Once a vast wasteland of buffets, Las Vegas has come of age in the past decade. Added to the list of celebrities are some of the top names in the culinary world. Visitors now have their choice of fine dining experiences, both on and off the strip.
Famous for his California-style food and original restaurants, Wolfgang Puck has graced the city with five ventures. One of his establishments, Chinois, provides you with relaxed patio dining or join a few famous guests in the private rooms. The influence of new epicurean alternatives has breathed new life into the older gourmet rooms as well. Palace Court in Caesars Palace recently added French cuisine to the lineup. Topping both the Zagat survey and the Las Vegas Review Journal’s Reader’s Poll, Drai’s Restaurant serves dinner and high tea. Located inside the Barbary Coast Hotel, this enchanting restaurant also offers excellent live entertainment three nights a week. If you like a fine dining experience with a spectacular view, ascend to the top of the Stratosphere Tower for an evening at the Top of the World Restaurant. There is not a bad seat in the house since the room slowly rotates one complete turn each hour.
Some restaurants have stood the test of time in Las Vegas and one of those is the Benihana Village in the Las Vegas Hilton. For 30 years, it has been the choice for Japanese food, both for the exhibition-style cooking and the amazing special effects. Another fine choice for Asian specialties is Mayflower Cuisinier. Chef Ming See Woo has secured several awards for the restaurant including a five-diamond rating from the American Academy of Restaurant Sciences.
Frank Sinatra was a frequent visitor to Battista’s Hole In The Wall, where you will be served as if you are family. The Tillerman is well known with locals for an outstanding array of fresh seafood dishes and fine steaks. Of course, the Steakhouse at Circus Circus has been lauded since its opening as one of the best in the business.
Visiting the Mohave Desert does not preclude enjoying fine seafood. Chef Emeril Lagasse produces award winning lobster, fish and crab delights at Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House inside the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. Awards have also been garnered by the Rosewood Grille, six-time winner of the Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator Magazine.
Perhaps you’d be tickled by dining with a cyborg from the Terminator, or Freddy from Friday the 13th. Drop in at Planet Hollywood where you will see authentic movie props and maybe a real star or two. Tough guys aren’t only in the movies; they also run rampant in the wrestling ring. Watch a perfected “sleeper hold” while you chow down on man-sized portions at the WCW Nitro Grill inside the Excalibur Hotel and Casino. Wrestling is not your sport? Drop by Race Rock at the Fremont Street Experience.
There are great places to eat outside of the Strip and convention areas. Bob Taylor’s Ranch House, for instance, is located in the northwest portion of the valley. It has been a favorite of locals and celebrities for over 40 years. Even Elvis loved this joint. Bob Capozzoli’s Family Restaurant is located in the opposite end of the valley, in Henderson. It has been frequented by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Robert Goulet.
After dinner, take a leisurely stroll down the strip and enjoy a nightcap or a bit of dancing. The Drink is a popular destination where your vodka tonic may come in a bucket or a baby bottle. If you prefer something exotic, Rumjungle is sure to delight you. The Venetian’s offering to the nightclub scene, C2K, is the place to see and be seen. If you’re looking for a top VIP room, check out RA located in the Luxor.
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