Don B’s Steakhouse delivers succulent morsels time after time
By Brock Radke
Photos by Peter Harasty
Surf and turf
Downtown Las Vegas is in the spotlight again. Not since the installation of the world’s biggest video screen canopy above Fremont Street in 1995 has the iconic and original Vegas neighborhood seen such excitement. Vintage casinos are being reborn through renovation and expansion, the Fremont East Entertainment District is one of the hippest spots in the city, and art and cultural organizations and institutions like the new Smith Center for the Performing Arts are booming.
Epitomizing the spirit of old-meets-new is The D, the stylishly upgraded hotel-casino formerly known as Fitzgeralds. The transformation, including hundreds of remodeled rooms and suites, will be completed this fall, but there are already bright spots demonstrating the balance between this energetic new adventure and the classic casino vibe that permeates downtown. One of the new spots is the Longbar, a party-ready venue on the casino’s first floor, and one of the oldies-but-goodies is Don B’s, on the second floor.
Don B’s Steakhouse feels like a family banquet, a comfortable and classy room with that old-school feel, perfect for special occasion dinners. Find yourself nestling at a cozy booth and expect to be treated like an old, familiar friend. The cuisine runs the gamut of steakhouse classics, familiar friends as well. Begin with an appetizer of portobello mushroom, marinated in balsamic vinegar and grilled, topped with smoked mozzarella cheese, a giant shrimp and fresh red pepper coulis.
Maryland-style crab cakes, plump and meaty with rémoulade, are another opening favorite, or choose from steamed clams, escargot or bacon-wrapped shrimp over creamy polenta with zesty mustard sauce. For salad, there’s an iceberg wedge, a chopped option or the signature D’s dinner salad: crisp romaine lettuce piled high with blue cheese, bacon, tomato, mushroom and candied pecans, crowned with sliced beef tenderloin or grilled shrimp. This salad is a meal unto itself, fresh and satisfying.
Lobster-crusted grouper
Don B’s offers a few pasta and poultry entrées, just in case you’re not in the mood for steak. Try rustic shrimp scampi or alfredo, or spice it up with sweet chili-laden Thai citrus chicken, a juicy breast accompanied by a tangy apricot chutney.
Just as this restaurant is the past and future anchor of dining offerings at The D, beef is the anchor of its tasty menu. Prime cuts are grilled to perfection and served with your choice of sauce, whether you crave the texture of a filet mignon or the bold bite of a bone-in New York strip. Prime rib is served traditionally, slow roasted with creamy horseradish and savory au jus. Steak Dianne, increasingly hard to find on menus these days, is done to a turn, tender beef sautéed in mushrooms, shallots and garlic in white wine and brandy. Of course, you need not settle for beef alone, especially when you can pair your cut of choice with shrimp scampi, a lobster tail or fresh, sweet king crab legs.
Downtown Las Vegas is changing, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go back to the good old days. Don B’s at The D has got you covered.
The D
11 p.m. Thurs.-Mon. 702.388.2460
