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| ITALIAN DINING |
 Al DenteBally's Hotel/Casino, 3645 S. Lasd Vegas Bl., Tel: 702-739-4111 (hotel). 967-4656 (al Dente Restaurant) This one is pretty inexpensive for a hotel dining room. Very original decor and menu with a mix of traditional and modern foods. I had my last meal there some time ago. I can only say it was very good, I should go back soon. |
| Alta Villa Flamingo Hotel, 3555 S. Las Vegas Bl., Tel: 702-733-3111 A little higher in price than Bally's. Very nice architecture, reminds me of a Roman villa (post Palladian of course). Good looking menu that at times promises more than it delivers. |
 Battista's Hole in the Wall 4041 Audrie, Tel: 702-732-1424 Audrie is the little street right behind the Flamingo hotel parking lot going east on Flamingo Rd. It is in a small strip mall behind the gift shop/bar/casino. Battista's used to be a hole in the wall, now it is rather large. Nondescript food, in fact I didn't like it too much. They used to have good cioppino. Moderately priced. In 1980 I stood at that precise spot and watched my job at the MGM go up in flames. Boy, time sure flies. |
| Bertolini's Authentic Trattoria 9500 W. Sahara Tel: 702-869-1540 3500 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Tel: 702-735-4663 Typical slick consultant-designed restaurant with a flavor of big-city interior desecrators and trendy menu - not to say that it doesn't work because it has all the atmosphere and menu selection you expect out of one of these places. Well prepared food w/ a twist on the usual Italian ingredients (how about potatoes and green beans in your pasta?) Average dinner entree $10-17 a la carte. Frank Sinatra serenading you incessantly in the background.  |
| Bice at the Aladdin (Desert Passage). 702-732-4210. Some very good ravioli and some very good risottos. But, they are about $25. I am about to give up on the strip. Everything is expensive there these days. I have been in Nevada for 30 years and I hanker for the 49 cent breakfast, coffee included. |
| Bootlegger Bistro 7700 Las Vegas Blvd. S. 702-736-4939. Does it seem to you this restaurant has been around forever? Well, you are right! Lorraine Hunt (who is also our Lt. Governor) and her husband "Blackie" have operated restaurants in Las Vegas at least since the '40s. Their last venue was on Eastern near Tropicana Av. They must be doing things right to be able to stay in business this long. And they do. Some of the best italian food in town. They also have dishes for the vegetarian crowd. We had some very good veggie lasagna for around $11. also a regualr meat lasagna for $11. I recommend this restaurant heartily. Also a very good location for tourists driving in from Cal. Just drive South on the Strip (Las Vegas Blvd.) for about five miles. The building will be on the left going south. |
| Buca Di Beppo 7690 W. Lake Mead Bl. Tel: 702-363-6524 See detailed review |
| Cafe Chloe 4155 S. Buffalo Dr. Tel: 702-248-7084. These people serve good, no, delicious food. But where is it written Italian food must be so expensive? Fried calamari about $10, Caesar salad about $9 sounds pricey to me. Make no mistake, the food is excellent if not too affordable. If the money does not matter than try the chicken piccata at $14.50. Oh, I think chef Piero Broglia has been in town as long, if not longer, as me (going onto 30 years). |
| Canaletto Venetian Hotel, 3355 S. Las Vegas Bl., Tel: 702-737 0070 See detailed review |
 Capri Italian Restauranteat theSunset Station Hotel, 1301 W. Sunset, Henderson I am repeating what I said about the Palace Station. Here is one of those restaurants where had you had a half price coupon you would have been perfectly happy with your meal. If on the other hand however you pay full price I would not really recommend it. Here is a for instance: assorted noodles, assorted sauces. Create your own combo. That would be fine with good noodles and good sauces. My noodles had been cooked in plain water instead of in slightly salted water. And how difficult can it be to get some fresh herbs into the kitchen. Basil, Rosemary, Sage, Oregano etc. All in all, if you want Italian, there must be some better choices. |
| Carraba's Italian Grille 8771 W. Charleston Blvd. Tel; 304-2345 Huge eatery on the westside of town in a mini rstaurant row area ( Roy,s and a steak house next door). A had a margherita pizza and a house salad. Service was very good. In fact I can say excellent. But why go to a barn-like, huge chain store when you could be sitting in a cozy small family run place? To each his own but that place smacks too much of mass production. Not that cheap either. Entrees are in the $15. to $16. range. House salads are $5. My pizza was $8. |
