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. With this team, LAVO already shows promise of the same success.
The concept for LAVO was inspired by Ancient Mediterranean
bathhouses, Latin for “to bathe or cleanse,” with a unique upstairs
nightclub and downstairs restaurant designed by AvroKo.
Making
his Las Vegas debut, nationally acclaimed chef Ludovic “Ludo” Lefebvre is
ready to make 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.
“Las Vegas has become a culinary destination of its own and I
am so pleased to become a part of it with my first restaurant outside of
LA,” Chef Ludo said. “We are really bringing guests a full experience
between the menu, high design and unparalleled service.”
Chef
Ludo remains the only chef in Los Angeles to receive the prestigious Mobil
Travel Guide Five Star Award at two different restaurants: L’Orangerie from
1997-1999 and most recently at Bastide. Ludo has been named one of the
World’s 50 Greatest Chefs by Relais & Chateaux, and was also nominated by
the prestigious James Beard Foundation for their Rising Star Chef Award.
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.
Dessert selections are created by Pastry Chef Lynn Hyzer,
formerly with ALEX and Daniel Boulud Brasserie at
Wynn
Las Vegas. Highlights include Chocolate LAVO Obsession, rich chocolate cake
served with crème fresh sorbet, cherry compote and pistachio ice cream;
Apple Crisp, a playful take on the classic apple pie, served in a hazelnut
streusel “bowl,” with cinnamon ice cream; and Warm Chocolate Bread Pudding,
a house favorite, accented with creamy dulce de leche and vanilla ice cream.
Adult beverages at LAVO have a great selection which features
beer and wine from nearly every region around the Mediterranean. The
signature cocktails include Lavolini made with Prosecco, passion fruit and
St. Germain; Saggio made with Stoli Blueberry, sage and fresh lemon juice
and Uva Blanco made with Smirnoff White Grape, green grapes and St. Germain.
LAVO was conceived as a space that would become a dining
destination. The 300-seat restaurant includes 180 seats in the main dining
room, a 20-seat private dining room, and 100 seats on the outdoor terrace
that also houses the first outside hookah lounge overlooking the Las Vegas
Strip. The entry to the main dining room is through the spectacular lounge
that has 20-foot ceilings comprised of old wood and low chandeliers that
crown the curved bar, leather seating and Moroccan tables below. The
restaurant's piece de resistance is a spectacular glass and wood-screened
bridge that is flanked with 32 ancient Turkish sinks with brass faucets with
running water that lead to the nightclub on the second level.
The restaurant is open seven days a week from 5 p.m. with
late night dining until 1am.
LAVO Nightclub Restaurant
Palazzo Resort Hotel Casino
3325 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89136
(702) 791-1800
www.lavolv.com.
