Las Vegas is a mecca for celebrity chefs, with one of the most popular and prolific being Emeril Lagasse. With four Strip locations, the New Orleans chef has established a mini-empire here. The best known restaurant may be Delmonico Steakhouse at The Venetian, where executive chef Ronnie Rainwater admirably executes Cajun cuisine woven with steakhouse favorites.

Delmonico succeeds because it transcends the steakhouse stereotype. Take, for instance, Emeril’s New Orleans barbecue shrimp. This dish is an epiphany with shrimp swimming in a rich, house-made Worcestershire-based sauce and paired with rosemary buttermilk biscuits. And the traditional New Orleans gumbo is smoky, deep and complex, evolving as the bowl progresses. Ordinary steakhouse fare this is not. Factor in one of the Strip’s best whiskey selections—approaching 650 varieties—assembled painstakingly by beverage manager Max Solano, and you’ve got a memorable dining experience.

A unique starter is the apple-cured kurobuta bone-in bacon; a relatively new menu addition, it may be the ultimate pork presentation. The accompanying pickled watermelon rind offers a sharp contrast to a mildly sweet Abita root beer-based glaze; the result is so good you’ll want to gnaw on the bone. Feel free—in fact, it’s encouraged!

Just because you’re in a steakhouse doesn’t mean you should forego the roughage. Rainwater’s wilted spinach and frisée salad is accompanied by a caramelized pecan bacon praline so good that it’s practically deserving of its own menu slot. The greens arrive in a mild, warm sherry-bacon vinaigrette and are accompanied by a fried poached egg. A little more classic is the tableside Caesar, where romaine lettuce simply combined with anchovies, pepper, Dijon mustard and lemon juice results in a clean rendition.

One can become enamored with so much of the menu, it’s actually possible to overlook the steaks; that would be a supreme oversight on your part. Delmonico’s steaks are dry-aged on premises between 14 and 28 days. Red meat lovers will rejoice; however, if you’re looking for something lighter, the Alaskan halibut is a treat. Served atop a vegetable “risotto” comprised of cauliflower, carrots, fennel and celery with a risotto-like consistency, the dish is a whimsical testament to Rainwater’s expertise.

In classic Southern fashion, you can also order a side of grits. But these are no normal grits; they’re Anson Mills grits loaded with bacon and sharp Vermont white cheddar—creamy and buttery in every bite. And since cheese makes everything better, it’s also added to the creamed corn gratiné; with the addition of cheese and poblano chiles, an already rich dish is elevated even further.

For dessert, an outrageous pecan pie awaits. Served à la mode with vanilla cream and a sweet caramel sauce, the pie’s buttery crust is a unique combination of oatmeal and shortbread. Or try a dish so picturesque Lagasse’s name is on it: Emeril’s banana cream pie. This gargantuan treat, adorned with chocolate shavings, whipped cream and caramel sauce, could feed a family of four. It serves as an appropriate bookend to an unforgettable evening.

The Venetian, lunch 11:30 a.m.-1:45 p.m. daily, dinner 5-10 p.m. Sun.-Thurs., 5-10:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat. 702.414.3737