| Ciao Pizzeria 3421 E. Tropicana Av. Tel: 702-547-6900 I had some spaghetti and italian sausage for about $7. large portion and friendly service but the food was not that great. No hot drinks, just sodas. They specialise on take-out mostly. |
| Ferraro's Italian Restaurant and Lounge 5900 W. Flamingo Rd. Tel: 702-364 5300 It was one of those evenings when nothing could go wrong. A beautiful Friday night, nice weather, mild temperatures. We decided to check on the above dinner house. Very nice ambience, friendly and fast service, a keyboard player who was not overpowering. Excellent menu with a wide variety of choices. Mostly between $12 and $25. I had the Gnocchi with the sauce pomodore. I think the quality of most italian restaurants can be gauged by the quality of this dish. Why, you say? Because most ot them make them hard as a rock. These were light and fluffy, ready to float out of the window. Absolutely delicious. The sauce had just the right amount of seasoning. Without a doubt the best gnocchi I have had in Las Vegas. My friend had the ricotta and spinach tortellini with brown butter sauce. Also a very good experience. A glass of red wine and for dessert some Baca. A real satisfying experience. I can recommend this place highly. This is a real winner!! The total tab came to about $60, tip included. A little on the high side but not bad for what you get. A good place for those special occasions. |
| Ferraras Cafe Italian Restaurant and Lounge 3500 Las Vegas Blvd. S. It is in the Forum Shops (Caesars Palace). Not to be mistaken for the above mentioned restaurant. Very good food. Very pricey food. But hey, you are at Caesars Palace. Ask the hostess to seat you at one of the small tables along the window. They overlook part of the strip. Quite colorful after dark. We paid $8 for a glass of chianti. Remarkable. Twenty years ago you couldn't give chianti away. Baked penne $19 ravioli $21. |
| Fiore Rio Hotel, 3900 W. Flamingo., Tel: 702-252-7777 This one is pretty expensive. I had my last meal there some time ago. I can only say it was very good, but pricey. I should go back soon. |
| Macaroni Grill As of this writing we have three of them in town. I believe this is a chain restaurant from back east. 2400 W. Sahara Tel: 702-248-9500, 573 N. Stephanie, Tel: 702-433-2788, and 2001 N. Rainbow Tel: 702-648-6688. These folks do that old family shtick. Bottomless carafe of wine, Here is how it works. They set the wine in front of you and ask you to keep track of how much of it you drink. For a chain the food isn't bad at all and the price is right. Nice menu too. I usually try to stay away from chain stores. This one I can tolerate. It tends to get noisy in there though. I haven't been to the one on Rainbow, the other two I have visited. |
| Mac Kenzie River at the Fiesta Henderson. (formerly The Reserve). I received a half price coupon in the mail and took advantage of it. It was well worth my while too! All you can eat spaghetti with the salad and dessert included. But not the tea. I ask why? The food was good, pretty basic but good. But there was so much to start with I did'nt need seconds. I am waiting for more coupons. Two dinners for the price of one ($6.99) can't be beat. |
| Marco Polo Lady Luck Hotel, 206 N. 3rd. St. Tel: 702-477-3000. Their claim to fame is the bottomless spaghetti bowl for eight bucks. Does that tell you something? If you like that kind of stuff get on down there. Don't forget to bring a flak vest, we are talking downtown Las Vegas here. |
| Mediterranean Room at the Gold Coast Hotel, Tel: 702-367-7111. The Gold Coast has never impressed me with the quality of their food. And I have been going there for many years. They have lobster Newburgh, Scampi and jumbo shrimp cocktails. Are the shrimp jumbo or is the cocktail jumbo? Is that like big, little rich pauper? Or how about tiny jumbo shrimp? Anyhow, fancy names do not hack it, you need to know how to execute. It is not expensive but I think there are better places. |
| Mortoni's at the Hard Rock Hotel, corner of Paradise and Harmon., Tel: 702-693-5000. Nice dining room. It overlooks the pool. Menu is very pricey. It has a mix of American and Italian dishes with a fine selection of desserts. But, as I said, very high priced. |
