When things return to relative normal, eating out may be a little different, but it is sure to continue on the delicious arc that residents and Vegas visitors have enjoyed for years now. I'm looking forward to partaking in everything the stellar restaurants here have to offer.
1. Dutch baby pancake, Salt & Ivy Café and Patio Bar at Aria Behold the Dutch baby pancake, an eggy behemoth that’s meant for several people and comes in a variety of options, including Heavenly Veggie with buffalo mozzarella, pesto and sunny-side up eggs, and the Serrano ham and Mahon cheese with heirloom tomatoes and herbs. But it’s the blueberry and lemon curd version that really takes the cake. It’s more like a dessert than a breakfast, and incredibly luscious. The lemon curd adds a perfect amount of tanginess, and maple syrup and whipped cream round out the sweetness. And it’s sooo pretty!
2. Churro tower, Chica at The Venetian If you’re a fan of dessert (and I am!), Chica’s churro towers are phenomenal. A mountain of cinnamon and sugar-laden rings are stacked like a child’s toy, and a rich chocolate ganache is poured over the top. Holy moly! The restaurant recently held a live stream with pastry chef Jessica Scott showing viewers how to make the treats.
3. Meringue glacée, Fleur by Hubert Keller at Mandalay Bay Fabulous desserts in Vegas are never-ending, but the meringue glacée at Fleur deserves to go on. Two huge golden meringues bookend scoops of vanilla ice cream and raspberry sorbet, whipped cream covers the cold treats, and then you sprinkle on any toppings you wish—I love the little chocolate balls! The dish was inspired by Keller’s childhood in France.
4. Edamame guacamole, True Food Kitchen at The Forum Shops at Caesars One of the latest restaurants to open on the Strip is a familiar name for many around the country. True Food specializes in healthy food that’s focused on inflammatory benefits. The protein-rich edamame “guacamole” at True Food is served with the crispest, lightest flatbreads, which you’ll make disappear at an astonishing rate.
5. Truffle pasta, The Mayfair Supper Club at Bellagio At The Mayfair Supper Club, live entertainment is a huge draw, with aerialist singers and pianists all around. But it’s the truffle pasta that I’ll be going back for. Although it’s a side dish, you could certainly plan on this as a main. It’s fragrant, creamy and cheesy, with shaved truffles all over. One caveat here—the flavors are delicate, so you’ll want to make sure you don’t order something that will overpower the dish.
Ravioli
6. Ravioli, Sixth + Mill Ristorante, Pizzeria and Bar at The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian and The Palazzo Another beautiful pasta we’re waiting for is the ravioli at Sixth + Mill. The handmade, half-round pasta is filled with fior di latte mozzarella and bathed in a lemon cream sauce with mint oil. It’s the kind of dish where you declare you can eat no more, and sneak just one more ravioli, and another, and another, and then, suddenly, there’s nothing to box up and cart off. Curses.
7. Vegetarian Wellington, Hell’s Kitchen at Caesars Palace Of course, Gordon Ramsay had to have a dish on this list. Although he’s famous for those beef Wellingtons, it’s the vegetarian Wellington that I love, and I've had it at Hell’s Kitchen and Gordon Ramsay Steak. Mushrooms, parsnips, cheese, all wrapped in a crusty shell and baked. There’s a recipe for this one on gordonramsayrestaurants.com, but I think I want the real thing…
8. Black truffle tarte, Nomad Bar at Nomad Hotel The crisp, light black truffle tarte packs in a ton of flavor, with crème fraîche and mascarpone layers, and Parmesan and black truffle shaved liberally over the top. Combine that with a drink and plush seating and it’s truly a night to remember.
9. Eggs cacio e pepe, Giada at The Cromwell The restaurant had started a Book Club brunch in the last few months, which features items from Giada De Laurentiis’ cookbooks, and the eggs cacio e pepe are one of the tasty items I've had. Served on multigrain toast with pecorino cream, the dish seems so simple, like an upscale version of biscuits and gravy. The rest of the brunch is lovely, with carts arriving at your table, delivering pastries and salads. I need brunch again.
10. Sweet onion crepe, Vetri Cucina at Palms Marc Vetri opened his Vetri Cucina at the Palms in 2018, combining his Italian cuisine with 54th-floor views of the Strip. And the food was amazing! The richness of each dish is astounding—I adored the Swiss chard gnocchi with brown butter and an inventive Sicilian flan. But the sweet onion crepe can’t be beat, with layers of onion rolled up with a crepe and sliced. Nom, nom, nom.
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