VEGAS SCENE: 3 MUST-VISIT RESTAURANTS ON THE STRIP
RIVEA/SKYFALL LOUNGE
Few names in the culinary world engender as much excitement as Alain Ducasse, the Michelin starred chef who is overseeing these two recent additions to the Delano Las Vegas. The Mediterranean-inspired menu at Rivea, which boasts 180-degree views of the Strip, ranges from small plates such as a Provencal caponata flavored with capers and pine nuts or marinated seabream bursting with citrus to entrees such as the indulgent lobster with purple artichokes or braised duck breast with Biguarde sauce and nougat. At the adjacent Skyfall Lounge, you can select from a list of tantalizing signature cocktails including the effervescent Climbin’ High and the aptly-named Golden Hour (both made with Alain Ducasse Champagne) to one of over 1,200 wines. Drink it in!
HARVEST
The national farm-to-table craze hasn’t been overlooked in Sin City, thanks to local superstar chef Roy Ellamar’s newest eatery in the Bellagio Hotel Spa Tower. A locally sourced Farmer’s Salad pairs apple-smoked sunchokes and carrots with a sharp goat cheese vinaigrette, while naturally raised pork is featured in the Grilled Pork Cheek and there is plenty of 100-percent grass-fed natural beef to please even the most demanding carnivore. But Ellamar’s greatest creation might be his tableside “Snack Wagon,” which changes daily. Waiters may be trotting around everything from a smoked salmon belly dip to hangar steak tartare, to Agedashi tofu enhanced with ham dashi and trout roe. One constant on the cart will be addictive naan (Indian bread) served with a broccoli rab pesto. Yum!
MR. CHOW
A successful restaurateur and a highly regarded designer, Michael Chow is a man who cares about details, and the mastermind behind the famed Mr. Chow group of Chinese restaurants, the latest of which has just opened in high style at Caesar’s Palace. After entering through a stunning ground-floor champagne lounge, you’ll be whisked by private elevator to the 1,600-square-foot space featuring a plexiglass-lined dining room, a 150-lily floral arrangement, spectacular terraces and a one-of-a-kind kinetic sculpture called “The Moon,” which is suspended from a 60-foot dome. And then there’s the food, which includes many beloved selections that fanciers of Mr. Chow have enjoyed for 40 years: roasted-to-order Beijing duck, green prawns, turnip puffs, Ma mignon and Mr. Chow Noodles. And leave room for fabulous desserts, such as Grand Marnier roasted oranges, all served from a custom-made Christofle trolley. Live it up!
