American
Alchemy Kitchen and Raw Bar at Men’s Club The first strip club to serve food rivaling LV’s culinary gems. It features a delicious Tuscan white bean soup, lamb and a terrific Maine lobster. The Raw Bar has amazing sushi. 3500 W. Naples Ave. 889-6367. Lunch 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. daily; dinner 7 p.m.-4 p.m. daily.
Aureole Celebrated Chef Charlie Palmer is behind this high-concept clone of a successful New York restaurant. Designer Adam D. Tihany’s wine tower is a metaphor for Vegas showmanship. Inside Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 632-7401. Daily 6-10:30 pm, lounge open to midnight. $35 and more.
Barbecue Masters Wood Smoked Eatery John Charles loves hickory, and so do rosy pink meats, prepared in a J&R Oyler smoker. Brisket, ribs and pork shoulder are beyond reproach, as is the mesquite rotisserie chicken, crisp-skinned and moist underneath. 1450 W. Horizon Ridge Parkway, Henderson, 563-3588. Sun-Thu 11 am-10 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-midnight. $10-$20.
Big Mama’s Rib Shack Big Mama’s tasty Southern recipes are kept alive by her son, Dargin McWhorter, and are some of the best in town. Peerless fried chicken and a spate of good sides. 2230 W. Bonanza Road, 597-1616. Mon-Thu 11 am-9 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-10 pm, Sun noon-8 pm. $15 or less.
Bird N Bones At this modest barbecue, owner Hank Harvey does it right, cooking slowly over mesquite. Hot links are spicy and provocative, the chicken terrific. Try mustard greens and peach cobbler. Best deal: wings and fries for $3.99. 3799 E. Desert Inn Road, 451-7790. Mon-Thu 11 am-10 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-11 pm, Sun noon-8 pm. $15 or less.
Black Mountain Grill This chalet-like property has an open kitchen, brick fireplace and the Safari Room. Try the cowboy steak or a wood-fired pizza. 11021 S., Eastern Ave., Henderson, 990-0990. 24/7. $15 or less.
Brooklyn Bagel Deli Empire club bagel sandwich is king where bagels are boiled, then baked. Also notable are the tristate club wrap, Santa Fe turkey bagel sandwich, breakfast sandwiches, cinnamon-sugar bagel chips and the Seinfeldian black-and-white cookie. 1500 N. Green Valley Parkway, Henderson, 260-9511. Mon-Fri 6 am-4 pm, Sat-Sun 6 am-3 pm. $15 or less; 10100 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 120. 407-5639.
Burger Bar Haute burgers have arrived, with a menu of freshly ground lamb, turkey and beef of various provenance. But there are better ways to spend $60 than on the Rossini burger, with foie gras and black truffles, whose taste is obscured by the beef. Inside Mandalay Place, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 632-9364. Sun-Thu 10:30 am-11 pm, Fri-Sat 10:30-4 am. $15 or less.
Canal Street Grille The intention is to offer upscale dining with a French Quarter flavor, and the Grille mostly succeeds. Inside the Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave., 365-7550. Daily 5-11 pm. $20-$30.
Carnegie Deli Who can finish the mile-high sandwiches at this Adam D. Tihany-designed restaurant, the first and only one outside of New York? Classic Jewish-American food like terrific blintzes, French toast made from challah, a braided Jewish Sabbath bread, latkes, and of course, giant cold-cut-laden sandwiches. Inside the Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 791-7111. Daily 7-2 am. $15 or less.
Carnival World Buffet Runs second to the Rio’s more famous Seafood Buffet in terms of sheer fame. The noodle bar, rotisserie, dim sum bar and abundant seafood choices make it a steal. Inside the Rio, 3700 W. Flamingo Road, 777-7777. Mon-Fri 7 am-10 pm, Sat-Sun 7:30 am-10 pm. $15-$25.
Cheesecake Factory 2007 Readers‘ Choice: Best Dessert Upscale casual dining offering more than 200 menu selections including appetizers, pizza, pasta, seafood, steaks, salads, sandwiches and specialty dishes like chicken Madeira, miso salmon, Cajun jambalaya pasta and the Factory burger. Try one of its 50 delicious cheesecakes and desserts like white-chocolate raspberry truffle cheesecake or Godiva chocolate cheesecake. Also available for take-out. Inside the Forum Shops, Caesars Palace, 3500 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 792-6888. Mon-Thu 11:10 am-11:30 pm, Fri 11:10-12:30 am, Sat 10:10-12:30 am, Sun 10:10 am-11:30 pm, other locations vary. $15-$25; 750 S. Rampart Blvd., 951-3800; 160 S. Green Valley Parkway, Henderson, 207-6372.
Claim Jumper Upscale chain now takes reservations. The food is good and portions immense. 1100 S. Fort Apache Road, 243-8751. Sun-Thu 11 am-10 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-midnight. $15 or less; 601 N. Green Valley Parkway, Henderson, 933-0880.
Coffee Pub Favorite breakfast and lunch spot serves fantastic soups, salads and sandwiches, including a quiche of the day, crab soufflé roll, bakery treats and fresh-fruit smoothies. 2800 W. Sahara Ave., Suite 2A, 367-1913. Mon-Fri 7 am-3 pm, Sat-Sun 7:30 am-3 pm. $15 or less.
The Cracked Egg This pleasant breakfast and lunch joint serves reliable omelets, terrific house-made soups and a number of pancake and sandwich concoctions. Don’t miss huevos rancheros for breakfast or the patty melt at lunch, and be sure to top either one off with a square of the dense, eggy coffee cake. 6435 S. Rainbow Blvd., 220-6449. 7 a.m.-3 p.m. daily.
Dan Marino’s Fine Food and Spirits That’s the famed Dolphins’ QB on the menu cover at this new, medium-priced steakhouse, and the kitchen does him proud. Calamari Marino, Asian style; lobster ravioli, a beef tip dish; skirt steak and strawberry shortcake are all great. Inside Hooters Casino, 115 E. Tropicana Ave. 739-9000. Sun-Thu 4-11 pm, Fri-Sat 4 pm-1 am. $25 to $35.
Elephant Bar An eclectic mix of African décor and dishes from Asia and the USA. Service can be daunting, but the best dishes on this well-conceived menu are fine: fresh salmon cake salad, pad Thai and homemade chicken noodle soup. 2270 Village Walk Drive, the District, Henderson, 361-7468. Restaurant: Sun-Thu 11 am-10:30 pm, until 11 pm Fri-Sat; bar: Sun-Thu 11 am-11:30 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-midnight. $15 or less.
Envy Envy (or NV—get it?) is a terrific joint. Chef Richard Chamberlain is one of the most talented steakhouse men in the country, Try the BLT iceberg lettuce wedge, pea soup with Vermont cheddar and prosciutto, amazing steaks and the world’s best meatloaf. Inside the Renaissance Las Vegas, 3400 Paradise Road, 733-6533. Daily breakfast 6:30-11 am, daily lunch 11 am-2:30 pm, nightly dinner 5-10:30 pm. $35 or more.
Evos Finally, a fast-food chain dedicated to healthy eating, where the burger options include veggie, fries are baked with hot air and milkshakes are organic. What’s more, it all tastes good. Southwest soy taco contains what you’d swear was real meat, and there are lovely salads with guilt-free dressings. 10895 S. Eastern Ave., Henderson, 269-1389. Daily, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Fire Side Cozy with lots of stonework and two fireplaces, and the kitchen turns out seriously terrific fare like fire-roasted artichokes, a creamy seafood bisque, seared walleye sandwiches and a terrific meatloaf. 1785 E. Cactus Lane, 307-7000. 24/7. $15 or less.
Fix Prix fixe menu available. Three’s the charm at Bellagio, in a space once home to Sam’s and later Nectar. Fix doesn’t need any fixing. It’s a terrific, American comfort-food and steak restaurant with the cooking of Brian Massie, a Charlie Palmer protégé, and an interesting décor recalling the hull of a clipper ship. Try very adult mac and cheese, drunken lobster or anything cow or pig. Inside Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 693-8400. Sun-Thu 5 pm-midnight, Fri-Sat 5 pm-2 am. $15-$25.
Go Raw Café Raw-foods restaurant serves one of the best salads in town and relies on a series of imaginative tricks in reproducing vegan facsimiles of pizza, lasagna, enchiladas and other treats, and it all tastes good. 2910 Lake East Drive, 254-5382. Mon-Sat 10 am-9 pm. $15 or less; 2381 Windmill Lane, 450-9007.
Grand Café A good 24-hour restaurant. French toast comes with elegant little bottles of pure maple syrup, and the smoked seafood plate is another good breakfast option. At lunch or dinner, try the meatloaf, fried chicken or blackened salmon Caesar salad. Inside Green Valley Ranch, 2197 Paseo Verde Parkway, Henderson, 617-7777. 24/7. $15 or less; inside Palace Station, 2411 W. Sahara Ave.; 367-2409; inside Santa Fe Station, 4949 N. Ranchero Drive, 658-4900.
Hash House A Go Go 2007 Readers‘ Choice: Best Breakfast Creatively plated, obscenely large portions of “twisted farm food,” and some of it’s quite tasty. Homemade soups are delicious as are the 1-pound stuffed burgers and sage fried chicken with waffles, drizzled with a caramel-maple reduction. 6800 W. Sahara Ave. 804-4646. Breakfast and lunch 7:30 am-2:30 pm daily; dinner nightly 5:30-10:30 pm. $15 or less.
House of Lords Consulting Chef Rick Giffen adds some modernity and brashness to the menu, but the expectations of a classic Vegas steak house haven’t been altered. Expect good prime beef, a nice wine list and snappy service. Inside the Sahara, 737-2111. Daily 5-10 pm. $25-$35.
Islands Fine Burgers & Drinks Islands succeeds thanks to a fun tropical theme, friendly service and tasty, well-conceived fare like rotisserie chicken, tortilla soup and burgers with imaginative toppings. The Luau soft taco, made with seasoned pork, is a good bet. Good drinks, especially thick fruit smoothies topped with real whipped cream. 10810 W. Charleston Blvd. 360-3845. Sun-Thu 11 am-10 pm, Fri-Sat until 11 pm. $15 or less.
