Timpano Tavern at the Venetian Resort & Casino in Las Vegas is incredibly attractive as you walk in.

Granted, if the food tastes as good as the decor looks, this place will be a hit. We gave it a chance.

My party ordered “starters” of: 1 dozen fresh oysters at $24.00, (extremely fresh and tasty and nicely priced), also two onion soups – gratinee, which had no Gruyere cheese on the skimpy crouton as advertised and further had a very peculiar taste to the onion-less broth that was left – $7.00 each.  These puppies were sent back to the kitchen.

Also a House Salad was also nicely prepared and enjoyable at $9.00.

Entrees consisted of a Kobe Cheese Burger, at $19.00 – most excellent; Lobster Ravioli – acceptable at $23.00, and an 8 oz. Fillet Mignon, which was prepared superbly, at $29.00, accompanied by a mini mac & cheese w/ truffle casserole ,at $6.00, which was also excellent.

A Chocolate Tart was shared for desert and was quite delicious, at $4.00,– the only downside was that you needed an electron microscope to see it.

Pre-dinner cocktails and two after dinner Sambucas and a coffee helped produce a total bill including a 20% tip, of $213.00. Not too bad for a party of three.

Excluding the disaster masquerading for onion soup gratinee and the micro-desert, the dinner was quite enjoyable and was served superbly and professionally by a chap named Josh.

I would give the Timpano Tavern another chance.

Update: We just were informed that Timpano’s parent company, E-Brands has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and that Timpano Tavern has been closed.

Author: Val Patacchi is a freelance writer and avid traveler.

Timpano Tavern – Las Vegas
3355 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
The Venetian Hotel
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 414-7111

For those diners that are bored with the ordinary Las Vegas buffet fare, the Le Village Buffet at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel is truly a fine dining experience.

Classic French foods are featured at the Le Village Buffet including tasty dishes from five different provinces, such as Burgundy and Alsace.

The restaurant’s talented chefs prepare crepes to order and if your mouth waters for seafood, you have come to the right place.

Small but important touches, such as fresh berries for breakfast and real whipped cream for hot chocolate raise the bar for buffet food. This eatery is located at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel.

One of the more ambitious buffets, with a price to match — still, you do get, even at the higher-priced dinner, a fine assortment of food and more value for the dollar than you are likely to find anywhere else.

Plus, the Paris buffet is housed in the most pleasing room of the buffet bunch. It’s a Disneyland-esque two-thirds replica of your classic French village clichés; it’s either a charming respite from Vegas lights or it’s sickening, depending on your tolerance level for such things.

Buffet stations are grouped according to French regions, and though in theory entrees change daily, there do seem to be some constants: In Brittany, you’ll find things like made-to-order crepes, surprisingly good roasted duck with green peppercorn and peaches, and steamed mussels with butter and shallots.

In Normandy, there’s quiche and some dry bay scallops with honey cider. The carving station shows up in Burgundy but distinguishes itself by adding options of chateaubriand sauce and cherry sauce Escoffier.

Lamb stew is a possibility for Alsace, while Provence has pasta to order and a solidly good braised beef.

The salad station isn’t strong on flavors, but the veggies are fresh, and there is even some domestic (darn it) cheese. You can skip the dessert station in favor of heading back to Brittany for some made-to-order crepes, but you might want to try the bananas Foster.

Le Village Buffet restaurant hours
Hours: Breakfast: 7AM – 11AM; Mon – Sun
Lunch: 11:00AM – 3:30PM; Mon – Fri
Champagne Brunch: 11:00AM – 3:30PM; Sat-Sun
Dinner: 3:30PM – 10PM; Mon – Sun

Le Village Buffet
Paris Las Vegas
Phone: (702) 946-7000

Capping off a recent stay at the “M” Resort in Las Vegas, we were going to drive back into the strip, (probably 5 miles +), and try out another potentially interesting eatery.

But alas, it was already 8:45 p.m. and our energy level was running on empty. Hence, we opted to remain at the “M” and try out its local cuisine, — and we’re so glad we did.

We made arrangements to dine at “Terzetto”, which boasts a wonderful oyster bar, and an interior design worthy of the cover of “Architectural Digest”.

We began with a shared appetizer salad of a tomato / mozzarella caprese with spring greens and a light vinaigrette. –Very tasty.

My friend ordered a rare 12 oz prime rib*, with a side of fresh sauteed brocolinni, prepared deftly and perfectly, –very nice.

My entree was a combination 8 oz fillet mignon* (rare) and 8 oz lobster tail served with drawn lemon butter. Both accompanied by a side of cubed butternut squash gratinee.

All three offerings were prepared impeccably and tasted magnificently.

Some beautiful deserts were presented to us, but alas, we were stuffed to the gills, –no more room.

The meal was served with a buttery complex house chardonnay, which was quite acceptable.

The french bread offered at the onset was one of the best I’ve ever tasted.

* All beef served at Terzetto is raised on the owner’s cattle ranch in Montana, and the quality was superb.

I strongly recommend Terzetto to everyone. It is a comfortable and beautiful restaurant, with excellently prepared food.

