After the success of
Picasso, Bellagio's sister hotel, the Mirage,
opened Renoir, another fine-dining restaurant decorated with
original art from a famous painter. Renoir also quickly snagged a
five-star rating, but the similarities end there. Chef Alessandro
Stratta, a James Beard award winner, cooks less complicated but
equally delicious contemporary French cuisine, applying classic
techniques to more commonplace ingredients. "Everyone makes short
ribs now, but no one, I mean no one, does it like Alex. I defy you
to find a better one. I've looked all over the country, and he
takes this mundane dish to a level no one ever has," said Muriel
Stevens,
food critic for the
Las Vegas Sun and restaurant
contributor for the
Unofficial Guide to Las Vegas.
3950
Mandalay Bay Hotel, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd., (702) 632-7414
Named for the Las Vegas Boulevard address of the Mandalay Bay
hotel, which already had famous clones like Aureole, China Grill,
Red Square, and Border Grill, this newcomer is quietly building a
loyal following. Chef Scott McCarter imports the freshest
ingredients, from
Florida stone crabs to Dover sole, and
exquisitely prepares them in his small, contemporary American
restaurant. A simple and straightforward menu of fish, steaks, and
the best lobster bisque in town is accompanied by stunning desserts
and a wine list that is very reasonable by local standards.
PRIME
Bellagio Hotel, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd., (702) 693-7223
Las Vegas is a mecca for meat eaters, boasting branches of the
nation's top steakhouses, including the Palm, Morton's, Nine, Smith
& Wollensky, and Gallagher's. But it is Prime that has emerged
as the top choice of carnivores, although it features a surprising
number of seafood choices as well. Superstar French chef
Jean-Georges Vongerichten, whose namesake formal New York
restaurant is another five-star winner, wanted to do something more
casual when he went to Vegas. The result is Prime, whose signature
is accompanying simple, select cuts of meat and fish with a variety
of unique sides (think chickpea fries) and sauces (including six
different mustards).