Usually for the holidays, including Valentine’s Day,
Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas
and New Years’ Eve, I include menus and suggestions
on places to celebrate these wonderful times.
This year, I want to do something different for New
Years’ Eve. I want to name my favorite restaurants
and I invite you to send comments, videos, audio, or
blogs on your favorite restaurants. Please send
them to
celebritychefconnection@yahoo.com or if you do
send it to Vegas Community Online, I know my
wonderful editor will forward them to me. Hey, I
might even give out some prizes for the most
creative entries and feature them on my Web site,
celebritychefconnection.com. So Happy New Year
and here is to 2009.
So this is NOT in any particular order. I am just
sharing what I personally like.
LBS: A Burger Joint opened in late September and has
taken a completely new approach to the traditional
burger joint. Known for serving natural, organic
meals that taste great as well as being
eco-friendly, this is incredible food. Cheese curds
(a favorite in Wisconsin and Illinois), deep friend
bread and butter pickles, unbelievable burgers, and
desserts to die for, this establishment combines
green, retro, hip, cutting-edge atmosphere with
excellent food. Check out the late night scene as
well.
LBS: A Burger Joint
Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa
11011 W. Charleston Blvd.
Las Vegas , NV 89144
835-9393
http://lbsburger.com/
www.redrocklasvegas.com.
McFadden’s Restaurant and Saloon in the Rio
All-Suite Las Vegas Hotel and Casino is not just
Irish bar, or nightclub. It is so much more with
some great food, atmosphere and service. During the
day and early evening hours, it is boisterous,
social and loud but not so noisy that you can’t talk
to people at your table. There is a feel to the
place that is casual and relaxed. Tables invite
conversation with warm lighting that allow you to
see who is sitting next to you and the food you are
eating. Next is the incredible food. The appetizers
include Buffalo wings that are crispy and can be hot
or mild and Almost Famous boneless wings basted in a
tasty sauce. My personal favorite is the Mac &
Cheese Bites which are beer battered white cheddar
cheese bites served with ranch or marinara. The
sliders were to die for! These are gourmet
mini-burgers topped with grilled onions, cheddar
cheese and a McFadden’s special sauce. There are
wonderful entrees and even better desserts.
McFadden’s
Rio All-Suite Las Vegas Hotel and Casino
3700 W. Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, NV 89103
270-6200
www.mcfaddensvegas.com
Roberta’s at the El Cortez Hotel and Casino is an
excursion back into time. The El Cortez Hotel and
Casino is truly one of the last of the original
casinos. They have kept the traditions of customer
service with some new ideas. Roberta’s is light,
spacious with incredible service, huge portions and
reasonable prices. In fact, Roberta’s has won “Best
of” in years past and I see why. Their specialty is
the 20oz Porterhouse Center Cut from the Short Loin
with a deep fried lobster tail. Desserts include
Strawberry Shortcake, New York Cheese Cake,
Chocolate Molten, Chocolate Layer Cake, Flan,
Tiramisu and Fresh Seasonal Berries & Cream.
Roberta’s
El Cortez Hotel and Casino
600 Fremont St
Las Vegas, NV 89101
385-5200
www.elcortezhotelcasino.com
Texas de Brazil Churrascaria is a Brazilian
steakhouse offering Churrasco. When translated from
Portuguese, the meaning is similar to ‘barbecue.’
Distinctly a South American-style rotisserie, it
owes its origins to the fireside roasts of the
gauchos (South American cowboys) of southern
Brazil. Meals are served Rodizio service where
passadors (meat waiters) come to your table with
knives and a skewer, on which are speared various
kinds of meat, including beef, pork, filet mignon,
lamb, chicken, duck, venison, sausage, or fish.
Some of the meats offered at Texas de Brazil
included parmesan encrusted chicken, pork
tenderloin, barbecue ribs, spicy chicken breast,
lamb chops, and plain or bacon wrapped filet mignon.
Texas de Brazil also boasts of an incredible salad
bar with over 50 items including soup (like lobster
bisque), fresh vegetables, cheeses, salads, shrimp,
roasted and grilled vegetables, sushi, and smoked
salmon. It also features sides like potatoes au
gratin, beans, rice, and sautéed mushrooms.
Brazilian cheese bread, garlic mashed potatoes and
sweet fried bananas are brought to your table.
Some of the desserts offered included Brazilian
cheesecake made with a layer of fudge on the bottom,
caramel on the top and a graham cracker crust. There
is also chocolate mousse cake, bananas foster pie,
key lime pie, carrot cake and pecan pie.
Texas de Brazil
Town Square Shopping Center
6533 South Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89139
614-0080
www.texasdebrazil.com
Via Brasil Steakhouse, another Brazilian
Churrascaria, is now open in Summerlin. Via Brasil
Steakhouse features a gourmet salad bar with an
extensive array of hot and cold dishes, cold cuts,
cheeses, assorted salads and sushi made fresh
daily. A vegetarian option offering a wide
selection from the salad bar is also available. An
appetizer menu, serving portions of the more popular
dining selections, is available at the bar. With an
interior inspired by Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana
Beach, the 9,200 square foot restaurant features a
large full-service bar, a private room with a
projection screen for special functions and
corporate events, two beautiful interior water walls
and a floor to ceiling wine cellar showcasing the
restaurant’s extensive selection.
Via Brasil Steakhouse
1225 S. Fort Apache Road, Suite 100,
Las Vegas, NV 89117
804-1400
www.viabrasilsteakhouse.com
www.MySpace.com/ViaBrasilSteakhouse.
On Sept. 13, LAVO, the newest creation by the team
behind TAO New York and Las Vegas, opened at the
Palazzo Resort Hotel Casino. In fact, according to
Reuters, for the second consecutive year Tao Las
Vegas Restaurant & Nightclub in The Venetian Resort
Hotel Casino took the top spot with 2007
food-and-beverage revenues of $66.6 million dollars,
up from $55.3 million last year. Making his Las
Vegas debut, nationally acclaimed chef Ludovic
“Ludo” Lefebvre makes LAVO Restaurant a dining
experience with signature dishes celebrating the
flavors of France, Italy and Spain as well as other
Mediterranean classics. Ludo is famous for his
innovative twists on traditional French dishes and
his passionate, imaginative use of more than 100
international flavors and spices.
The LAVO menu is designed to encourage sampling and
sharing among friends, which is exactly how the chef
loves to eat. The classic Mediterranean dishes
arrive to the table at a continuous pace as they are
prepared. Signature highlights include Ludo’s Crudos
offering the freshest selection of raw fish and with
yellowtail, salmon, tuna and scallop; Trio of
Mediterranean Spreads where guests can enjoy hummus,
Baba ghanoush and artichoke with dried tomato,
served with pita bread and za'atar spices; and Lamb
Shank “Quesadilla” with cumin roasted eggplant
puree, manchego and harissa aioli.
LAVO also features a wood-burning oven, baking some
of the best pizza in Las Vegas. The Ultimate Pizza
is a delicate balance of roasted lobster, truffles,
boschetto cheese, crispy potatoes and caramelized
onions. Other larger plate selections are
Mediterranean Sea Bass, a filet of delicate sea bass
served with roasted olives, caper berries and lemon;
Caramelized Salmon with Honey & Orange, served with
baby carrots with hints of honey and orange and
Paella Ibiziana with seafood, chorizo, and chicken.
LAVO Nightclub Restaurant
Palazzo Resort Hotel Casino
3325 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89136
791-1800
www.lavolv.com.