Kathy’s Southern Cooking The appropriately named Kathy Cook hails from Louisiana, and she makes a mean gumbo. She also makes terrific Southern dishes, like smothered chicken, baked ribs, jambalaya, red beans and rice, and several other artery-clogging delights. 6407 Mountain Vista St., Henderson, 433-1005. Daily 11 am-8:30 pm. $15-$25.
Kona Grill Serving “American food with a Pacific Rim twist;” expect a wait. Food is good and portions large, especially sushi, fried rice with Chinese sausage, and desserts. But fare like pad Thai and similar Asian-inspired items could use more soul. 750 S. Rampart Blvd. 547-5552. Sun-Thu 11 am-11 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-midnight. $30 or less.
M&Ms Soul Food Restaurant Come for catfish so flavorful you’ll slap your mama; addiction-forming fried chicken; spicy, tangy—spitangy!—red beans and rice; corn cakes that could be the best thing since manna; banana pudding—so creamy and overrun with vanilla wafers, you’ll give want to give up sex. 3923 W. Charleston Blvd., 453-7685. Daily 11 am-11 pm. $15 or less.
The Maple Tree New England-style sugarhouse that’s a breakfast and lunch joint specializing in dishes doused with real maple syrup. Waffles, pancakes and French toast are all good, as are biscuits and gravy, homemade soup, Samuel Adams-battered fish and chips, and the maple Swiss burger, believe it or not. 6000 W. Spring Mountain Road. 362-5151. Daily 7 am-2:30 pm.
Maui Rose Goes the Hawaiian barbecue joint genre one better by adding a number of sushi rolls, Korean fare and Japanese dishes. Pass on the kalua pork, but order the kalbi short ribs, house special noodles and any sushi. 6700 W. Charleston Blvd. 877-2123. Mon-Sat 11 am-9 pm, Sun 11 am-8 pm. $15 or less.
Metro Pizza 2007 Readers‘ Choice: Best Pizza Making superb pizza isn’t rocket science—hell, even NASA can do rocket science. No, making superb pizza is more exacting. Landing a rover on Mars is like flying a kite compared to getting a crust just right—firm and chewy but just short of crackery—or calibrating the proper cheese-to-toppings ratio. This is pizza engineering at its finest. 1395 E. Tropicana Ave., 736-1955. Mon-thu 11 am-10 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-11 pm, Sun noon-10 pm. $15 or less; 4001 S., Decatur Blvd., 362-7896; inside the Ellis Island Casino, 312-5888.
Mimi’s Cafe An ersatz, French-themed restaurant serving traditional American fare. While the food is fresh, little of it has much flavor. 1121 S. Fort Apache Road, 341-0365. Daily 7 am-11 pm. $15 or less; 596 N. Stephanie St., Henderson, 458-0726; 6760 N. Durango Drive, 645-3688.
N9ne 2007 Readers‘ Choice: Best Steak Think of N9NE as a new style steak house, an 8,000-square-foot room that shimmers and changes color and serves “wet-aged” beef (beef aged in a moist setting). Chef Barry S. Dakake serves a variety of eccentric appetizers and sides like George’s creamed corn, macaroni and cheese, rock shrimp and garbage salad. Traditional s’mores complement the dining experience. Inside the Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo Road, 933-9800. Sun-Thu 5:30-10 pm, Fri-Sat 5:30-11 pm. $25-$35.
Nobhill Chef Michael Mina brings in products from the Bay Area that he uses to cook dishes like abalone with artichoke and lemon butter, salt-baked King salmon, and such masterful sweets as gingerbread pear crisp with pumpkin-seed brittle. Inside the MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 891-3110. Dinner: Sun-Thu 5:30-10 pm, Fri-Sat until 10:30; bar: daily 5 pm-closing. $35 or more.
Nora’s Wine Bar & Osteria 2007 Readers‘ Choice: Best Italian Food The wine-bar concept is hot, and this slick version, run by the Mauro family that owns Nora’s Cuisine on West Flamingo, is a nice example. Forty-eight wines are available by the ounce, and the menu is full of small plates like stuffed dates, sweet-and-sour meatballs and imported cold cuts. 1031 S. Rampart Blvd., 940-6672. Daily 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Pink’s Hot Dogs Zanzibar Café The roadside hot dog stand is something of a religion in LA. Now you can eat one of the legendary foot-longs, chili dogs, spicy Polish dogs, or any of their several incarnations inside the coffee shop, not to mention the gut-bomb pastrami burrito. Inside Planet Hollywood, 3667 Las Vegas Blvd. S. 785-5555. 24/7. Hot dogs: $15 or less; menu: $15-$25.
Rachel’s Kitchen “Wholesome food, delicious recipes.” Homemade muffins and breakfast wraps are popular choices, and lunches run from a nice arugula pear salad to good soups and generously portioned burgers. 3645 Town Center Drive. 459-6789. Open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily.
Red White and Blue This ambitious concept is in fact three dining experiences in one: a deli café, bakery and American bistro. Inside Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 632-7405. Daily 8 am-11 pm. $15-$25.
The Restaurant at Platinum Chef Breton Hammer is tweaking the envelope here. Good products such as Nueske bacon highlight breakfast, and there are some terrific sandwiches for lunch. At dinner, new-style Tasmanian pad Thai demonstrates that a lot of shaking is going on. 211 E. Flamingo Road. 365-5000. Breakfast, 6-11 a.m.; lunch 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; dinner 5-10:30 p.m. daily.
Ruth’s Chris Steak House Considered by many to be the best steak house. Masculine and clubby inside, serving amazing dry-aged beef on sizzling iron platters, with enormous hunks of butter on top. Service is quick and efficient and servers are polite and solicitous. 3900 Paradise Road, 248-7011. Mon-Fri 11 am-11 pm, Sat-Sun 4:30-11 pm. $35 or more; 4651 W. Flamingo Road, 791-7011.
Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza The secret to a great pizza is a great crust, and Sammy’s makes a great crust. Toppings are terrific, too, as evidenced by the house favorite, the barbecued chicken pizza. Hot crab, shrimp and artichoke dip is to die for. 6500 W. Sahara Ave., 227-6000. Sun-Thu 11 am-9 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-10 pm. $15 or less; 4300 E. Sunset Road, Henderson, 450-6664.
Settebello Brad Otton wants to serve you VPN pizza, “vera pizza Napoletana,” or pizza made in authentic Neapolitan style. He’s doing so with a wood-burning oven, cold cuts made by Mario Batali’s father, and even a pizzaiolo, or pizza maker, imported from Venice. 1776 Horizon Ridge Parkway, Henderson, 222-3556. Daily 11:30 am-9 pm.
Simon Kitchen & Bar Uber-chef Kerry Simon has one of the city’s best dinner houses. Come for the 20-ounce cowboy steak, the yellowtail carpaccio, the inner child dessert, and the sleek, well-dressed crowd. Inside the Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Road, 693-5000. Sun-Thu 6-10:30 pm, Fri-Sat 6-11:30 pm. $25-$35.
Stage Deli Offshoot of Manhattan’s famous deli offers a terrific bagel, lox and cream cheese. Try the 5-ounce corned beef, brisket or pastrami sandwich, all excellent meats brought in from the Big Apple itself. Inside the Forum Shops at Caesars, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 893-4045. Daily 7 am-9 pm. Other location varies. $15 or less; in the MGM Grand, 891-1111.
Steak The elementally named Steak shines more for its passion for wine and nonsteak innovations such as the Crazy Skewer, large shrimp bound up with seaweed salad and Japanese panko-bread crumbs. The chef has an Israeli background, so you can trust the hummus and falafel, and at the attached wine shop, choose a wine that can be opened for a $10 corkage. 76 W. Horizon Drive, Henderson, 567-8325. Daily, 11 a.m.-midnight.
Table 34 The folks behind the popular Wild Sage Café are back, serving the same great food, especially lunch. Try the crisp salami pizza or delicioius BLT at lunch, and the herb-roasted chicken with apple-sage dressing or classic rack of lamb for dinner. Save room for homemade desserts. 600 E. Warm Springs Road, Henderson, 263-0034. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11 am-3 pm; dinner Tue-Sat 5-10 pm. $15-$25.
Three Tomatoes and a Mozzarella Creative, chewy-crust pizzas like un Greco, topped with artichokes, feta and pesto sauce; and the fig and prosciutto, with the bonus of tangy fontina cheese. Also good here are a hearty minestrone soup and pastas like rose: fettucine or penne doused in a racy pink sauce. 6485 S. Rainbow Blvd. 257-3866. Sun-Thu 11 am-midnight, Fri-Sat 11-2 am.
Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill Kitchen closes at 11 pm. $15 or less. Lively roadhouse stocked with guitars, TVs and yahoos. Much of what is served is fried, like an artery-clogging fried bologna sandwich, but dishes like an avocado and grapefruit salad, Shiner Bock-battered codfish sandwich and a nice, grilled New York sirloin steak offer appealing alternatives. Inside Harrah’s, 3475 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 369-5000. Mon-Thu 11:30-2 am, Sat 10-3 am, Sun 10-2 am.
Triple George Grill Bay Area men’s grill hits Downtown with a vengeance at this snazzy venue with tall mahogany booths, white-jacketed waiters and cooking that helped make San Francisco a culinary oasis: cioppino, petrale sole and Louie seafood salads. Pastries by self-taught Teresa Borowski are fabulous, too. 201 N. Third St., 384-2761. Mon-Thu 11 am-10 pm, Fri 11 am-11 pm, Sat 3-11 pm, Sun 3-10 pm. $25-$35.
Verandah A Strip power-breakfast spot with items like a low-fat egg white frittata with green asparagus and crisp, tasty corned beef and pastrami hash, not to mention an array of breads and pastries from Alsatian pastry chef Jean-Luc Daul. Weekend breakfast buffet features a doughnut station and genteel luxury in spades. Inside the Four Seasons Hotel, 3960 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 632-5000. Mon-Fri 6:30 am-10 pm, Sat-Sun 7 am-10 pm. $25-$35.
Vic & Anthony’s Steakhouse This is an offshoot of a Houston steakhouse with retro charm, which replaced the quirky Zax at the Golden Nugget, and it fits like a glove. Chef Josh Overturf turns out fare such as maple-glazed quail and excellent crab cakes to go along with his prime steaks, and the clubby atmosphere and black-and-white photos of old Vegas are just what you expect Downtown. Inside the Golden Nugget, 386-8399. Dinner only, daily 5-11 p.m.
