As captain of the Bravo ratings juggernaut Top Chef, Tom Colicchio is among the very exclusive pantheon of American celebrity chefs. But long before his rise to household fame as a culinary tribunal member, he was a world-class restaurateur. And to this day he remains dedicated to this calling, as evidenced by his first Vegas venue—Craftsteak at MGM Grand.

For 13 years, Craftsteak has hosted Strip diners and it continues to excel by focusing on the details. Whether it’s being welcomed with piping-hot, yeasty Parker House rolls or dining among hardwoods, leathers and painted cows lining the dining room walls, every aspect of the evening is engineered to entertain.

Begin with a starter of grilled quail from the barbecue mecca of Lockhart, Texas. Not a fowl you normally see on Vegas menus, the smoky rendition is accompanied by a bright vincotto—essentially a sweet, red wine reduction that dates back to the Roman times.

While not dating back eras, equally as classic is a frisée salad. Craftsteak’s warm rendition is smoky and sharp. The greens, topped with a poached egg and bacon lardons, are accompanied by champagne vinaigrette with bacon drippings. And the Caesar salad remains true to its roots, with a serving of pickled white anchovies contributing a dose of salinity. The market spinach salad interweaves leafy greens with a sweetened duo of port wine and pears, and a roasted beet salad is given a pop of pickled eggs.

But don’t dine here without sampling the eponymous red meat. Craftsteak's grilled bone-in ribeye, dry-aged for 30 days, is exactly what a carnivore should be looking for in a steakhouse offering. Slightly daintier but no less appetizing is the domestic wagyu skirt steak. Heeding direction from the world-famed Japanese Kobe, this American counterpart delivers an unexpected silkiness with its marbling.

Pair your meal with one of Craftsteak’s quartet of mushrooms—baby shiitake, French horn, hen-of-the-woods and white beech. The mushroom assortment combines all options in an earthy accompaniment intended to ease the decision-making process. Or instead, feast upon the sinful potato purée, which seemingly delivers an equal split of butter and potato in a creamy epiphany.

For dessert, the decadent cinnamon monkey bread awaits. Flaky cinnamon brioche is topped with pecan toffee sauce and paired with banana ice cream. A brown butter carrot cake divides your attention between creamy frosting and moist cake. Or select from the creative rotation of house-made ice creams and sorbets. Whether you choose the slightly tart brown sugar sour cream, creamy blueberry cheesecake or a bright orange basil sorbet, you’re bound to find a flavor to close out your evening in a proper manner.

MGM Grand 5:30-10 p.m. Sun.-Thurs., 5:30-10:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat. 702.891.7318