This humblelooking plate is a virtuoso performance in pork
It seems rudimentary to say reservations for Las Vegas’ best eateries should be secured well in advance, but each of these restaurants has a spectacular dish that requires its own special Resy. Call for the kitchen to fire up their ovens or get left in the cold.
WHOLE SUCKLING PIG, BAZAAR MEAT
This theatrical paean to all things carnivorous is handily one of one of Vegas’s best steakhouses. José Andrés’s menu at The Sahara distinguishes steaks as “big guys” and “not-so-big guys,” though this petite category includes options like a 20-ounce Washugyu/Angus strip loin—and the restaurant has not only a raw bar but also a “meat bar.” Though the fire pit is churning out perfectly charred meats in amazing volume, you’ll need to order the whole suckling pig, which weighs in between nine and 11 pounds, a full day in advance. Your dinner will have been roasted in a Spanish cazuela in the wood-fired oven, achieving perfectly crisped and crackling, well-rendered fat and succulently tender meat. saharalasvegas.com
WHITE TRUFFLE LASAGNA, BREZZA
The bar at Brezza
White truffle season runs only from September to December, and you’ll find these Piemontese gems in their full glory at Brezza in Resorts World. Just in time for fall, James Beard-nominated chef Nicole Brisson introduces a wild mushroom white truffle lasagna, which includes a generous five grams of truffle shaved tableside to take full advantage of their rich earthy flavor. If you want to dive into this dish, you’ll need to pre-order it with 48 hours’ notice. brezzaitalian.com
LASAGNA VERDE, CARBONE
A table at Carbone
Speaking of lasagna, Mario Carbone offers up seasonal varieties that require some serious prep. Some are shortlived fetes such as their “morel white” offering which is only available during the morel’s very short season in early June. They are currently serving a “verde” variety. Expect 12 layers of spinach egg dough with broccoli rabe béchamel, basil pesto, tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese. This delicacy is served tableside and pans are limited, so you’ll need to call ahead to reserve it for table (serves up to eight). aria.mgmresorts.com
WHOLE ALASKAN CRAB – 2 WAYS, MOTT 32
Mott 32’s main dining room.
Everyone knows they need to book their Peking duck here when they book their flight, but real pros know to bring some friends and secure a whole Alaskan king crab prepped two ways. The body is fried with a golden garlic, salt and pepper, and the legs can be steamed plain, with minced garlic, or pickled chili (our favorite). Given the space constraints in their tanks, only two of these monster crustaceans can be sold each night. venetianlasvegas.com
LA PINTADE ET FOIE GRAS, JOËL ROBUCHON
Off-the-menu roasted chicken with foie at Robuchon
Some would say Chef Christophe De Lellis is doing God’s work by serving his secret off-menu chicken inside this tony jewel box at MGM Grand. This restaurant is justifiably renowned and worth a two-night pilgrimage. If you can somehow manage to get two reservations, we suggest you try the seasonal tasting the first night and this two-hour roasted fowl on the second. La Pintade serves two, is carved tableside and accompanied by potato confit and foie. Order a day in advance to ensure success. mgmgrand.mgmresorts.com
HOT POT, RED PLATE
Call early to secure one of three induction tables at Red Plate
Only three of this intimate dining room’s 14 tables have induction burners for offering the best hot pot experience we’ve had the world over. The simple fact that it takes a prep team eight hours to complete the intricate mise en place should give you some idea of how important it is to secure this experience as far in advance as possible. The epic hot pot dinner begins with a choice of broths, to which you’ll add prime beef tenderloin, Superior Farms lamb shoulder, scallops, squid, and a selection of vegetables, as well as OTT add-ons like A-4 Japanese Wagyu and Kurobuta pork belly. Should you succeed in attaining a booking, your dinner service will be executed by a team of former high roller butlers. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com
DAILY SEASONAL MENU, HARLO STEAKHOUSE AND BAR
A perfectly charred Kansas City strip.
Shhh… we’re not giving you a specific dish to order because the secret and hyper-seasonal tasting menu changes daily based on what this Summerlin hot spot’s James Beard-nominated chef dreams up. If you want to find the who’s who of Las Vegas, you’ll see them here any night of the week. The cookery is exciting and the selection robust. (Think a mind-blowing fire-roasted seafood tower with everything delicious from the sea swimming in broth with smoked chili butter; dramatic roasted bone marrow; Louis XIII paired with Osetra caviar.) But VVIPs know to reach out to managing partner Ivo Angelov to prebook the seasonal nightly offering. harlosteak.com
Photography by: PHOTO COURTESY OF BAZAAR MEAT; CARBONE IMAGE COURTESY OF MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL; BREZZA BAR PHOTO COURTESY OF BREZZA; MOTT 32 PHOTO COURTESY THE VENETIAN RESORT; LA PINTADE PHOTO BY JACKSON MORROW; RED PLATE PHOTO BY CHERYL O’GARA; STEAK PHOTO COURTSY OF HARLO STEAKHOUSE AND BAR