Weiss Deli and Bakery Longtime institution Samuel’s is now this winsome newcomer, it’s better than ever. Michael Weiss bakes terrific challah and the chicken noodle matzo ball soup is worth the trip. Dig into heavily brined half-sours before ordering delicious potato pancakes and sandwiches such as pastrami and roast brisket. 2744 N. Green Valley Parkway, Henderson, 454-0565.
Whole Foods Market 2007 Readers‘ Choice: Best Healthy Eating It’s easy to eat yourself sick sampling the various wares on display. But there are also several food venues, including a pizzeria, sandwich bar and rotisserie, each of which turns out solid fare to nosh on. 8855 W. Charleston Blvd., 254-8655. Daily 7 am-10 pm.
’Wichcraft Tom Colicchio’s brilliant sandwich and breakfast concept. Melinda Eusantos’ sticky buns and Whoopie Pies are the stuff of genius, as are sandwiches like goat cheese, avocado, celery and watercress on multi-grain, or roasted turkey, avocado, bacon and on relish on ciabatta. Inside the MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 891-1111. Daily 10 am-6 pm. $15 or less.
Asian
Archi’s Thai Kitchen Caters to Western tastes in tasteful style and with élan. Tod mun, or Thai fish cakes, are near perfect, stuffed chicken wings the equal of any in town, and pad see-ew, flat rice noodles bronzed to the color of a Rodin masterpiece, is delicious with chicken, pork or beef. 6360 W. Flamingo Road, 880-5550. Daily 11 am-10 pm. $15 or less.
Banana Leaf Café Comely authentic Malaysian café, where chefs roll out dough for the rotis on the front counter and South Asians chow down on a number of street hawker dishes, kway teow noodles and fish head curry being just two. 3950 Schiff Drive, 387-7888. Daily 11 am-4 pm, 5-10 pm.
BBQ King Amazing roast duck and pork with crackling skin, and the rest of the extensive menu, mainly Cantonese and replete with fare like anchovy-chicken fried-rice and garlic pea tips, is pretty swell, too. 5650 W. Spring Mountain Road, 364-8688. Daily 11 am-midnight. $15 or less.
Buffet @ Asia This gaudy buffet may be the best deal in town, laden with what looks like an entire menu from a mom-and-pop Chinese takeout, plus a number of Western dishes like roast chicken, baked fish and beef. 2380 S., Rainbow Blvd., 307-8800. Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am-9:30 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-10 pm. $15 or less.
Cathay House Dim sum is Cantonese breakfast. Choose from dozens of delicacies on rolling carts. Try lo mai gai, sticky-rice dumplings laced with chicken and Chinese sausage; ha gow, delicate shrimp dumplings; or see chap pai kwat, fatty pork ribs on the bone, marinated in salty black fermented soy beans. 5300 Spring Mountain Road, 876-3838. Daily 10:30 am-10 pm. $15 or less.
China A Go Go Great kung pao dishes, chow fun rice noodles in various incarnations and humungous portions. 74 S. Valle Verde Drive, Henderson, 407-5180. Sun-Thu 11 am-9:30 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-10 pm. $15 or less.
China Spice Handsomely decorated place serving authentic Chinese dishes at popular prices. Peking duck at $12.95 a half is a terrific bargain, and the beef chow fun, pan-fried garlic spinach, minced chicken with crystal lettuce wrap, and mapo tofu are all worth a shout. In the Green Valley Ranch Casino,2300 Paseo Verde Parkway, Henderson, 617-7001. Mon-Thu 5-10 pm, Fri-Sat 5 -11 pm. $15-$25.
Diamond Chinese Restaurant Sonny’s Saloon is a dimly lit place stocked with Bud signs and juicers, but Diamond, on the other side of the room, is a secret and the food is terrific. Classic Cantonese: spicy salt squid, salted egg soup and fresh clams in black beans, and rude service on a good day. 3449 Industrial Road, 796-8982. Sun-Thu 11:30 am-2:30 am, Fri-Sat to 3:30 am. $15 or less.
East Boy Specialty is Japanese bento box lunches. Prices, beginning at around $2, are suitable for poor students, and the fare—starchy curry rice, shrimp tempura, breaded pork cutlets and the usual trimmings—is tasty and filling. 4755 S, Maryland Parkway, 798-1777. Mon-Fri 11 am-9 pm, Sat noon-8 pm, Sun noon-5 pm. $15 or less.
Emperor’s Garden Sells lots of dishes popular at P.F. Chang’s but without the pizazz. Specialties are Mandarin and Szechuan. Try shredded chicken in a spicy sauce; twice-cooked pork; and dan dan mein, a spicy, Sino version of spaghetti alla Bolognese. 4216 Spring Mountain Road, 889-6777. Daily 11 am-10 pm. $15 or less.
Fin Maybe the city’s most beautiful Chinese restaurant. Dishes run from authentic Chinese and lots of live fish to creative, Western-style Chinese, like foie gras with black-pepper sauce and shrimp on crisp toasts. At lunch, try the Indian fried rice, which is really more Indonesian. Inside the Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 891-1111. Daily 11 am-2 pm, 5:30-10:30 pm; dim sum Fri-Sun. $25-$35.
Full Ho Old-fashioned Cantonese chow house that serves good eats. Watch owner Mei Ling work her dining room, startling newcomers and charming regulars. 240 N. Jones Blvd., 878-2378. Tue-Sat 11 am-9:30 pm, Sun noon-9:30 pm. $15 or less.
Genki Old-fashioned Japanese pub, serving dozens of great dishes to nosh on as you nurse that tall bottle of Kirin Ichiban. 4001 S., Decatur Blvd., 938-1448. Mon-Sat 6 pm-2 am. $15 or less.
Hue Thai’s Sandwiches Banh mi are terrific, foot-long baguettes stuffed with cold cuts, charbroiled meats and other goodies. At this always crowded, laughably cheap Vietnamese restaurant, you can have your banh mi along with rice noodle soup, various Vietnamese snacks and toothsome rice plates. 5115 Spring Mountain Road, 943-8872. Daily 9 am-10 pm. $15 or less.
Himalayan Cuisine Usual Indian-style lunch buffet and dishes but smoke out the Nepali fare: steamed dumplings called momo; a thick lamb noodle soup, thukpa; and specialties like chili chicken, alu dum, a curried potato dish, and a noodle preparation, chau-chau. 730 E. Flamingo Road, 894-9334. Mon-Sat 11:30 am-3 pm, 5:30-9:30 pm. $15 or less.
Jong Ga Lunch and dinner service are dominated by a fine Korean buffet stocked with bulgogi (barbecued beef) and battered fish. 953 E. Sahara Ave., 791-3992. Daily 11 am-2:30 pm and 5 pm-2 am. $15 or less.
Joyful House Local Chinese hold this simple dining room in high esteem. Have delicacies like Santa Barbara prawns, roast duck, braised mustard greens, stewed pork leg, and the best pan-fried green beans in the city. 4601 Spring Mountain Road, 889-8881. Daily 11-3 am. $25 or less.
The King and I A cute restaurant with the look of a German rathskeller but the food is resolutely Thai. Get the nuah dad deal, Thai beef jerky, served hot, with a deliciously spicy mix of pepper, garlic and tomato. Fried fish cakes called tod mun are also delicious. 1107 E. Tropicana Ave., 739-8819. Mon-Sat 11 am-9:30 pm, Sun 1-8:30 pm. $15 or less.
Koto Japanese Restaurant Sweet little sushi and kappo (small dishes ideal with beer and sake) restaurant serves what might be the best, most authentic Japanese cooking around. Try hamachi pepa, wafer-thin slices of yellowtail; tsukune, ground chicken on skewers; and gindara, broiled black cod marinated in white miso. 9400 S., Eastern Ave., Henderson, 221-1600. Mon-Fri 11:30 am-1:30 pm, dinner daily 5-10 pm. $15 or less.
Little Buddha If atmosphere were the sole consideration, Little Buddha, a crimson- and celadon-tinged deco palace reminiscent of Shanghai in the ’30s, would never be empty. The pan-Asian food is prepared by Chef Edgar Theisen, with fresh sushi at the bar. Don’t miss the wok-fried calamari and shrimp, the steamed shrimp dumplings, and delicious Chinese roast duck. Inside the Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo Road, 942-7778. Sun-Thu 5:30-10:45 pm, Fri-Sat 5:30-11:45 pm. $15 to $25.
Long Life Vege Restaurant Appealing alternative to conventional Chinese. The chef is capable of creating many more interesting vegetarian dishes, but because the concept is still new to Vegas, he doesn’t want to make anything too exotic. 4130 S. Sandhill Road, 436-4488. Mon-Sat 11:30 am-10:30 pm. $15 or less.
Maharlika Restaurant and Bakery This market and seven table restaurant features a bakery counter, steam table and snack area, where it is possible to taste an array of exotic Filipino specialties. Asado buns, pork-filled and as big as baseballs, are terrific, and so are hot dishes such as adobo, chicken or pork laced with soy and vinegar, eaten with rice. Lumpia, crunchy, cylindrical egg rolls, and beef mechado, a rich, surprisingly familiar take on beef stew, are also fine. 4001 S. Decatur Blvd. 220-5096. Open daily, 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m.
Mein Dynasty Carrying the banner of the new Chinatown, this noodle house serves food of Northern China, Taiwan and a few dishes from Malaysia. Try red oil bombshells, spicy dumplings in hot sauce, and any of the dozens of creative plates. 3934 Schiff Drive, 300-5984. Daily 11 am-10 pm. $15 or less.
Min Sok Choi Little café serves some of the tastiest, most authentic Korean fare here, but veer away from the familiar and you’re in a strange, new world. Stick with kalbi, marinated barbecued short ribs; seafood pancakes, or dolsot bibimbap, a delicious rice bowl served in a stone pot. For the intrepid, there is goat meat, blood sausage and other outré delicacies. 1801 E. Tropicana Ave., 262-5592. Mon-Fri 11 am-3 am, Sat-Sun 5 am-3 am. $15 or less.
Nobu The best strategy here is to let the chefs prepare omakase, a multicourse tasting dinner that changes according to whatever the chefs have on hand. In the Hard Rock Hotel, 693-5090. Daily 6-11 pm. $35 or more.
