The Italian word lavo means “wash,” and that’s what has been done at Lavo at the Palazzo on the Las Vegas Strip. Dark wood has been replaced by white-washed brick, simple black-and-white chairs have been traded out for botanical-inspired upholstery with light wood and paper lanterns have been swapped for Italian glass with gold flakes, all part of a redesign that started in June and wrapped up in September. The result is a transformation into a bright and breezy slice of southern Italy.
It’s the perfect setting to enjoy the sophisticated southern Italian cuisine that Lavo is slinging. The Tao Group venue has been known as much for its party brunch as its evening offerings, and the new dinner experience centers around fresh ingredients, proper preparation and modern flair. The refreshed beverage program features citrus-forward cocktails and an extensive wine list that staff will happily help pair with your meal.
For antipasti, tuna tartare ($27) is mixed with avocado and black olive dressing with a crispy cracker to scoop it all up. Grilled octopus ($28) comes with celery hearts, castelvetrano olives, cipollini onions and baby potatoes. And we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the return of the famous meatball ($31), 16 ounces of fresh imperial Wagyu beef, Italian sausage and veal with marinara and fresh whipped ricotta.
Brick-oven pizzas, freshly made pastas and more await for the main course. Cacio e pepe pizza ($24) is topped with pecorino crema, cracked black pepper and refreshing escarole. It’s hard to pick one pasta, as the dough is all made fresh in house, but we recommend either the lobster fra diavolo ($56) featuring scallops and calamari with linguini, or the comforting garganelli Genovese ($32) with sweet onions, braised short rib and pecorino. Hearty proteins like grilled branzino ($42) with laurel, lemon and parsley salad, or the 48-ounce prime Meyer Ranch porterhouse ($350) with spring onions and crispy smashed fingerlings round out the dinner menu.
And of course, dessert should not be skipped, especially considering the hazelnut tart ($20) with gianduja mousse and the lemon olive oil cake ($21) with crème fraîche and almonds. With a fresh, clean look and a modernized menu, Lavo is ready to serve up its renewed take on Italian. –Shannon Miller
LAVO Palazzo, 702-791-1800, taogroup.com. Dinner nightly, 5-10:30 p.m.; Brunch Sunday, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
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