Ten dining experiences to satisfy every kind of appetite
By Jack Houston
Photography by Beverly Poppe
Restaurant Guy Savoy’s Peas All Around
From fine French dining to deep-fried desserts, there’s always something good to eat in Las Vegas. And while it would be impossible to list everything worth consuming, we’ve highlighted a few dining experiences that make us happy to live in such a vibrant food city.
SPRING CARTE MENU AT RESTAURANT GUY SAVOY
Ever since Restaurant Guy Savoy opened five years ago, guests have been clamoring for his signature dishes: artichoke and black truffle soup, Colors of Caviar and crispy sea bass, but now that spring has sprung it’s up to a new batch of up-and-comers, including Peas All Around (pictured), perhaps the definitive take on the oft-slighted seed, and savory roasted duck, paired with raw and cooked vegetables. The price tag isn’t cheap, but most once-in-a-lifetime experiences aren’t. Caesars Palace, 702.731.7286
FROMAGE AT MORELS FRENCH STEAKHOUSE & BISTRO
Kraft Singles it ain’t, but with everything from Northern California’s super-creamy Mt. Tam to the Castelmagno of Italy’s Piedmont region, Morels has become cheese central on the Strip. A simple stop for a tasting can easily transform into a meal on its own, especially once sommelier Alexandre Brard works his magic with pitch-perfect wine pairings. With more than 60 varieties, including cow’s, sheep’s and goat’s milk, plus blends, you’ll never go back to Velveeta again. The Palazzo, 702.607.6333
CHEF GENO’S CREATIONS AT NOVE ITALIANO
Chef Geno Bernardo has posed with more celebrities than a red-carpet reporter, but to mistake Nove Italiano as all style and no substance is just wrong. His meatball, a recipe he picked up from his grandmother, is one of the best in town and the signature Nove Spaghetti comes chock full of some of the freshest seafood around. He also sources his vegetables from a farm in nearby Pahrump, which would be plenty if not for the stunning views from the 51st floor restaurant. Palms, 702.942.6800
16-COURSE DEGUSTATION MENU AT JOËL ROBUCHON
It’s the definition of gastronomic excess, a near-religious experience in a setting befitting a house of worship—Joël Robuchon’s 16-course tasting menu is the crowning glory of Las Vegas’ transformation to fine-dining powerhouse. With an artisan’s precision, executive chef Claude Le Tohic crafts course after course of truffled langoustine ravioli, braised veal cheeks and crispy fried cabbage, with entr’acte and amuse bouche bites that would steal the show anywhere else. MGM Grand, 702.891.7925
LUNCH ON THE PATIO AT MON AMI GABI
Colorful characters abound in Las Vegas, but there’s perhaps no better place to appreciate the allure of people-watching than on the patio at Mon Ami Gabi. Costumed superheroes, fish-out-of-water tourists, escort-card flickers, wedding and bachelorette parties—they’re all here in between bites of escargot or steak frites. Lunch is prime time for businesspeople but nights are perfect for catching the Fountains of Bellagio across the street. Either way, get there early—it’s gonna be packed. Paris, 702.944.4224
THE VIEW FROM TOP OF THE WORLD
The Eastern Hemisphere is full of ginormous towers topped off by rotating restaurants (the Space Needle’s SkyCity and CN Tower’s 360 Restaurant come to mind), but the skylines of Seattle and Toronto can’t hold a candle to Vegas, over which the Top of the World lords like a culinary beacon. While the dining room revolves a full 360 degrees over 80 minutes, chefs Rick Giffen and Claude Gaty take guests on a global tour, with stops in France, Japan and the Middle East. Stratosphere, 702.380.7711
RICK’S TASTING GAME AT RM SEAFOOD
Who needs any ordinary dessert when you can have 16 different flavors of ice cream and sorbet, served blind, for the very affordable price of $0—but only if you can guess them all correctly? That’s the idea behind Rick Moonen’s clever dessert experience, which will have you scraping the bottom of the bowl wondering if you’re tasting Tabasco or habanero (it’s actually sriracha). Rick spots you vanilla and the remaining 15 flavors are up to you and your best detective skills. Mandalay Bay, 702.632.9300
A TABLE (ANY TABLE) AT RAO’S
When it comes to exclusivity, the original 10-table Rao’s in East Harlem is a bucket list must-visit, with reservations taken months (or years) in advance and tables “owned” for the night. Luckily for us, the Vegas incarnation is a much easier ticket. Wunderkind chef Nicole Grimes keeps their famous meatballs and Uncle Vincent’s lemon chicken in high demand, while co-owners (and Rao descendents) Frank Pellegrinos Sr. & Jr. can often be seen making the rounds. Caesars Palace, 702.731.7267
WEEKEND BRUNCH AT BOUCHON
What praise can you lavish upon Thomas Keller that hasn’t been offered by restaurant critics from here to The New York Times, which awarded his Per Se the coveted four stars back in ’04? His weekend brunch at French bistro Bouchon is pure bliss, from the opening round of fresh-baked pastries to a take on chicken and waffles so transcendent it seeks to send Roscoe back to the prep table. Don’t forget a Hibiscus cocktail or two, with the edible flower right in the glass. The Venetian, 702.414.6200
TAPAS AT JULIAN SERRANO
The tapas trend has exploded in the U.S., and in Las Vegas, the chef garnering the most accolades for small plates sustenance is Julian Serrano, whose Picasso was awarded two stars by the prestigious Michelin Guide. At his eponymous second restaurant, the focus is on the cuisine of his native Spain, so expect dishes such as lobster gazpacho, brava potatoes, chicken croquetas and not one but four takes on traditional paella, where everything from rabbit to chorizo hits the paellera. Aria, 877.230.2742