Ocha Doesn’t get the national accolades of its neighbor, Lotus of Siam, and doesn’t have the correct wines to eat with its well-prepared Thai dishes, but is still a local fave. Best dishes are fish cakes, papaya salad, beef tendon soup and Thai beef jerky. 2211 Las Vegas Blvd., 386-8631. Daily 10-6 am. $15 or less.
Osaka The Nakanishi family has been serving good Japanese food since 1967. There is a sushi bar, teppan grill room and a tatami (Japanese straw mat) seating area for privacy. The eclectic menu covers all bases, from grilled meats like Korean-style short ribs to pub appetizers like gyoza and ankimo (monkfish liver pate). 4205 W. Sahara Ave., 876-4988. Daily 11:30-2 am. Other locations vary. $25-$35; 10920 S., Eastern Ave., Henderson, 616-3788; 7511 W. Lake Mead Blvd. 869-9494.
P.F. Chang’s China Bistro A lot of what you’ll eat here does seem like a reasonable bargain. If you know what you are doing, you can leave P.F. Chang’s a happy camper. 1095 S., Rampart Blvd., 968-8885. Sun-Thu 11 am-11 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-midnight. Other locations vary. $15-$25; 4165 S., Paradise Road, 792-2207; in the Aladdin, 836-0955; Green Valley Ranch Station, 101 N. Green Valley Parkway, Henderson, 361-3065.
Pho Kim Long Pho, pronounced “fuh,” is the foodie’s Holy Grail of soups, a beefy, Vietnamese, rice-noodle soup eaten with a variety of condiments. But this comely restaurant has more to offer, including live fish and no-holds-barred Chinese food. Try minced squab with crystal lettuce; the reedy green vegetable ong choy; or a whole, steamed red cod, redolent of ginger and green onion. 4023 Spring Mountain Road, 220-3613. Daily 7 am-3 am. $20 or less.
Pho Sai Gon 8 This is Vegas’ best Vietnamese restaurant, thanks to a killer broth used in their pho (rice-noodle and beef soup). But there is much more worth a try here, including nem nuong Nonh Hoa, tasty sausage wraps eaten with shrimp sauce; mountainous rice plates such as com suon bi cha (see for yourself); and milkshakes made with exotic Indochinese fruits. 5650 W. Spring Mountain Road, 248-6663. Daily, 9 a.m.-10 p.m.
Pho So 1 Pho are long, thin, chewy rice noodles served in a huge bowl stocked with an illustrious beef broth. Pho So 1 is perhaps the best of the dozen-plus pho shops here, and the most popular. Other dishes are good, like rice plates and goi cuon, fresh Vietnamese pork-and-shrimp rolls. 4745 W. Spring Mountain Road, 252-3934. Daily 9 am-10 pm. $15 or less.
Pin Kaow This popular Thai restaurant serves authentic Thai food—if you ask them to hold the sugar. Shrimp cakes are terrific, and so is pad see ew, flat rice noodles cooked with broccoli, egg and a choice of meats. The Thai barbecue chicken might just be the best version of this dish around. 7836 S. Rainbow Blvd., 614-4805, and 1974 N. Rainbow Blvd., 638-2746. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily.
Ping Pang Pong Don’t be put off by the silly sounding name. Ping Pang Pong is a serious place, one of the better local Chinese restaurants to come along since the Gold Rush. Inside the Gold Coast, 4000 W. Flamingo, 36707111. Daily 5 pm-3 am. $15-$35.
Pumi In this era of multi-ethnic and fusion restaurants, it’s no surprise to uncover a Chinese restaurant with an upscale sushi bar and Korean ownership. 239 N. Pecos Road, Henderson, 896-1889. Daily 11 am-10 pm. $15 or less.
Red 8 Asian Bistro The casual Asian restaurant is very red: red columns, red wallpaper and red place mats, but the cooking of Malaysian Chef Hisham Johari is multi-hued. On weekends, eat the excellent dim sum like sticky rice in lotus leaves, but a huge menu of pan-Asian favorites is available at all times: Nyonya chili crab, Indonesian fried rice, green-onion pancakes, green beans in XO sauce, and dozens of other choices. Inside Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S. 770-7000. Sun-Thu 11 am-10 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-2 am. $15-$25.
Salo-Salo Filipino cuisine can be downright strange, but there are also delights: stuffed fish, broiled chicken and more, all served in family-style portions and done with exotic flair. Plenty of atmosphere and some dishes for the more adventurous, but they’re not licensed. 3650 S., Jones Blvd., 878-7256. Daily 10 am-11 pm. $15 or less.
Sandai Tommy and Linda Lee, Korean-born but Hawaiian-bred, own this little place, where an amalgam of Asian and Hawaiian dishes are served. Their comforting chicken saimin is like a Hawaiianized version of Japanese ramen, and their short-rib bowl and spicy chicken bowl show their Korean roots nicely. Tasty hand rolls round out a versatile menu. 6112 W. Flamingo Road, 399-8282. Daily, 10:30 a.m.-11 p.m.
Sapporo Pays homage to America’s changing tastes with a sushi bar, a restaurant generally filled with Gen X and Y’ers and serving dishes like lobster dumplings and Mongolian ribs, and a snazzy patio. The teppan room is another option, as are slushy drinks like a passion mango martini. 9719 W. Flamingo Road, 216-3080. Daily 4 pm-1 am.
Satay Malaysian Grille Full-fledged Malaysian restaurant at this comely, well-decorated outpost. Indian flat bread roti canai is great when dipped in the accompanying peanut curry sauce. So are the beef and chicken satays, skewered meat cooked over a charcoal brazier. Try rendang, a slow-simmered beef stew, and kueh teow, rice noodles that border on religion in Kuala Lumpur. 3755 Spring Mountain Road, 362-2828. Daily 11 am-2:45 pm, 5-11 pm. $15 or less.
Sumantha’s Thai Restaurant Authentic food can be delicious, especially the satay, various meats barbecued on skewers; and som yum-ram, green papaya salad that is a popular street food in Thailand. Also try the tod mun, delectable homemade fish cakes. 10890 S., Eastern Avenue, Henderson, 837-6575. Tue-Sun 11:30 am-10 pm. $15 or less.
Sushi + Sake Clean, modern restaurant featuring a variety of good cut rolls, nigiri sushi and cooked dishes like tempura and udon noodles. Chefs ply their trade in a techno atmosphere, and the best nigiri sushi, cuts of fish perched on clumps of vinegared rice, are the rivals of any in town. Inside Green Valley Ranch, 2300 Paseo Verde Parkway, Henderson, 617-7001. Sun-Thu 5 pm-1 am, Fri-Sat to 3 am. $15-$25.
Sushi Wa This wacky postmodern sushi bar features the cooking of Japanese-Korean chef Jun Choi, which includes delicacies such as Monkey Brain, a deep-fried shiitake mushroom stuffed with tuna tartare, and albacore marinated and served two ways. The hand rolls are especially good here. 790 Coronado Center Dr., Suite 125. Henderson. 263-5785. Open 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday, 5-10 p.m. Sunday.
Swish Swish specializes in shabu-shabu and sukiyaki, Japanese one-pot dinners designed to ward off the cold of Japanese winters, or ones in the Vegas Valley, for that matter. A tray of goodies is proffered, your burner lit and a kettle of broth placed before you. You have no one to blame but yourself if the food is overcooked. 7875 W. Sahara Ave., 870-7947. Daily, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Tea Planet The idea is to drink tea and plenty of it at this stylish, Taiwanese-style tea room, but as with any authentic Chinese gathering place, good food is never far behind. 4335 Spring Mountain Road, 889-9989. Daily 11 am-2 am. $15 or less.
Togoshi Ramen Noodle House No sushi here, just people happily slurping bowls of noodles in salty broth and washing it down with ice-cold beer. 855 E. Twain Ave., 737-7003. Daily 11:30 am-9:30 pm. $15 or less.
Caribbean
El Coqui Specializing in the little known cuisine of Puerto Rico. Dishes like pernil (roasted leg of pork), mofongos (mashed plantains flecked with pork cracklings), and sancocho (a thick porridge laced with corn and melting chunks of stewed, chunked beef), display its complexity, appeal and rustic eccentricity. Don’t miss the cheese flan for dessert. 2210 Paradise Road, 737-1868. Sun-Thu 12:30-9 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-10 pm. $15 or less.
Florida Cafe You can tell how authentic this café is just by listening to the burbling fountain and dulcet tones of Cuban Spanish. Food is marvelous, everything from leg of pork served with black beans and rice, to the exotic batidos. 1401 Las Vegas Blvd. N., 385-3013. Daily 7 am-10 pm. $15 or less.
Havana Grill Good Cuban cooking at this well-conceived outpost of the Florida Café. Ham croquetas, Cuban sandwiches stuffed with roast pork, a terrific roast chicken. and dishes like the filling boliche—pot roast rolled around chorizo—are all foils for moros, the black bean-and-rice mixture no Cuban would ever consider a meal without. 8878 S. Eastern Ave., Henderson, 932-9310. Sun-Thu 11 am to 11 pm, Fri-Sat to 2 am. $15 or less.
Tasty Island Yes, mon, Vegas has a Jamaican restaurant: a mini-mall storefront where Chef Owen Sutherland jerks chicken, brown-stews fish and bakes patties with the best. Curry goat is wonderful, as are the escovitched fish; ackee, a seed pod eaten with saltfish; homemade bean soup; and dark, molasses-rich rum cake. 6820 W. Flamingo Road, 222-0002. Mon-Sat 8:30 am-8 pm.
European
Bleu Gourmet Winsome wine store and café serves pizzas, sandwiches and entrees cooked in a wood stone oven, and offers tastes of exotic wines at no charge. At breakfast, try one of the phazanis, savory creations cooked inside pockets of dough, while at lunch, try roast chicken with roast potatoes, rubbed with tarragon and rosemary. Good pastries come from the Normandie Bakery, a few blocks east. 8751 W. Charleston Blvd. 363-2538. Daily 7 am-9 pm. $15 or less.
Café Ba Ba Reeba More than 50 types of appetizers, and that’s not counting the five types of paella and the dozen desserts. A true tapas restaurant owned by Chef Gabino Sotelino and the folks behind Mon Ami Gabi, it also offers terrific sangria, a great happy hour, live music and flamenco three nights a week and paella cooking classes. Inside the Fashion Show Mall, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. S. 258-1211. Sun-Thu 11:30 am-11 pm, Fri-Sat to midnight. $15-$25.
