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Thursday, February 20, 2003 Eat: Recommended Restaurants
By James P. Reza
This week's theme: Ciao, Bella!
It's a natural that a city that once could have been the setting of The Godfather Goes West has plenty of Italian restaurants of the kind where Don Corleone--or at least some guy who thinks he's Corleone--might eat. These aren't those bastardized Cali-fusion or "Italianate"-type places; forget artichoke and quail pizza and dig deep into a plate of red sauce, risotto or rigatoni.
Battista's Hole in the Wall 4041 Audrie St.; 732-1424 $-$$; Casual/Smart Casual A locally owned eatery from back in the day (the 1960s), Battista's has grown larger and serves a great many tourists thanks to its location, but old-school locals still enjoy it for its authentic Vegas flavor. Family friendly and noisy, this could be the archetype for the Buca di Beppo chain.
Bootlegger Bistro 7700 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 736-4939 $$; Casual/Smart Casual This 24-hour Vegas institution serves some of the best Southern Italian in town. Typically, this bistro bustles with cooing couples and smartly dressed families, but on the weekends, when '50s-era Strip entertainers sing and dance, it's a Who's Who of Old Vegas. On any swing shift, you'll find the city's best servers and strippers in the lounge, sampling the satisfying menu.
Capozzolli's 3333 Maryland Parkway; 731-5311 $-$$; Casual Though serving a full menu of standard Southern Italian food, the pizza (as well as the late-night entertainment, which sometimes includes post-show Strip entertainers) is the main reason to visit Capozzoli's. Everyone has his favorite pizza, and many consider this to be the place that serves it.
Chicago Joe's 820 S. Fourth St.; 382-5637 $-$$; Casual/Smart Casual Open since the early 1980s, Chicago Joe's has survived unchanged the remaking of Las Vegas. Ensconced in a diminutive brick bungalow, Joe's serves Southern Italian cooking, Chicago style, in a comfortably intimate atmosphere. Tasty signatures include spicy Lobster Joe and stuffed artichokes to offset the red sauce pasta. Super second date spot.
Jazzed Cafe & Vinoteca 8615 W. Sahara Ave.; 233-2859 $$; Smart Casual/Trendy Jazzed has evolved nicely into a bustling bistro overflowing with local soul. Jazzed serves top-notch Northern Italian cuisine (few red sauces here) to an urbane clientele that enjoys being bathed in live jazz and local art. Chef/owner Kirk Offerle has nearly perfected the hand-stirred-to-order risotto, which comes in a host of varieties (some much richer than others), while the ricotta-free artichoke lasagna rises as perhaps the best choice on the menu. Excellent wine choices are available, while fresh banana crepes and Illy espresso finish any meal in style.
Montesano's Italian Deli 3441 W. Sahara Ave.; 876-0348 4835 W. Craig Rd.; 656-3708 $; Casual One visit illustrates why Montesano's has grown from a small storefront deli to a bustling diner (the Craig Road location, within a bustling middle-class neighborhood, is the cozy, de facto diner the Sahara location once was). The menu is a mishmash of New York Italian dishes; the pizzas are all delicious, and the sandwiches (including sliced-to-order egg salad) show why locals line up to buy fresh bread. Leave room to gaze at the fresh dessert case.
Panevino Ristorante 246 Via Antonio; 222-2400 $$$; Smart Casual Few restaurants open off-Strip that have owned the buzz of Panevino, an architecturally impressive yet comfortable room near McCarran Airport. Featuring an open dining room with an expansive curving wall of glass overlooking the Strip, a seemingly unending bar punctuated by a comfortable lounge around a blazing fire, and a delicious menu of upscale Italian comfort food, Panevino is, rather suddenly, the place to nosh. Start with mozzarella campagnola, a delish variation of the now-expected caprese, continue with insalata esotica (spinach, avocado, hearts of palm), and wrap it up with freshly made pasta (gnochetti, lobster ravioli) or risotto.
Romano's Macaroni Grill 2440 W. Sahara Ave.; 248-9500 2001 N. Rainbow Blvd.; 648-6688 573 Stephanie St.; 433-2788 $-$$; Casual-Smart Casual This Italian restaurant chain is bistro-inspired but far too big to be one. It is, however, upscale casual, loud and sturdy enough for children. Parents will love the good food at decent prices, the kids will love coloring on the butcher-paper table tops with provided crayons, and everyone will love being a family and not getting stared down.
Valentino 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 414-3000 $$$$; Trendy/Jacket Italy makes its mark on top Vegas dining with this upscale/rustic room. Pasta (artichoke ravioli) and seafood (lobster in pasta with fava beans) dominate, while a 2,400-bottle wine cellar--hey, it's Italian--demands expert attention.
Venetian Italian Restaurant 3713 W. Sahara Ave.; 876-4190 $$; Smart Casual It's been in town since the 1950s, and was once one of the city's few (very few) must-dine restaurants. Though it's gone through an ownership change, a remodel and menu update (all of which had become necessary), the place is still the dark, quiet and reminiscent of another Vegas era. With a 24-hour menu, a central location away from the Strip, and that in-the-know kind of feel, the Venetian is still worth the dime.
Know a great, recently opened new restaurant? Send its name to jpreza@lvcm.com and tell him why you love it. |
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