rubs and sauces. The extremely high-quality meat is always properly cooked, but be careful of the rubs, which can overpower the flavor of your steak. Order the rich and meaty bone-in Kansas City filet mignon. After your meal, remember to walk over to the Casa de Fuente cigar shop for a coffee and a smoke.

Sushi Roku Caesars Palace-The Forum Shops
Sushi and shopping are a nice break from the casinos during the day, and the Sushi Roku in The Forum Shops presents the perfect excuse to do both. This cool sushi eatery is part of the same restaurant group as Boa Steakhouse, and the food is its equal. The raw fish is fresh and properly prepared, from hand-cut sushi rolls to sashimi.

Spago Caesars Palace-The Forum Shops
One of Wolfgang Puck's first restaurant ventures outside of Los Angeles, the restaurant continues to put out good-quality designer pizzas, tasty pastas and fresh salads. This is a good place for lunch while shopping.

Also in this issue: