Move over, New York and Chicago! Las Vegas is quickly becoming the new capital of culinary delights. Whether it’s a small family celebration or a luxurious event, Vegas has the top chefs from around the world to please the most discerning palate. And when it comes to Italian restaurants, these are the Haute 5 picks of the week.
Ferraro’s Italian Restaurant and Wine Bar
For 17 years, the Ferraro family has been delighting visitors and locals alike with traditional Italian cooking in Vegas. Now, this Italian kitchen has new digs on Paradise and Harmon, right across the street from the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. The new 9,000 square-foot Ferraro’s Italian Restaurant and Wine Bar celebrates its grand opening this week continuing to focus on authentic Italian food, including homemade pastas. This place also prides itself on made-to-order foods like the veal piccata, grilled quail with polenta and topped with roasted mushrooms, and the Pappardelle Mimmo loaded with lobster, scallops, asparagus, sage, and seasonal truffles. You can also feast on the signature braised veal shank and fork-tender osso bucco. In addition to the excellent food, Ferraro’s new home has a 36-foot wine cellar holding 10,000 bottles of Italian and California wines, and there’s even a 2,000-square-foot outdoor patio space.
Ferraro’s Italian Restaurant and Wine Bar is located on 4480 Paradise Rd., (702) 354-5300.
Nove Italiano
Looking for Italian fare with contemporary accents? Then head over to Nove Italiano inside the Palms Casino Resort. This cutting-edge restaurant sits on the 51st floor of the Palms’ Fantasy Tower, giving it a fabulous view of the Vegas strip. The unique blend of classic and modern styles will make you feel like it’s a cut above the rest. And the sexy adorned back-bar lounge is the perfect place to start off your Vegas night. The superb cuisine includes an extensive selection of seafood crudos, freshly-made pastas, and tableside Caesar salad. The house specialty is the Spaghetti Nove, a seafood pasta prepared at a prominent station in the dining room. They also offer an extensive wine list that showcases vertical collections of acclaimed Super-Tuscans and highly respected Italian labels from the Chianti, Barolo, Barbaresco, and Brunello di Montalcino regions.
Nove Italiano is located inside the Palms Casino Resort, 4321 W. Flamingo Rd., (702) 942-6800.
Carnevino Italian Steakhouse
Carnevino inside The Palazzo Las Vegas is an interpretation of the classic steakhouse by celebrity chef Mario Batali and winemaker Joe Bastianich. The name “Carnevino” combines two elements–high-quality American meat and their first-ever international wine list. Set in a magnificent royal villa back-drop, this place is elegant with spacious rooms, 16-foot ceilings, Italian marble, and wood touches. The menu is fresh modern Italian cuisine with traditional steakhouse classics. Featured dishes include the hand-cut steak tartare Piemonte style, Pappardelle with “porcini trifolati”, and juicy, mouth-watering house-aged beef steaks, all rubbed with a perfect blend of sea salt, black pepper, and fresh rosemary for a slightly charred crust. Veal and pork are also on the menu, including handmade pastas. One interesting fact to note is that Carnevino beefs are free of hormones and antibiotics, keeping with Chef Mario Batali’s high standards. They also offer daily poultry and seafood specials, as well as 12 delicious vegetable side dishes from all over the Italian “boot.”
Carnevino is located inside the Palazzo Las Vegas, (702) 789-4141.
Valentino Las Vegas
Valentino Las Vegas located inside the Venetian Hotel and Casino is considered one of the best places for an unforgettable food and wine experience in Sin City. The menu created by James Beard Award-winning executive chef Luciano Pellegrini features an array of traditional and contemporary Italian cuisine. You can choose from homemade pastas, including a three-color gnocchi with rabbit sausage, mushrooms, and cream demi-glace sauce or the Risotto with crab meant, peas, corn, and a touch of marinara sauce. The seafood is also appetizing, from the Pan Seared Wild Tasmanian Salmon with fresh grape sauce to the spicy Maine Lobster “Fra Diavolo” over black tagliolini, sautéed with Lobster meat and fresh tomatoes. But if fish doesn’t tickle your fancy, try the braised and stuffed veal shank with soft polenta, or the 10-ounce buffalo medallions with grape and pickled cipolline onions. And don’t forget about the wine, with more than 2,400 selections for both the connoisseur and novice.
Valentino Las Vegas is located inside the Venetian Hotel and Casino (702)414-3000.
Terra Rossa Italian Cuisine
Terra Rossa inside the Red Rock Resort is an escape that is just minutes away from the hustle and bustle of the strip. The intimate restaurant setting is the perfect place to start off a romantic evening of fun culinary delights. It even has an outdoor water feature to keep you in that loving mood. The authentic Italian menu features homemade pastas, like the whole wheat spaghetti primavera with vegetables, plum tomato, and basil; fresh fish, like the swordfish with grilled vegetables and Mediterranean relish; incredible antipasto, and even thin pizza from a wood burning oven. The wine room boasts an impressive collection of 1,500 bottles of exclusive Italian wines.
Terra Rossa Italian Cuisine is located inside the Red Rock Resort at 11011 W. Charleston Blvd., (702) 797-7777.
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