The Fat Greek A cozy space run by a Greek-Armenian family. Chef Yiannis cooks from scratch: tasty fare like taramosalata, whipped cod roe delicious on hot pita, an excellent village Greek salad, a hearty lamb shank and a stuffed eggplant dish that reflects his Armenian heritage. 4001 S. Decatur Blvd. 222-0666. Mon-Thu 11 am-8 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-10 pm, Sun 11 am-6 pm. $15 or less.
Firefly on Paradise A proper tapas venue thanks to a couple of refugees from Mon Ami Gabi: Ramon Triay and Chef John Simmons. Good dishes include croquettes, Spanish olives served with almonds; a tortilla Espanola; and merguez, a spicy, Moroccan-style lamb sausage. 3900 Paradise Road, 369-3971. Sun-Thu 11:30-2 am, Fri-Sat 5 pm-3 am. $15 or less.
Gyro Time This place makes a great gyro. 5239 W. Charleston Blvd., 878-6393. Mon-Sat 11 am-7:30 pm.$15 or less.
Hofbrauhaus Las Vegas Clone of the famous Munich, Germany beer hall serves the city’s best beer, pretzels and wurst (sausages) and is filled with old-world charm. Weisswurst, a white veal and pork sausage eaten poached, is especially good, as are bread dumplings, roast pork and desserts like eis mit himbeeren, vanilla ice cream with hot raspberry sauce. 4510 Paradise Road, 853-2337. Mon-Thu 11 am-11 pm, Fri-Sun to midnight. $15-$25.
Magura Bulgaria has a surprisingly appealing and accessible cuisine. Start with tarator, a cooling, cucumber soup laced with sour cream and crushed walnut; and then try the stuffed red peppers, breaded and pan-fried. Grilled homemade sausages are wonderful, and don’t miss a shot of Pestershka Muscat Grappa at the finish. 1305 Vegas Valley Drive, 693-6699. Daily 10 am-10 pm. $15 or less.
McMullan’s Irish Pub All the vital components, from Guinness to chow like a full Irish farmhouse breakfast and Nana Breen’s Dublin coddle, a heady sausage and potato casserole, are here, and the cooking is skillful and hearty. 4650 W. Tropicana Ave., 247-7000. 24/7. $15-$25.
The Melting Pot Various cheese fondues are mixed tableside by an attentive staff, and entree fondues, platters of meat and seafood plunged into various boiling broths, are tasty and fun. Don’t miss the chocolate fondue, served with cakes and fruit. 8704 W. Charleston Blvd. 384-6358. Mon-Thu 5-10 pm, Fri 5-11 pm, Sat 4-11 pm, Sun 3-9 pm. $25-$35; 8955 S. Eastern Ave., Henderson, 933-6358.
Nine Fine Irishmen Irish cuisine is no oxymoron at this beautiful replica of an authentic Dublin pub. Irish Chef Kevin Dundon’s menu features Irish stew, soda bread, homemade sausages and wonderful desserts, and the beer list is equally impressive. Inside New York-New York, 3790 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 740-6463. Mon-Fri 11 am-11 pm, Sat-Sun 9 am-11 pm. $15-$25.
Opa! Menu is filled with rustic, homestyle Greek dishes. The city’s best, most authentic Greek cooking: dishes like the aromatic beef stew stifado; roast leg of lamb carved from the bone; kota, a half chicken baked with oregano, olive oil and lemon juice; and several great mezze, the small appetizers that are the heart of a good Greek meal. 2250 S. Rainbow Blvd. 876-3737. Sun-Thu 11 am-10 pm, Fri-Sat to midnight. $15-$25.
French
Ambiance Bakery and Bistro This comely bistro is notable not only for the French guys who hang out at the bar, but also for the slow-cooked French dishes that you generally will not find on the Strip. Coq au vin, pork loin and a beef stew are just a few of the dishes to eat here. Pastries are fine as well, especially fruit tarts and anything that uses chocolate. 3980 E. Sunset Road, 454-3020. Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Bistro Bacchus The bistro is alive and well with Gregoire and Agathe Verge’s neighborhood, French restaurant and well-stocked wine shop. Kelly Mader does a mean French onion soup and a wonderful bowl of PEI mussels. 2620 Regatta Road, 804-8008. Mon-Sat 10 am-4 pm, Mon-Sat 5-9:30 pm.
Bouchon Thomas Keller’s landmark bistro now serves the city’s most sumptuous breakfast: buttery croissants, outrageously dense scones like ham and cheese, and goat’s milk yoghurt with fresh cream and vanilla bean added for richness. Outdoor patio is idyllic and espresso tastes exactly as it would in Paris. Inside the Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 414-6200. Breakfast: daily 7-10:30 am; lunch: Sat-Sun 11:30 am-2:30 pm; dinner: daily 5-11 pm; lounge and oyster bar: daily 3-11 pm. $25-$35.
Josette’s Bistro Food is delicious, especially Josette Le Blond’s homemade patés and sausages, and cooked dishes like French onion soup and rack of lamb with a crumb crust. Good pastries and wines, too. 4983 W. Flamingo Road, 227-4575. Mon-Sat 11 am-3 pm, 5:30-10 pm. $25-$35
Mon Ami Gabi 2007 Readers‘ Choice: Best Outdoor Dining Mon Ami Gabi keeps romance alive on the Strip. French bistro offers al fresco dining with a patio opposite Bellagio’s fountains. The ambiance and food make it the perfect place for a first date. Dishes are simple, fresh and arrive looking exquisite, and the wine selection is extensive. It will take a good $200 to do it right, but Mon Ami Gabi isn’t the place to cut corners and is worth every penny. Inside Paris, 3655 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 944-4224. Brunch: Sat-Sun 11:30 am-3 pm; lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30 am-3:45 pm; dinner: Sun-Thu 4-11 pm, Fri-Sat to midnight. $35 or more.
Le Cirque This intimate dining spot is run by the legendary Maccioni family of New York, with cuisine prepared by Chef Jeremy Leib. Inside Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 693-7223. Daily 5:30-10 pm. $35 or more.
Marche Bacchus Little wine shop that’s also a restaurant, serving French sandwiches and salads on a terrace facing the lake. Salade Nicoise, a mélange of tuna, eggs and greens, is what you’d get in France, and grilled sandwiches, patés, cheeses and desserts are all fine, too. 2620 Regatta Drive, 804-8008. Lunch: Mon-Sat 10:30 am-4 pm; brunch: Sun 10 am-4 pm: dinner: Mon-Sat 5-10 pm. $15-$25.
Picasso The cooking, quail salad, foie gras served a variety of ways, splendid fish dishes and amazing desserts, ensure Picasso is regarded as a restaurant of national importacne. Recipient of the highly coveted Mobil Five Star Award. Inside Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 693-7223. Wed-Mon 6-9:30 pm. $35 or more.
Fusion
808 New-wave bento, a bamboo box filled with Asian-inspired appetizers, is clever. Don’t miss Thai-style coconut soup or foie gras-topped ahi tuna paired with sumptuous potato terrine. Desserts like macadamia nut soufflé with coconut pudding are creative and delicious. Inside Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 731-7110. Wed-Sun 5-11 pm. $35 or more.
China Grill One of the city’s most beautiful rooms, designed by Jeffrey Beers, the menu is eclectic and reliable. Just a few of the best dishes: beer-braised short ribs, crab pot stickers and caramelized bananas in an edible box. Inside Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 632-7404. Sun-Thu 5-11 pm, Fri-Sat to midnight. $25-$35.
Chinois Chef Terence Fong, formerly of Osaka, is an expert in fusion. Dishes owner Wolfgang Puck made famous, like Shanghai lobster and sizzling whole catfish, are worth a detour and sushi, Chinese duck pancakes and the signature Chinese chicken salad always impress. In the Forum Shops at Caesars, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 737-9300. Lunch: daily 11 am-5 pm; dinner: Sun-Thu 5-10 pm, Fri-Sat 5-11 pm; sushi bar: Mon-Thu 5-10 pm, Fri-Sun 1-11 pm. $25-$35.
Cili at Bali Hai Golf Club You rarely find anything daring in the golf clubhouse, but this is the only one on the planet that has food from Wolfgang Puck. Entrees like rack of lamb and salmon are excellent and come with a variety of Asian sides. 5160 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 856-1000. Lunch: Mon-Sat 11:30 am-3 pm; dinner: Mon-Thu 6-9 pm, Fri-Sat 6-10 pm. $35 or more.
Hannah’s Neighborhood Bistro Multiethnic, multimillion dollar extravaganza is a testament to grandeur. Eat sushi, Asian fusion, Vietnamese and French dishes, like a great colonial beef stew laced with five spice powder, Dungeness crab puffs, and a number of what Chef Hannah An calls “Asian tapas.” 1040 S., Rampart Blvd. 932-9399. Daily 11:30 am-3 pm, 5-10 pm. $25 or less.
The Little Dumpling No need to blink when you see the sign “Chinese and Peruvian Food” because Peruvian cuisine has a heavy Chinese influence. Ceviche, war won ton and lomo saltado—fried strips of beef with tomatoes, onions and potatoes—are just a few of the specialties. 9400 S. Eastern Ave. 614-8818. Daily 11 am-10 pm. $15 or less.
L&L Hawaiian Barbeque Hawaiian lunch counter food is an amalgam of Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, American and Korean influences. L&L shines with grilled foods: try the Portuguese sausage musubi, loco moco or No. 1 seafood combo. 687 N. Stephanie St., Henderson, 433-0240. Daily 10 am-9 pm. $15 or less; 7891 W. Tropical Parkway, 792-9898; 4030 S. Maryland Parkway, 880-9898; 2595 S. Maryland Parkway.
Marssa at Loews Lake Las Vegas Sushi master Fuji Fujita is one of the area’s best Japanese chefs. The salmon-skin roll and overall quality of sushi is impeccable, but this pan-Asian restaurant also does a mean velvet-lobster soup and delicious miso-braised Kobe short ribs. 101 Monte Lago Blvd., Henderson. 567-6000. Dinner only, 6-10 p.m. Mon.-Thurs., until 11 Fri.-Sat.
Ortanique The unusual name refers to a variety of orange native to Jamaica and the cuisine is clever Caribbean fusion. The décor is smart and elegant. Inside Paris, 3655 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 946-4346. Lunch: Sat-Sun 11 am-2:30 pm; dinner: Sun-Thu 5:30-10 pm, Fri-Sat to 10:30 pm; late dining: Thu-Sat 11 pm-1:30 am. $25-$35.
Sedona The name refers to a design aesthetic, not Southwest cuisine, conspicuously absent. A lot of money has been spent on this ultra-modern space, which features a fire pit, lots of art and a parquet floor. The eclectic menu is from Michael Ingino, a Gustav Mauler protége, has everything from satay to shrimp bisque. 9580 W. Flamingo Road, 320-4700. 24/7. $25 or less.
Sonio’s Café & Rotisserie No one in town makes better roast chicken at the price than Yiorgo Aretos, whose Mexican-themed chicken place one-ups the genre with touches of his ancestral Greece. Try anything made with his terrific rotisserie chicken, salads, burritos, or just plain bird. Good sides, too, like a romaine-based Greek salad, spinach and feta pasta salad, and rotini Bolognese. 3900 W. Charleston Blvd. 307-2177. Daily 11 am-7:30 pm. $15 or less.
Spago Corporate Chef David Robins has retooled the menu, adding fare like phenomenal big-eye tuna sashimi, a handful of sinfully rich pastas, and entrees like red snapper steamed with chilies, bok choy, garlic, ginger and ponzu sauce. Inside the Forum Shops at Caesars, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 369-6300. Cafe: Sun-Thu 11 am-11 pm, Fri-Sat to midnight; dining room: daily 6-10 pm. $35 or more.T
odd’s Unique Dining An individual restaurant taking on the big chains and getting the better of them. Chef Todd Clore serves eclectic dishes like goat-cheese wontons, steamed mussels in a saffron-cream broth, and maple-roasted wild king salmon. For dessert, he does a mean chocolate cake. 4350 E. Sunset Road, 259-8633. Mon-Sat 4:30-10 pm. $25 or less.
Indian
Gandhi India’s Cuisine Many local Indians flock here for the buffet, a high-quality mélange of both North and South Indian foods. But the a la carte menu is also estimable, from batter-fried meat and vegetable snacks known as pakoras, to a wide variety of excellent meats cooked in the tandoor. 4080 Paradise Road, 734-0094. Lunch: daily 11 am-2 pm; dinner: daily 5-10 pm. $15-$25.
India Oven Terrific lunch buffet, meat samosas, a nice tandoori mixed grill and generally fresh vegetable creations. As good as Indian food gets in this town. 2218 Paradise Road, 366-0222. Lunch: daily 11:30 am-2:30 pm; dinner: daily 5-10:30 pm. $15 or less.
Origin India Relentlessly creative. Chef Vinod Ahuja is a veteran of more than 175 restaurants in his native India and his dishes, especially lamb patties, a multi-textured snack called anarkali papri chat, and a kebab made from cheese cooked in the clay oven, are expertly conceived. 4480 Paradise Road, 734-6342. Daily 11:30 am-11:30 pm.
Samosa Factory Fresh, healthy Indian cuisine cooked to order under the watchful eye of a couple from Delhi. Samosas, savory pastry triangles, are chicken, lamb or vegetable, and there are combination platters for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. Saag, or mustard greens, is one of several mouth-watering examples. 4604 W. Sahara Ave., 258-9196. Mon-Sat 11 am-8:30 pm. $15 or less.
Shalimar Indian cuisine The area’s most elegant and expensive Indian restaurant offers several tandoori Indian barbecue dishes and lamb, chicken, seafood, vegetable and rice specialties. 3900 Paradise Road, 796-0302. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30 am-2:30 pm; dinner: daily 5:30-10:30 pm. $15-$25; 2605 S. Decatur Blvd. 252-8320.
Sai India Curry This comely steam-table café specializes in the unusual vegetarian fare of the Gujurat state, as well as south Indian snacks like the masala dosa, a two-foot-long crepe stuffed with curried potato and pea. Try the homemade kulfi ice cream. 5006 S. Maryland Pkwy. 739-0968. Tue.-Sun., 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Tabla The menu is North Indian and just fine, but little we haven’t seen before. Look for tandoori meats and breads, the nice stewed okra dish called kurkari bhindi, and various misunderstood curries. Inside the Hawaiian Marketplace, 3743 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 798-7889. Daily noon-midnight. $25 or less.
Italian
Cafe Chloe Appetizers are all delicious, but pastas are the specialty, and I haven’t seen bigger portions since I dined at Shaquille O’Neal’s house. The Roman chef knows what he’s doing. 4155 S. Buffalo Drive, 248-7048. Mon-Sat 4:30-9 pm. $15 or less.
Casa Di Amore Traditional, clubby restaurant serves several solid, consistent and classic Italian-American dishes like chicken pastina soup and penne and greens, along with jumbo stuffed shells and a favorite entree, pork chops with vinegar and peppers. 2850 E. Tropicana Ave., 433-4967. 24/7. $15-$25.
Chicago Joe’s Intimate brick restaurant serves up excellent old-style selections like lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs and veal parmigiana. 820 S. Fourth St., 382-5637. Mon-Fri 11 am-9:45 pm, Sat 5-10 pm. $15-$25.
Fiamma Trattoria Steven Hanson’s branch of his flagship Italian restaurant appeals to foodies and the masses alike. Come for one of the deliciously crusty panini sandwiches at lunch, or for a sumptuous pasta, like short-rib filled raviolini, at dinner. Desserts from pastry chef Elizabeth Katz are great, especially chrochette, hot donuts with a trio of sauce. Inside MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 891-7600. Daily 5:30-10:30 pm. $25-$35.
Gaetano’s Ristorante One of the best Italian restaurants in the valley. Many dishes are wonderful, like the Pacific sand dabs, squash ravioli in sage butter, and ethereal mixed seafood carpaccio. Handsome place and the staff is more than competent. 10271 S. Eastern Ave., Henderson, 361-1661. Mon-thu 5-10 pm, Fri-Sat 5-10:30 pm, Sun 5-9 pm. $15 or less.
Giorgio Caffe and Ristorante Piero Selvaggio’s and Chef Luciano Pellegrini’s food is delightful. In addition to a pizzeria and gelato bar, there is an antipasto bar, elegant middle room for fine dining, and large, modular area for private functions. Don’t miss the shrimp and white bean salad, the thin-crusted pizzas or excellent imported cold cuts. Inside Mandalay Place, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 920-2700. Sun-Thu 11 am-10:30 pm, Fri-Sat to 11 pm. $15-$25.
Il Fornaio The Green Valley outpost looks like a Tuscan villa, and some of the best dishes are eggplant Parmesan, gnocchi Bolognese, lamb shank braised with seasonal vegetables, and the toothsome desserts. Good breads, too. Inside Green Valley Ranch 2300 Paseo Verde Parkway, Henderson, 492-0054. Lunch: daily 11 am-4 pm; dinner: Sun-Thu 4-10 pm, Fri-Sat 4-11. $15 or less; in New York-New York, 3790 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 650-6500.
La Collina If you’re longing for cooking you haven’t experienced before, you’ve come to the wrong place. But if you crave classic Italo-American dishes, try this hillside haunt. Veteran local chef Hercules Mantel pushes all the right buttons, with a delicious pasta e fagioli soup, excellent thin-crusted pizza and on Saturday evenings, the piece de resistance, a terrific osso buco. 645 Carnegie St., Henderson, 252-7474. Daily, 11 a.m.-6 a.m.
La Scala Ristorante Italiano Elegant restaurant that serves delicious food. There’s a hearty and irresistible pasta e fagioli soup and one of the crispest, best-fried calamaris in town. 1020 E. Desert Inn Road, 699-9980. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30 am-2 pm; dinner: daily 5-11 pm. $25-$35.
Marc’s Chef Marcus Ritz is a keeper of the flame for the old Vegas steak house. Come here for the Sinatra and retro fare like steak el Chico, steak cooked with garlic, peppers, onions and olive oil; Mama’s pan-fried meatballs; and a terrific hot antipasto. 7290 W. Lake Mead Blvd. 562-1921. Daily 5-11 pm, Sun to 9 pm. $15-$30.
Mimmo Ferraro’s Gino Ferraro’s success can be attributed to old-fashioned values, solid Northern Italian food, a fascinating wine list and attentive service. Most swear by his pasta, but don’t ignore the excellent veal and the meltingly tender osso buco. 5900 W. Flamingo Road, 364-5300. Lunch Mon-Fri 11 am-2 pm; dinner: daily 5:30-10:30 pm. $30 or higher.
Montesano’s Italian Restaurant and Deli Italian-American food the way Mama makes it—heavy, tasty and probably not what the doctor prescribed. 3441 W. Sahara Ave., 876-0348. Mon-Sat 11 am-11 pm. Other location varies. $15 or less; 4835 W. Craig Road, 656-3708.
Panevino Ristorante An architectural jewel. Chef Sergio Santoro has a deft hand with both classics and modern fare; his fritto misto, pappardelle with lamb ragu and variations in the key of risotto are terrific. If you aren’t in the mood for grand dining, try the attached deli for great soups and panini. 246 Via Antonio. 222-2400. Deli: Mon-Fri 10 am-7 pm; lunch: daily 11:30 am-3 pm; dinner: Mon-Thu 5-10 pm; Fri-Sun to 11 pm. $15-$25.
Penazzi Inside Harrah’s This newly remodeled Italian place has a lot going for it, such as old-world, family-style recipes and irrepressible maitre d’ Gabriele Penazzi. There is a terrific antipasto large enough to be a main course, a delicious crab risotto, and main dishes you’d see on The Sopranos, like a breaded chicken topped with fried eggplant and rich tomato sauce. 369-5084. Dinner only, 5:30-11 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday.
Prima Pasta Italian Eatery Family-friendly restaurant that offers something for everyone: pasta by the bucket, pizzas with perfect crusts, healthy-sized entrees and fantastic stuffed mushroom caps. Be sure to leave room for the 10-layer chocolate cake. 7435 S., Durango Drive. 361-2580. Mon-Thu 10 am-10 pm, Fri-Sat 10 am-11 pm. $15 or less.
Pietro’s Trattoria 325 Hughes Center Drive Slick Italian place run by Evan Glusman. Evan’s father Fred owns legendary Piero’s, but this place is more casual. Excellent Tuscan bean soup, terrific rotisserie duck and homey, rustic pastas. 892-9955. Mon-Fri 11 am-10 pm, Sat-Sun 5-10 pm. $25-$35.