Please enjoy!!!

Author: Val Patacchi is a freelance writer and avid traveler.

The Country Club at the Wynn Hotel and Resort, is also known as both the “Country Club Grill” and “A New American Steakhouse.”

This restaurant offers an innovative and uncluttered menu of American cuisine – the traditional dishes from various parts of the country. Chef Rene Lenger pays homage to the classic American steakhouse.

The Country Club Grill offers both indoor and outdoor seating. The scenery is gorgeous and includes the golf course fairways and amazing 18th hole waterfall. About half the seating is on a terrace, and the other half is inside, with air conditioning.

Mainly a steakhouse, the Country Club Grill: A New American Steakhouse has a contemporary accent. Poultry and seafood specialties are also available and very delicious.

As with most upscale steakhouses, the beefy size steaks at The Country Club come with steak and steak alone. The restaurant proudly offers “the best steak in town.”

The wine list is quite long, and is carefully matched to the menu. The impressive wine list features only wines produced in the United States.

The Country Club
The Wynn Hotel and Resort
(702) 248-3463
(888) 352-3463

Herbs & Rye, which opened in December of 2009, is located in what used to be The Venetian Restaurant. That wonderful “old Las Vegas” style Italian restaurant was were you went for traditional Italian food, good drinks and to meet friends late in the evening.

“I’ve dreamed of bringing this type of restaurant back to Sahara for years,” proud owner, Nectaly Mendoza informed me. His goal is to encourage other venues to come back to Sahara, giving the new generations a taste of the old Las Vegas. He is doing a wonderful job of it so far!

Walking in you will immediately get a feeling of déjà vu, as you take in the vintage chandeliers, red flocked wallpaper, and the high-backed leather banquettes. The large room is divided in half, with the ristorante to your left, and a large mixology bar ahead of you.

The intention here is to become THE place to go, both for unique Italian cuisine and a late-night cocktail lounge specializing in authentic cocktails from the 1800s to the early 1900s.

You can expect the menus to change every few weeks, to better make use of produce that is fresh and in season. The drinks are made from scratch, which is entertaining to watch and sometimes requires guest participation.

Courtesy of: Herbs & Rye

The ambiance is good, if not a bit too dim and has background music that is a bit too loud. But the waiters cheerfully provide a flashlight for easy reading of the rather extensive menu.

Executive chef Fabian Badillo serves rustic Italian cuisine with a Mediterranean flair and an element of surprise. A good example would be the Calamari Fritti, served with aioli. Expecting a spicy tang, I was surprised with a citrus tartness that I later learned was grapefruit. It was refreshingly delicious.

If you enjoy the sharpness of gorgonzola, you must try the pork tenderloin, which is artfully encrusted in fig and gorgonzola. The Lasagna Bolognese with mushrooms and a Chianti meat sauce again shows Chef Badillo’s unique touch. Too full to order it, we were sorely tempted to try the cheesecake with its chocolate ganache.

When all is completed there will be live jazz and brass bands on Monday evenings, and a true, old-fashioned piano bar. Flat screen TVs will show the old mobster movies from the 30s and 40s, while the servers will wear flapper era costumes. If you want a taste of yesteryear, unique food, fabulous mixed drinks, and entertainment, Herbs & Rye is a must do!

Herbs & Rye
3713 West Sahara Avenue
Las Vegas, NV‎.
(702) 982-8036
Hours 5 pm – 5 am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
5 pm – 4 am on Monday through Thursday

Nectaly Mendoza – Owner
Fabian Badillo – Executive Chef
Gerado De La Torre – General Manager

Authored by Sandra Oertell

If you are looking for huge portions, unique presentation, and unusual combinations, Hash House A Go Go, with their “Twisted Farm Food” is where you want to be!

The fun part of this dining experience is in trying to figure out how and what to eat on your plate. Try to imagine a pork tenderloin sandwich that has a standard sized bun perched under and over a tenderloin the size of a small turkey platter.

Hash House A Go Go, founded over ten years ago by Craig Beardslee and Johnny Rivera, claims to provide excellent service and entertainment while you dine. There is no question that it is very entertaining every time another meal is brought out from the kitchen.

Incredibly stacked plates of foods in strange combination, along with the most original plating this reviewer has ever seen, cause forks to drop, as other diners watch to see how creative you can be in attacking your dinner.

While it is intriguing to see the number of ways they use uncooked wheat pasta and huge lengths of rosemary to decorate a plate, neither are a welcome addition to your dining experience. This menu is not for those who do not love sage and rosemary, the scent of which seems to permeate every dish that is served.

Still, their food is fresh, and they definitely bake the best (and largest) buttermilk biscuit you will ever eat. Their biscuits and gravy are topnotch, and the griddled French toast is to die for…but only if you like thick, Amish style bread that has been dipped in cream flavored with banana and cinnamon, and then drizzled with pecan maple syrup!

This restaurant does not seat guests between 2:30pm and 5:30pm. Regardless of what allergies or preferences you have, they will not make substitutions, nor will they omit an item from a plate. If you are in the mood for a waffle at 9pm, you will have to take it with the sage battered chicken. And if you are allergic to rosemary, it will still be presented, skewered into your hamburger bun.

