Eat: Recommended Restaurants

Al fresco

By James P. Reza

Though the Las Vegas dining scene has improved markedly over the past decade, something the harsh Mojave Desert climate makes difficult is the coveted outdoor nosh. We're not talking about the faux "outdoor" settings provided by themed shopping complexes (though those can be enjoyable too). We mean honest al fresco muncho, under the bright blue (or starstruck) sky. With spring pushing winter out sooner than expected, keep this list close, as we'll be bang in the middle of hell's kitchen before you know it.

Ah Sin

3655 Las Vegas Blvd. South ; 967-7999

$$-$$$; Smart Casual/Trendy

Following the lead of the famed Buddha Bar in Paris (the city), this eatery in Paris (the resort) combines an energetic restaurant and sexy lounge (Risqué) into a nightlife draw that already attracts the young and restless. Ah Sin features multiple rooms showcasing delicious Pacific Rim/Asian cuisine (sushi, dim sum, Korean barbecue), and an expansive dining patio with great views of the Bellagio fountains.

Cafe Tajine

101 Montelago Blvd.; 567-1234

$$; Casual/Smart Casual

Lake Las Vegas is quite a distance to go for a meal, but maybe not when its Moroccan-inspired food served with a view like this. Located in the Hyatt Regency, Tajine is a comfortable, upscale room serving refined north African cuisine, including meals in the restaurant's namesake earthenware container. Dine indoors or outside overlooking the pools and lake.

Coffee Pub

2800 W. Sahara Ave.; 367-1913

$; Casual

It's been around long enough to earn a nickname and a steady following, and done what is necessary to keep them. "The Pub" was among the first off-Strip breakfast/lunch joints for the power players, with a friendly, efficient staff serving breakfast, soup, sandwiches (on freshly baked bread) and smoothies. Outdoor seating in a Californiate complex makes this a fave stop during spring and fall.

Kona Grill

750 S. Rampart Blvd.; 547-5552

$$; Casual/Trendy

The west side's hopping spot for Summerlin's hippest and clove-smoking boomers hails from Scottsdale yet feels like Kon Tiki California by way of Palm Springs. Everything from surf 'n' turf to pasta, sushi and a pretty decent pizza are available, with one of the best half-price happy hour menus we've enjoyed. The plasma-screened indoor-outdoor bar area is where the restless congregate, and the staff is oh-so-Hollywood: They're sexy and they try hard.

Mimi's Café

121 S. Fort Apache Road; 341-0365

$; Casual

This Costa Mesa-based diner is a pick of Orange County denizens joyriding to the beach, but the Summerlin version sacrifices the SoCal insouciance. Mimi's serves a very tasty breakfast (and freshly baked muffins) all day, along with a varied menu of comfort food. Beware the lemming locals who jack up the weekend wait time; volunteer to sit at the counter to avoid the line.

Mon Ami Gabi

3655 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 946-4433

$$-$$$; Smart Casual/Trendy

There are few Vegas places that were as quickly adopted by the power lunch and society gal set as this French sidewalk cafe on the Strip. Upscale al fresco is clearly under-served in Vegas, for even the platinum prices don't keep people from using the Strip-view tables as dealmakers--just as on the real Champs Elysées. A steak fritte, a glass of wine...you are Bardot in waiting.

Olives

3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 693-7223

$$; Smart Casual/Trendy

Todd English's Bellagio eatery is not the place you go to "have a pizza," but we'll be damned if the pizz...--err, flatbreads--here aren't delicious and light and delightfully flavorful. A wafer-thin, crispy crust holds portobello, fig and proscuitto, mozzarella basil, or chicken sausage and ricotta. The rest of the menu (including a fantastic Greek salad) is equally high maintenance but delish. Coveted balcony seating overlooks the Strip and the fountain show.

Pink Taco

4455 Paradise Road (in the Hard Rock); 693-5000

$; Smart Casual/Trendy

This is the źber-sexy beachside taqueria in the Cabo of your dreams. Everyone--staff, sexpots, satyrs--looks to have been plucked from MTV, and the music volume boosts conversation to strip club levels. Unexpectedly, the Mexican menu (by chef Tacho Kneeland) is equally as appealing as the people, with unusual items such as chilaquiles emerging properly tasteful. The semi-enclosed patio seating entices poolside.

Sedona

9580 W. Flamingo Road; 320-4700

$$; Casual/Smart Casual

Sedona is an upscale tavern sporting plenty of dining tables and a modern vibe. Sedona looks and feels like it actually belongs here in the Mojave Desert, and the menu boasts some fairly impressive steak and seafood offerings. Inside, the bar is the centerpiece of a chic dining area; outdoors, a walled-in, open-top patio sports a firepit and fountain.

Wildflower Cafe

3818 Meadows Lane; 258-1554

$; Casual

Wildflower serves a loyal lunch clientele that adores its indoor/outdoor seating and quiet but central location. The country decor can be off-putting to the average hipster, but the healthful menu choices, including unusual fresh bread sandwiches, homemade soup in bread bowls and smoothies, are consistently excellent.

James P. Reza is the dining editor of the Las Vegas edition of the 2004 Zagat Survey. Send your dining faves to jpreza@cox.net.