Postrio Wolfgang Puck’s San Franciso-style restaurant is his most striking and accessible. At lunch, it offers a selection of salads, pastas, pizzas and sandwiches to indulge a variety of tastes. The dinner menu changes frequently but can include seafood, chicken and beef dishes. Inside the Venetian 796-1110. Lunch: daily 11:30 am-3 pm; dinner: Sun-Thu 5:30-10 pm Fri-Sat to 10:30 pm. $25-$35.
Romano’s Macaroni Grill The country white bread that comes to the table, the homemade soups and the wood-oven pizzas are the best reasons to come here. But the Tuscan rib-eye, pasta Bolognese and large, fresh salads will surprise you with their quality and consistency. 573 Stephanie St., Henderson, 433-2788. Daily 11 am-11 pm. $25 or less; 2001 N. Rainbow Blvd., 648-6688; 2400 W. Sahara Ave., 248-9500.
Spiedini Ristorante Chic room designed by Paul Steelman, handmade spaghetti, rotisserie meats and top-notch wine list make this a worthwhile trip. Inside the Regent Las Vegas, 221 N. Rampart Blvd., 869-8500. Sun-Thu 5-9:30 pm, Fri-Sat to 10:30 pm. $15-$25.
Trattoria del Lupo Chef Mark Ferguson’s lively menu includes fontina agnolotti with smoked bacon, white beans, red chili and Swiss chard, and filet of pork with aged balsamic vinegar and blood orange. For dessert: peanut butter and chocolate tartuffo with grape jelly. Inside Mandalay Bay, 740-5522. Sun-Thu 5-10 pm, Fri-Sat to 11 pm. $15-$25.
Valentino Piero Selvaggio has been called the country’s best Italian restaurant owner. The Vegas branch of his successful Santa Monica restaurant features Chef Luciano Pellegrini, a swank dining room and killer wine list. Inside the Venetian, 414-3000. Daily 11 am-11 pm. $35 or more.
Ventano Chef Arnaud Briand is at this Italian corner and oyster bar atop a bluff. His creations are delicious: pan-roasted shrimp, thin, crusty pizzas with designer toppings, braised pork ribs with honey and spice, and one of the best crème brûlées in the city. 191 Arroyo Grande, Henderson, 944-4848. Daily 11 am-10 pm. $15-$25.
Viale Food created by one-time pastry Chef Krista Kern is first-rate. Try the wonderful grilled panini sandwiches, dinner entrees like yellowfin tuna, and any of Kern’s desserts, like buttermilk panna cotta and the city’s best tiramisu, done on brown butter cake. At Caesars Palace. 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 650-5915. Pick-up breakfast: daily 7-10 am; lunch: daily 11 am-4 pm; dinner: Sun-Thu 5-9 pm, Fri-Sat to midnight. $15-$25.
Kosher
Sababa Grille and Restaurant Kabab and salad stands like this are on every Israeli street corner. Falafel and shawarma, irregularly shaped hunks of turkey sliced off a rotating spit, come with various salads like hummus, baba ghannouj and chopped vegetables. Try the fruit drinks, too. 3220 S. Durango Drive, 547-5556. Sun-Thu 10 am-9 pm., Fri 10 am-3 pm. $15 or less.
Mexican
Agave 2007 Readers‘ Choice: Best Mexican Food Craft-filled, pink stucco palace, part Antonio Gaudi, part Diego Rivera, and easily one of the most impressive off-Strip restaurants. Imaginative south-of-the-border fare like barbecued duck quesadillas and shrimp and crab enchiladas. Impressive tequila list is by Eduardo Gonzales from Cabo, brought to Vegas especially for this. 10820 Charleston Blvd. 214-3500. 24/7. $15 or less.
Amigo’s Mexican Cantina Fresh ingredients will have your party trading bites of each others entrees (though maybe not the appetizers). Try the shredded-chicken burrito de la casa, chile relleno or anything with shrimp. And the margaritas, of course. Inside the Fiesta Henderson, 558-7000. Mon-Fri 4-10 pm, Sat-Sun 3-10 pm. $15 or less.
Bonito Michoacan Basically the same food as Lindo Michoacan (the well-known Eastside Mexican eatery, 735-6828) at a location that simply bleeds character. Entrees are mostly meat, poultry or seafood, and just about any of them come with nice Mexican-style rice, and cheese-topped refried beans. 3715 S. Decatur Blvd., 257-6810. Mon-Wed 11 am-10 pm, Thu-Sun to 11 pm. $15 or less.
Café Caubo The food—clean, healthy and reasonably priced— little resembles what you’d get at an authentic Mexican restaurant. Still, the burritos are huge, tortillas chewy and desserts are worth a try. 10345 S. Eastern Ave., Henderson, 795-2226. Mon-Thu 10 am-9 pm, Fri-Sat to 10 pm. $15 or less.
Café Olé Mexican Grill Burritos so full they defy all laws of engineering. Homemade recipes, a warm vibe and a ready supply of Fresca make this Americanized Mexican restaurant stand out. 3665 S. Fort Apache, 212-0176. Mon-Thu 11 am-9 pm, Fri-Sat to 10 pm, Sun noon-8 pm. $15 or less.
Diego inside the MGM Grand The restaurant has a muralist’s aesthetic. The kitchen serves regional dishes matched to a killer list of tequilas. Don’t miss barbacoa de chivo, shredded barbecued goat; and for an adults-only treat, cool off with a margarita Popsicle. 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 891-1111. Daily 5:30-10:30 pm; bar: 5 pm-closing. $15-$25.
Dona Maria’s Tamales One of the best Mexican restaurants in the city, specializing in a quartet of rustic tamales. 910 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 382-6538. Sun-Thu 8 am-10 pm, Fri-Sat 8 am-11 pm. $15 or less.
Fausto’s Mex-Grill Offers some of the best bang for the buck. Specialty is fresh, authentic Mexican, and dishes like sopes—fat-griddled corn tortillas topped with a choice of meats—or camarones al mojo de ajo, garlic sautéed shrimps, will make you a believer. 2654 W. Horizon Ridge Parkway, Henderson, 617-2246. Daily 5 am-midnight. $15 or less; 229 N. Stephanie Street, Henderson, 436-5059; 595 College Drive, 568-1220.
Frank & Fina‘s Cocina Cute café looks like it was dragged from a small town in Sinaloa, but the food could be more authentic. Yucatan dishes are tame, and the feeling is the kitchen isn’t trying hard enough. Still, great homemade salsas, a terrific chicken quesadilla and some of the best charbroiled, Mexican-style chicken. 5550 W. Charleston Blvd. 878-8669. Daily 11 am-11 pm.
Isla Mexican Kitchen and Tequila Bar Visually impressive, Chef Richard Sandoval creates Nevada’s most inventive, authentic new Mexican cuisine, with good quality, imagination and fun. Guacamole cart is gimmicky but appealing, the food—like nouvelle seafood tostadas—is creative and desserts are a mouthful. Inside TI, 3300 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 894-7111. Wed-Sat 4 pm-midnight, Sun-Thu 4-11 pm; lounge: daily 11-2 am. $15-$25.
The Pink Taco This fun restaurant with the naughty name serves up great burritos and tacos, but also tasty entrees that won’t burn your tastebuds. Try the appetizer platter, shrimp tacos and sabana de pollo with chimichurri. The large selection of margaritas goes without saying. Inside the Hard Rock, 4455 Paradise Road. 693-5525. Sun-Thu 11 am-10 pm, Fri-Sat to midnight. $15 or less.
Super-Mex Restaurant & Cantina Food is tasty fare; there are good huevos rancheros for breakfast, wet burritos, and a nicely tame green chile, to name a few choices. But avoid travesties like Tampico chicken wings. 3460 E. Sunset Road, Henderson, 436-5200. 24/7. $15 or less.
Taqueria Canonita Among the many wonderful dishes are pork barbacoa, achiote grilled shrimp on wooden skewers and a soft masa taco crowned with mole, the legendary Mexican chocolate-tinged sauce. Inside the Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 414-1000. Mon-Fri 11 am-11 pm, Sat-Sun 11 am-midnight. $15 or less.
Viva Michoacan The Barajas family, responsible for the great Lindo Michoacan and Bonito Michoacan, has a third member of the club, and the food is authentic and wonderful. House bean dip and chipotle sauce go perfectly with hot tortilla chips, the guacamole is swell, and the meats, from stewed goat to carnitas in Coca-Cola, superb. 2061 Sunset Road, Henderson, 492-9888. Mon-Wed 11 am-10 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-11 pm, Sun 9 am-11 pm. $15 or less.
Zaba’s Tasty, juicy chicken, steak and shredded beef, cooked fresh over an open flame. Seasoned, fried potatoes in the papas burrito. Tangy cilantro-lime rice and savory black or pinto beans. Sauted fajita veggies don’t hurt, the freshly prepared salsas are fantastic, and all the little extras are delicious. 3318 E. Flamingo Road, 435-9222. Daily 11 am-10 pm. $15 or less. Other location varies; 9905 S. Eastern Ave., 453-9222.
Z’ Tejas Grill Southwestern-style dishes: blackened catfish tacos, honey sesame salmon, Sonoran crab-stuffed shrimp and pepper-crusted New York strip. The Texas-style margaritas are a must. 9560 W. Sahara Ave., 638-0610. Brunch: Sun 9 am-3 pm; lunch: Mon-Sat 11 am-4 pm; dinner: Mon-Thu 4-10 pm, Fri-Sat to 11 pm, Sun to 9 pm. $15-$25.
Middle Eastern
Ali Baba The most upscale Lebanese restaurant in the Valley, Henderson’s Ali Baba, may also be its best. The kitchen turns out dozens of mezze, Lebanese appetizers that thrill gourmets in the Middle East. Don’t miss kibbeh balls, the roasted quail or the mamoul cookies. 8826 S. Eastern Ave., Henderson, 688-4182. Mon.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. until 1 a.m.
Almaza The name, meaning “diamond” in Arabic, is fitting, because this Lebanese restaurant has a sparkling personality and a nice array of mezze, appetizers the Lebanese eat before tackling meaty kababs and marinated meats. The felafel is amazing, and so are kibbe, fried torpedoes of wheat, meat and pine nuts. 9890 S. Maryland Parkway, 450-1030. 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Sun-Thurs and until 3 a.m. Fri-Sat.