| Nana B's Trattoria 5795 W. Tropicana Ave., Tel: 702-220-6900 A homey dining room with open heavy timber trusses and a polished wood plank floor, old family photos on the walls, and swing music piped in until the room fills up and the noise of the clientele fills the place. Some good selections (the stuffed artichoke I had was excellent), but the entrees we had were as homestyle as the decor - we probably could have done as well at home. At least the salad and bread were included. Expect homestyle Italian food and maybe better. Full range of wine available, dinner entrees $10-$25. Check the health report before you go, there seems to be an ongoing problem with cleanliness. |
| Olio at the MGM Grand, 3799 S. Las Vegas Blv. 702-891-7775 The first order of the day here is to make your way across the MGM gaming area. By the time you do that you should be good and hungry. Than you spot the frozen gelato wall, yes, wall. Quite a trip. There is also a 40 ft. antipasto table. The interior desecrator has been let loose in this place. It alone should be worth the price of a dinner. Speaking of dinners. The only worthwhile items (in my opinion) are the osso buco and the veal chop. But that's only me. I have spent only thirty years in kitchens as a working chef so what do I know? Other than that you could try the antipasto table. Not cheap by any means. Most of the items are $11, one or two are $6. Entrees are mostly $30, way too much for the average consumer. But hey, who am I to say. The kitchen staff definitely needs more training and for the prices that are being charged it should have been taken care of prior to opening. All in all the food is forgettable, the decor is not. |
| Onda at the Mirage, 702- 791-7223. A huge wine list, regional Italian and nouvelle American cooking. Expensive and dinner only. |
| Osteria del Circo at the Bellagio, 702-693-8150. Extremely expensive cooking from the Tuscany region of Italy. The dining room resembles a circus and is open for lunch and dinner. Riff-raff like me does not need to apply on account of the pricing. Come to think of it, there isn't an affordable place in this hotel. Here are some examples. Pizza $14, coffee $3, bomba (ice cream) $10, salmon $27, etc. |
| Papamio's Italian Kitchen 5111 Boulder Highway. Tel: 702-456-7777 (hotel), 454-8041 (restaurant) I have never been fond of any of the food offerings at this hotel. That inludes the Italian place. It does not mean anything though because you might like it. Inexpensive. You pays your money and you takes your chances. |
| Pasta Mia 2585 E. Flamingo, Tel: 702-733-0091 If it is a pasta plate and some sauce you want get on over there. Inexpensive, quick, good for a fast lunch. Not expensive either. |
| Pasta Palace at the Palace Station Hotel, 2101 W. Sahara Here is one of those restaurants where had you had a half price coupon you would have been perfectly happy with your meal. If on the other hand however you pay full price I would not really recommend it. Here is a for instance: assorted noodles, assorted sauces. Create your own combo. That would be fine with good noodles and good sauces. My noodles had been cooked in plain water instead of in slightly salted water. And how difficult can it be to get some fresh herbs into the kitchen. Basil, Rosemary, Sage, Oregano etc. All in all, if you want Italian, there must be some better choices. |
| Piero's 355 Convention Center Dr. Tel: 702-369-2305 A new , additional location is at 325 Hughes Center Drive. Similar menu, similar pricing. Nothing to get excited about. They do serve lunch at this location. Probably because of the many nearby office buildings. This place (the original place) is very near the convention center, practically across the street. A natural for you conventioneers that want to have a bite before heading home or to the hotels. Beautiful decor and excellent food. High priced yet sohisticated. Try their Osso Buco! Unfortunately dinner only. This restaurant has been at that location for many years, a sign of popularity and quality. |
| Sammy's Woodfired Pizza 3900 Paradise Rd. Las Vegas, Tel: 702-836-1999. I had heard a lot about this place so I decided to check it out. It is not too far from the convention center, just about 2 -3 blocks south. The decor is friendly and simple with an abundance of tile and wood. Friendly and fast service. But, I was not offered any water which is a must in Las Vegas where temps. regularly hit the three digits during the summer. The menu is large with all the typical Italian items. I ordered the anchovy pizza. It is more of an American pizza than it is an Italian pizza. For one thing, real pizzas are not drowned in cheese. This one had so much cheese on it I had to scrape some of it off to make it palatable. It was also overpriced at $9.50 for an individual pizza. And the iced tea at $1.95 per glass wasn't exactly cheap either. All in all I would not be a return customer. In fact, knowing what I know now, I would not even be a first time customer. After all, a pizza is just a pizza, nothing more, nothing less. |
