Taste

Get fancy (and hungry) for Gina Marinelli’s new Harlo steakhouse at Downtown Summerlin

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Harlo’s 40-ounce Bistecca alla Fiorentina
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Let’s hope local restaurant and bar giant the LEV Group has decided to just go ahead and kick off every new year in Las Vegas by opening an undeniably great neighborhood restaurant.

In 2021, it was a collaboration with James Trees at Tivoli Village, Al Solito Posto. This time, the company has teamed with Gina Marinelli for Harlo, an archetype steakhouse in the former Andiron space at Downtown Summerlin. And it’s quickly setting an elevated standard for off-Strip fine dining.

Marinelli’s excellent boutique Italian spot, La Strega, the first piece of this partnership, is nearby, allowing the chef to bounce between kitchens. We first fell in love with the chef’s food at the former D.O.C.G. at the Cosmopolitan, and the prospect of sampling Marinelli’s take on a fancy steakhouse is cause for excitement. With every bite of every dish at Harlo, she exceeds our expectations more and more.

What’s the name of that neighborhood restaurant with mind-blowing caviar service? No such thing, until now. It’s certainly a splurge, ranging from Kaluga ($155) to a baller pairing of Russian Osetra with Louis XIII cognac ($400), but there are too many fun extras with this offering to dismiss the possibility: whipped burrata, yuzu creme fraiche, smoked salmon, Korean scallion pancakes, potato latkes and more. You can also opt for a potato-hamachi caviar taco ($12) or a yuzu and white chocolate caviar macaron ($10). It’s not for everyone, but that section of the menu sets the tone for luxurious fun.

In addition to a terrific hot and cold shellfish selection, standout opening dishes include steak tartare ($20) with Vietnamese herbs, lime aioli and addictive “beef crisps” taking the place of the traditional baguette or crackers; roasted Asian pears with burrata cream, arugula pesto and pistachio ($16); and a duck confit salad ($22) with those latkes and a perfect poached egg.

If you’re skipping the steak, there’s Steelhead trout with roasted squash and sauce verte ($36); a smoked lamb shank ($42) with beans and greens; or Jidori chicken ($32) with pickled shallots. And of course, you can’t visit one of Marinelli’s spots and forego pasta. At the very least, get the spicy puttanesca rigatoni ($14) as a side dish.

Snake River Farms, Allen Brothers and Flannery are among Harlo’s beef sources. The 10-ounce ribeye cap ($85) has all the flavor you’re hoping for, beautifully encased in savory char from the grill. For table sharing, there’s the 40-ounce, 28-day dry aged Bistecca alla Fiorentina, which deserves to be surrounded by some innovative sides like tempura chili crunch caulilini ($14), a twice-baked potato saturated with smoked cheese sauce and bacon lardons ($12) and the fascinating flavor and souffle-like texture of spinach sformato ($13).

The space has been tweaked just enough to give Harlo its own personality. The entrance and bar have been relocated to maximize style and drama, and finishes have been darkened and polished to better suit a destination dinner. The music’s soulful and energetic, and the service is similarly warm yet elegant. What’s that neighborhood restaurant that makes you want to get all dolled up for an extra-special night out but still feels cozy enough for a next-level weeknight dinner? Yeah, it’s only Harlo.

HARLO STEAKHOUSE & BAR 1720 Festival Plaza Drive, 702-333-0402. Tuesday-Thursday, 4:30-9:30 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 4:30-10 p.m.

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Brock Radke

Brock Radke is an award-winning writer and columnist who currently occupies the role of managing editor at Las Vegas Weekly ...

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