Breakfast & Lunch 7:30am-2:30pm
Dinner Monday-Thursday 5:30pm-9:00pm
Dinner Friday & Saturday 5:30pm-10:00pm
Closed Sunday Nights

Hash House A Go Go
6800 West Sahara Ave,
Las Vegas NV 89146
(702) 804-4646

Authored by Sandra Oertell

Located in the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Nobu Restaurant in Las Vegas is a gorgeous restaurant with some of the best food diners will ever have.

Classically trained in Tokyo, Nobu Matsuhisa is famous for taking traditional Japanese cuisine and infusing it with South American and Western flavors that make an incredible combination.

Robert DeNiro is one of the owners, and it is not uncommon to see other celebrities dining here unobtrusively.

Sushi bar and entrees are described as “groundbreaking Japanese cuisine with Latin American influences.” Famed chef Nobu Matsuhisa brings dining that is delightful and unique to restaurant patrons.
 

A wildly different dish for many diners may be the Squid Pasta, but more ordinary menu items are also available. Try the Omakase chef’s selection for a sampling of Nobu’s very best. Prices are moderate to high. Full bar service provides your favorite wine or cocktail.

if you are there only for the sushi you are missing out on wonderful and unique sushi style dishes. Nobu offers a tasting menu and several great dining options from the hot kitchen.

Nobu retaurant’s service is outstanding. Their waiters are friendly and knowledgeable and are really invested in making the dining experience a custom one, serving their customers and making adjustments as needed from a time and pace perspective.

To summarize, Nobu offers great sushi, great atmosphere and the best molten chocolate – green tea ice cream bento box desert you will ever have.

Nobu
4455 Paradise Road
Las Vegas, NV

Step back into the time when dining was an elegant affair at William B’s, a chophouse appointed in dark, rich colors in the Stardust Hotel.

No other fine dining room in Las Vegas offers such an inviting assortment of steaks, chops, chicken, seafood and pasta as William B’s at the Stardust.

Comfortable furnishings, tasteful decor and matchless service provide a completely satisfying dining experience in this highly acclaimed restaurant, a favorite gathering spot for local residents and visitors since 1987.

Entering William B’s is like stepping into a bygone era, a treasured time that valued gentility, congeniality and sociability, a time when good meals were leisurely savored in the friendly confines of cozy, richly appointed dining rooms.

Guests who enjoy a beverage before dinner can relax in a gracefully appointed sitting room, complete with plush sofas and chairs and decorated with glorious floral arrangements and unique paintings.

Nearby is a fully stocked bar and lounge, the kind of dignified hideaway usually found in the smartest private clubs.

Las Vegas is well known as a city packed with glittering new properties and exciting activities. But if you are looking for pure old-Vegas authenticity than look no further than Pamplemousse restaurant on East Sahara Ave

Off the beaten path, Pamplemousse is just a few blocks from the Hilton but seems half a world away from the bustling strip of Sin City Vegas.

Pamplemousse can be easily missed but this little bungalow just off the Strip, is a must. The restaurant has been voted Best Romantic Gourmet Restaurant in Las Vegas.

If you want entertainment then Maitre d’ and server Keefer is your man. Keefer is wonderfully bizarre and must be seen to believe. You won’t forget the experience.

No matter how many times you dine at Pamplemousse, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. The restaurant doesn’t offer a proper menu, so every day brings new, delicious offerings.

A popular staple that is loved by many, the famous crudite salad is always the same. It’s an enticing basket of fresh veggies ready for dipping.

The Pamplemousse offers a charming French country cottage, dining experience. The cuisine is exquisite. It’s simply a Las Vegas, fine dining best.

Pamplemousse
400 E Sahara Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89104
Phone: 702-733-2066
Fax: 702-733-9139

The New Orleans Fish House in the MGM Grand Hotel was opened in 1995. Offering authentic cajun style food, this is a must for any fine dining experience. “Bam!”

Chef Emeril Lagasse has seen enourmous success over the last decade. Because of this, it has prompted a signature line of cooking products, cook books, exclusive ingredients and launched his hugely popular Food Network show.

Emeril’s business corporation now heads up a number of fine restaurants in notable cities throughout the country. Lucky for visitors and natives of Las Vegas, Sin City is lucky enough to be one of them.

Emeril Lagasse was born in Massachusetts and studied culinary arts at Johnson and Wales University. After formal studies, Emeril went to Europe where he trained with chefs skilled in classical French cuisine.

The interior of the New Orleans Fish House is upscale, contemporary and spacious, with pockets of ambient colored light. His signature “Emeril” in aqua neon is suspended in the center of the large dining room.

In keeping with his New Orleans Gulf Coast tastes, Emeril’s menu is abundant in seafood: lobster, shrimp, scallops, salmon, oysters and crab, tuna and bass. Appetizers and entrees feature Creole-infused dishes such as the Creole Maine Lobster with andouille sausage or the Creole calamari.

New Orleans Fish House
MGM Grand
3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S.,
Las Vegas, NV 89109