| Spiedini at the Regent, way out West where Rampart and Charleston meet, next to the Suncoast hotel. 702-869-8500. The Chef is Gustav Mauler I believe. He has several venues around town. This is the second or third reincarnation of the Regent having gone down the tubes twice under other ownership. Nice room, good food. Well worth the trip. This hotel sits in a delightful setting. Too bad business isn't what it should be. it is really nice out there. |
| Stivali Inside Circus-Circus, Tel: 702-691-5820 This has the look of a newly decorated place. Like everything in Circus-Circus this restaurant is large, real large. The food is good and not too expensive. Just a little above the average in price. |
| Strings Italian Cafe 2222 E. Tropicana Av. Tel: 702-739-6400 Close to Eastern Av. on the North side of Tropicana. Very nice airy decor. Something a little bit away from the usual. They offer Waiters on Wheels service. This place is clearly aimed at middle America. Luncheon specials are available. The food is middle of the road, nothing earth shaking but considering the price it isn't bad. Not worth going out of your way for. If you are in the vicinity and are hungry than give it a try. Moderately priced. |
| The Greens 2241 N. Green Valley P'way, Henderson, Tel: 702-454-4211. It is listed in the tel. directory as "Greens Supper Club", the building itself is marked "The Greens". And it is not a vegetarian restaurant either, Apparently a reference is made to the nearby golf club, or maybe the owner is a golfer. Anyway, it is a very nice small dinner house situated in the large shopping center on the west side of Green Valley P'way. The food is much better than in many other similar places and not as pricey. I also noticed the wait staff was very professional. They were able to answer all my questions correctly. I had the linguine with pesto sauce ($10.95), my friend had the baked rigatoni ($6.95). Both items were very good. Also the bread and Greek salad ($3.50). I noticed the clientele as they arrived were mostly middle age and well dressed. Sort of upscale if you will. They also have an extensive wine list. That one is a little on the expensive side. All in all a very pleasant dining experience. |
| Tinoco's Bistro 310 E. Warm Springs Rd. See detailed review |
| Viaggio 11251 S. Eastern Av.,Henderson. Quite a distance from the strip but well worth the trip. Pricey good food. I recommend the Gnocchi Miravelli at $14.95. Not quite as fluffy as some that I've had in the past but still very delicious. The Mozzarella Caprese could have used a little more flavor; also the coffee was not what I am used to. Not as strong as I would have liked. This is a judgement call. Someone else might well like it that way. The big surprise here is the wine cellar. A huge selection of 1,400 wines all available at retail for home consumption. Also, I was told, all available by the glass. All in all a very pleasant experience. They also do monthly wine tastings and have monthly wine specials. The one in March featured fifteen different wines at $99. per case mix and match. An excellent deal in my opinion. |
| Zeffirino's at the Grand Canal in the "Venetioan" hotel The strange part here is that I could not find any listing of it in any telephone directory. What gives? Anyhow, this is a beautiful place with impeccable service. Has old world charm by the layer. Richly decorated if you know what I mean. Smacks of old Europe.It overlooks the Grand Canal and, should you be lucky enough to get a table by the window, you hear and see the gondoliers. They offer a prix fix luncheon at $19.95 per that is out of this world. A choice of five appetizers; six different entrees; dessert and coffee. All delicious, well prepared and tasty. I had the pan seared Portobello mushroom with garlic and goat cheese, a pumpkin and potato soup, baked haddock over mashed potatoes, and the coffee and the mignos assertiti (small pastries). All good and delicious. When in Las Vegas it would be a good idea to stop by here and to try their offerings. |
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