Ararat Pastry This tiny bake shop has a Brazilian baker and a raft of nut rich Armenian sweets such as kataif, shredded phyllo dough with walnuts. But don’t miss the boureks, flaky cheese and onion pies like the khachapuri from owner Levon Gulbenkian’s native Georgia, and pirojkis, doughy pockets filled with cabbage, meat or potatoes. 9440 W. Sahara Ave. 221-2728. Open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Mon.-Thurs., Fri.-Sat. 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Chandelier Hummus, falafel and kababs are beyond reproach, as are dishes like olive-crusted catfish, spice-rubbed tandoori chicken and fried kibbe: small torpedoes of bulgur wheat, seasoned ground meat and pine nuts. Also does Italian and Indian competently. 2980 St. Rose Parkway, Henderson, 456-8643. Daily 11 am-11 pm. $25 or less.
Crazy Pita Owner Mehdi Zarhloul has traveled the Middle East and brings a wide regional approach—touches of Lebanese, Moroccan and Turkish cooking—to his cuisine. The baba ghanoush is a terrific appetizer. For main courses, try the spiced beef tenderloin or the marinated chicken skewers. 1770 W. Horizon Ridge Parkway, Suite 100, Henderson, 253-PITA. 10:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday.
Greek American Grille Try the spanakopita or the coarse-textured hummus. The salad—a mound of mixed greens, feta, olives and gyros—is a bargain. Don’t skip the baklava. 4860 West Flamingo Road, 453-3900. Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Habib’s Persian Cuisine Great Persian-Mediterranean cuisine. The dishes heighten every sense with entrancing taste, texture and aroma. 4750 W. Sahara Ave., 870-0860. Mon-Sat 11:30 am-3 pm, 5:30-10 pm. $15-$25.
Hedary’s Mediterranean Restaurant Offering the delicious cooking of Lebanon, including appetizers like tabbouleh and hummus, and meaty kabobs served on mounds of steamed rice. The restaurant has a market-fresh appeal and the atmosphere is casual and cheerful. 7365 W. Sahara Ave., 873-9041. Mon-Fri 11 am-3:30 pm, 5-10 pm, Sat-Sun 11 am-3:30 pm, 5-11 pm. $15-$25.
Kabob Palace Afghanistan’s food is a cross between Persian and Indian. Mainstays are meaty kabobs, fragrant rice pilafs, pungent vegetable dishes, and a variety of amazing dumplings and several exotic desserts. 4811 S. Rainbow Blvd. 367-3315. Mon-Sat 11 am-10 pm, Sun noon-9 pm. $15 or less.
NM Café The room may be austere but not the food, mostly Middle Eastern meze (appetizers). The meze platter contains nine spectacular dishes, stuffed vine leaves, lamb on skewers and more, and there are many delicious wraps, salads and sumptuous desserts. In Neiman Marcus at Fashion Show Mall, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 731-3636. Daily 11 am-6 pm. $15-$25.
The Olive Mediterranean Grill Pleasant storefront features a hookah bar and simple appetizers and sandwiches for the lunch crowd, shawarma sandwiches, stuffed grape leaves, tabbouleh salads and various unctuous dips. 3850 E. Sunset Road, 451-8805. Sun-Thu 11 am-10 pm, Fri-Sat to 1 am. $15 or less.
Paymon’s Mediterranean Café and Lounge Paymon’s has an attached hookah lounge, no market, but the same good dishes that made him a hit at UNLV: gyros, falafel, kabobs and wonderful Middle Eastern dips. 8380 W. Sahara Blvd. 731-6030. Sun-Thu 11 am-9 pm, Fri-Sat to 10 pm; lounge: daily 5 pm-1 am. $15-$25. Also, 4147 S. Maryland Parkway, 731-6030. Mon-Thu 11-1 am, Fri-Sat 11-3 am, Sun 11 am-5 pm. $15 or less.
Pita Place Chef Samuel Blum cooks a variety of well-loved dishes and more eccentric fare from countries like Yemen. Chicken shawarma, crispy and heady, is wonderful, as are exotic breads like malhwa, a grilled flatbread eaten with eggs and a sort of tomato chutney. 3429 S. Jones Blvd., 221-9955. Daily 11 am-8 pm. $15 or less.
Royal Persis Persian food, usually kababs on mountains of rice, or rich, fragrant stews. Gheimeh, a delicious stew made from beef and yellow split peas; lamb chops redolent of garlic and spice; and the kashk-e-bademjan, a smoky eggplant puree made to be spread on pita bread, are just a few reasons to stop by. 2790 E. Flamingo Road, 413-6017. Sun-Thu 11 am-10 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-11 pm.
Russian
Artem Artem, formerly Eliseevsky, is the only Russian restaurant in town. Grilled dishes and appetizers stand out at this charming room, which resembles a woodsman’s hut. Try pelmeni, Russian ravioli, or shashlik, skewered pork. 4825 W. Flamingo Road. 247-8766. Dinner only, 5 p.m.-1 a.m. Tue.-Sun.
Red Square Post-Stalinist decor and killer bar scene obscure the fact that this serves some of the best continental cuisine in the city. Especially good are coulibiac of salmon and a Roquefort-topped steak. Don’t miss the signature, blue cheese-stuffed olive martini. Inside Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 632-7407. Sun-Thu 5-11 pm, Fri-Sat to midnight. $25-$35.
Seafood
Bonefish Grill This is the first Nevada venture for this pleasant seafood chain. Food can be quite pleasant, from a gooey shrimp dish called Bang Bang Shrimp, to mesquite-grilled Gulf grouper and other fresh fish. The prices are geared for families, and the service is brisk and enthusiastic. The Key lime pie is amazing. 10839 S. Eastern Ave., Henderson. 228-3474. Dinner only, Mon.-Thurs. 4-10:30 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 4-11:30, Sunday 4-10.
Joe’s Stone Crab 2007 Readers‘ Choice: Best Seafood Run by Richard Melman of Lettuce Entertain You, the company responsible for Corner Bakery, Maggiano’s Little Italy, and in Vegas, Mon Ami Gabi and Eiffel Tower. A classic American steakhouse with several twists, the major one being availability of the South Florida delicacy stone-crab claws year-round. Inside the Forum Shops, Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 792-9222. Sun-Thu 4-11 pm, Fri-Sat to midnight. $35 or higher.
King’s Fish House A good fish houses that features excellent fresh oysters, a nice grilled artichoke, and Pacific seafoods. Start with the white bean smoked salmon chowder, then move on to Parmesan crusted sand dabs and swordfish piccata. In the District at Green Valley Ranch, 2255 Village Walk Drive, Henderson. 835-8900. Sun-Thu 11 am-10 pm, Fri-Sat to 11 pm. $15-$25.
Michael Mina Bellagio Chef Michael Mina’s creations are stunning: an exquisite caviar parfait, tempura prawns with a light truffle cream, sea bass marinated in miso, and a rich lobster pot pie that turns the tables on traditional Yankee frugality. Inside Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 693-8199. Daily 5:30-10 pm. $35 or more.
R-Bar Cafe Rick Moonen’s casual raw bar and seafood house makes use of sustainable seafood. He’s one of the best chefs in Las Vegas, evidenced by his superb white and red clam chowders, salt-and-pepper calamari with sweet dipping sauce, and fresh fish cooked on a wood grill. Inside Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 632-7777. Sun-Thu 5-11 pm, Fri-Sat to midnight. $25-$35.
Restaurant RM RM is short for Rick Moonen, a transplanted New Yorker who has quickly become the master of all creatures from the sea, championing sustainable seafood. Try barramundi from Australia or herb-crusted Dover sole done on a Dungeness crab brandade. Also makes the best clam chowder in town at his casual restaurant just downstairs. Inside Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 632-7777. Sun-Thu 5:30-10:30 pm, Fri-Sat to 11 pm. $35 or more.
Seablue Where Michael Mina has a traditional design, Seablue has a gaudy, goofy one (both by Adam Tihany). And where Michael Mina relies on tricked-up fare like foie gras with tuna and black mussel soufflé, Seablue plays it straight, with a do-it-yourself salad checklist and fabulous whole fish, grilled on wood embers. Inside the MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 891-1111. Sun-Thu 5:30-10 pm, Fri-Sat to 10:30 pm. $25-$35.
South American
Esmeralda’s Cuisine is Salvadorean, which looks but doesn’t taste like Mexican. It’s mild, not spicy. Don’t miss pupusa, stuffed corn discs; plus great house-baked chicken with onions, and wonderful sweet tamales. 1000 E. Charleston Blvd. 388-1404. Wed-Sun 11 am-9 pm, Tue 11 am-7 pm. $15 or less. Esmeralda’s No. 2 Salvadoran cuisine, a milder, more Caribbean-style cousin of Mexican.
Caldo—big, hearty soups—stocked with chunks of meat and vegetables are balanced by pupusas, griddled, stuffed corn cakes, and the Salvadoran version of rellenos, green chile stuffed with minced pork. 2955 E. Sunset Road, 451-3233. Daily 9 am-7 pm. $15 or less.
Pampas Brazilian Grille Meat’s on parade at this traditional rodizio (all-you-can-eat barbecue) where marinated meats are brought to tables on skewers and carved to order. A cold buffet features a number of exotic salads. Inside Desert Passage, 3663 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 737-4748. Daily 11:30 am-2 pm, 5-6 pm. $35 or more.
The Paradise Grill This funky Peruvian place is run by chef Oscar Lavado, and he serves his native fare with zeal. Especially good are ocopa, sliced potatoes topped with a Kermit-green cheese sauce; lomo saltado, stir-fried beef tossed with tomato and onion; and chaufas, fried-rice dishes that celebrate Peru’s large Chinese community. 4180 S. Jones Blvd., 220-7392. Daily, 10:45 a.m.-9 p.m.
Rumjungle The Fire Pit is really churrasco, Brazilian barbecued meats cooked on long skewers, then sliced off tableside. Black Angus beef, pork loin with pineapple, and spicy Brazilian sausages are just part of the parade. Inside Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S.,632-7408. Lunch: daily noon-5 pm; dinner: Sun-Thu 5-10 pm, Fri-Sat 5-9 pm Fri-Sat; becomes a nightclub at 11 pm. $25-$35.