With his third Las Vegas restaurant, chef Julian Serrano has gone for the hat trick. He already has his French and Spanish Michelin-starred Picasso at the Bellagio with its odes to the Spanish artist decorating the walls. He serves up Spanish tapas and paellas at Julian Serrano at Aria.
Now, 15 years after he first came to Las Vegas, the winner of two James Beard Foundation awards showcases Italian cuisine with his newest Bellagio creation, Lago, which takes its cues from Milan.
“When they offered for me to take over Circo, I said that this hotel has to have an Italian restaurant,” Serrano says. “I wanted to do a small plates place. You have something for everyone with small pieces. That’s the thing I see with this presentation of food.”
When diners first approach the restaurant, which has excellent views of the Fountains at Bellagio, a 15-foot-tall by 100-foot-wide glass mosaic greets guests. Look closer— it’s an aerial map of Milan made from colorful panels, with metal stripes representing the roadways of one of the fashion capitals of the world.
That’s just the start. Inside, the restaurant is bright with Italian futurismo flair. The bar, with an Emilio Pucci geometric design, takes center stage. Step into the main dining room for that view of the fountains or walk onto the glass-enclosed patio to practically touch the water.
Julian Serrano
“I had to do something fresh and a restaurant where everybody could get good … small pieces,” the Madrid native says. “It has a beautiful bar and patio. This is one restaurant where you have so many things that will please. But they’ll be taking in the view, too.”
It’s the menu meant for sharing that will capture attention. Serrano wanted a combination of small plates and contemporary Italian dishes. “It’s what people want today. They want to share food. You get close to people when you do that.”
Start with crudos of seafood such as shrimp, scallops and salmon, pizzas and pasta, pasta, pasta. Serrano says he’s excited about the gnocchi with lobster knuckles and a vegetarian version with blue cheese. “It’s a good opportunity when you’re not so hungry right away to have four or five bites. These are small dishes in good quantities of food that’s easy to eat.”
The shrimp is stuffed with calamari, langoustines are baked in the shell and clams come in a spicy white wine sauce. Tomato-braised meatballs and a chilled veal carpaccio touch on smaller meat dishes.
Don’t think that tapas are the only option. Go over the top with a whole roasted suckling pig or feel very Vegas with a 1-pound bone-in ribeye. Osso buco, Piedmontese beef tenderloin and a catch of the day in papillote round out the entrées. Serrano also took special care to include a hefty number of vegetarian dishes, such as mushrooms with olive oil, rapini with roasted garlic and green and white asparagus.
Guests can wash their meals down with leather-aged cocktails or one of more than 600 wines.
“With this kind of food, you can have a couple of plates and wine, and that’s great.”
Bellagio, 5-11 p.m. Sun.-Mon. & Wed.-Thurs., 5 p.m.-midnight Tues. & Fri.-Sat. 702.693.8865
