Forget predictable dinners. Strip menus are packed with dishes that offer bold reinventions and total surprises. Whether you want to taste edible art, indulge in an over-the-top dessert or assemble your own appetizer, these nine memorable plates are a good place to start.
Prime Steak Tartare at Bardot Brasserie
1. Prime Steak Tartare at Bardot Brasserie
How do you improve on a French standard? By showing respect. That’s what happens at Bardot, where steak tartare is built from prime filet and topped with herbal sauce verte and a luscious egg yolk. Ditch your fork and dig in with the house-made chips. (Aria, 702.590.8610)
2. Caramel Sugar Daddy cheesecake milkshake at Sugar Factory American Brasserie
Decadence, thy name is Sugar Factory, where this gluttonous milkshake comes with chunks of cheesecake and caramel swirls in a chocolate-covered mug. The proverbial cherry on top is actually a Sugar Daddy candy and an entire slice of NY cheesecake. Because moderation is overrated. (Fashion Show, 702.685.0483)
3. Black Cod Butter Lettuce at Nobu
The dish that spawned a thousand imitations, Nobu’s miso-marinated cod is a classic. Served in a leaf of butter lettuce with garlic chips and ginger, it’s crunchy, caramelized and surprisingly rich, a simple bite that lives up to its lofty reputation. (Caesars Palace, 702.785.6628)
4. Croquetas de jamÓn at Bazaar Meat by José Andrés
Chef José Andrés’s whimsical flair is on display in Bazaar Meat’s appetizers, where crunchy, creamy Béchamel-filled jamón croquetas recreate a childhood favorite. Andrés serves the crispy fritters in a fiberglass sneaker in a nod to his mom, who used to scold the future chef for putting his shoes on the table. (SLS Las Vegas, 702.761.7610)
The Ice Cream Social at Tom Colicchio's Heritage Steak
5. The Ice Cream Social at Tom Colicchio’s Heritage Steak
Make-your-own sundaes get a cute makeover with this nostalgic dessert for two. Vanilla ice cream bars are customized tableside, with milk and dark chocolate sauces for dunking . and toppings such as crushed cookies and sprinkles. (The Mirage, 702.791.7111)
6. Toro Tartare at Morimoto Las Vegas
The Iron Chef puts a novel, DIY spin on this ubiquitous dish. Instead of a fully assembled plate, you get sustainable tuna, a dollop of caviar and a palate of condiments like nori paste, sour cream and wasabi. Find your ideal bite, then repeat until, sigh, it’s gone. (MGM Grand, 702.891.3001)
7. Filet mignon with blue cheese fondue at Crush
A beautiful steak needs no supplement, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be improved upon. Crush places its filet atop onions and potatoes in a red wine glaze, then drizzles the meat in blue cheese fondue for an entree that’s meaty, sweet and perfectly funky. (MGM Grand, 702.891.3222)
8. Andiamo Grande Meatball at Andiamo italian steakhouse
In a city packed with yard-long margaritas and massive burgers, Andiamo’s oversized meatball stands as more than a novelty. The diameter of a baseball, this mouthwatering appetizer bathes tender meat in bright tomato sauce with a crown of ricotta. Order one for the table (and your Instagram feed). (The D, 702.388.2220)
9. Chicken ’N’ Watermelon ’N’ Waffles at Yardbird southern table & bar
Twenty-seven-hour brined chicken. Spiced watermelon. Crisp cheddar waffle. These three items are the stuff brunch dreams are made of. Drizzle with honey hot sauce and bourbon maple syrup, then enter sweet-savory nirvana. (The Venetian, 702.297.6541)
