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Once
known mostly for all-you-can-eat buffets, Las Vegas has branched
out as a haute-culinary outpost, with cuisine from far-flung
corners. Historically, buffets started in the ‘40s at
the original El Rancho Vegas Hotel to keep patrons on premises
during wee hours. The idea caught on, and legendary buffets
now feature dozens of items per meal, sometimes specializing
in seafood, steak, or ethnic taste sensations. Hotel-casino
“gourmet rooms” catering to high rollers followed
buffets, and now Las Vegas high-end dining enclaves are hot
across the board, often featuring renowned chefs. Among award-winners
are Bellagio's Le Cirque and Picasso, and the Mirage's Renoir.
Top
Las Vegas chefs satisfying appetites include Helene An (Crustacean
at the Desert Passage); Gian Paulo "Zeffirino" Belloni
(Zeffirino Ristorante at the Venetian); Tom Colicchio (Craftsteak
at MGM Grand); Todd English (Olives at Bellagio; Susan Feniger
and Mary Sue Milliken of the Food Network's "Too Hot
Tamales" (Border Grill at Mandalay Bay); Jean-Marie Josselin
(8-0-8 at Caesars Palace).
Thomas Keller (Bouchon at the Venetian; Emeril Lagasse (Emeril's
New Orleans Fish House at MGM Grand and Delmonico Steakhouse
at the Venetian; Sirio Maccioni (Le Cirque at Bellagio); Nobu
Matsuhisa (Nobu at Hard Rock Hotel); Maurizio Mazzon (Canaletto
at the Venetian and Il Fornaio at the New York-New York and
Green Valley Ranch); Michael Mina (Nobhill and Seablue at
MGM Grand and Aqua at Bellagio; Tom Moloney (AquaKnox at the
Venetian; Charlie Palmer (Aureole at Mandalay Bay and Charlie
Palmer Steakhouse at the Four Seasons); Wolfgang Puck (Spago
and Chinois at the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, Postrio
at the Venetian and Trattoria del Lupo at Mandalay Bay; André
Rochat (Alizé at The Palms and Andre's in downtown
Las Vegas and at the Monte Carlo); Julian Serrano (Picasso
at Bellagio; Kerry Simon (Simon Kitchen and Bar at Hard Rock
Hotel; Joachim Splichal (Pinot Brasserie at the Venetian,
Jean-Georges Vongerichten (Prime at Bellagio), Michael White
(Fiamma at MGM Grand); Piero Selvaggio (Valentino at the Venetian
and Caffe Giorgio at Mandalay Place); Alessandro Stratta (Renoir
at the Mirage; and Bradley Ogden (Bradley Ogden at Caesars
Palace).
In a 24/7 culture that is pure Las Vegas action, 24-hour cafés
are in nearly every hotel and casino, many serving tasty breakfasts
around-the-clock.
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