While I just couldn’t make it to Italy this month to bring you my Italian inspirations or an autumn in Italy, I do want to report on my visit to what you might call the closest to Italy in America …. in a kitschy way. I did not head to Little Italy, but this month I made it over to The Palazzo Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas.
The Palazzo is the sister hotel of the Venetian and although thought to be tucked away from its larger sister and quieter of the two, I found this to be quite the contrary. I believe the two to be equally as busy. The Palazzo is located right on the Las Vegas Strip, like the Venetian, and connected to a wide array of restaurants, shops and attractions.
You walk through the hustle and bustle of the casinos to get to the elevators to access your rooms and I did not find the Palazzo to be any quieter or to have a more intimate feeling. To me it seems like an extension to the Venetian. So, if you are trying to get a better deal on a big feel hotel, the Palazzo may be a great option. You will, however, have the advantage of more easily maneuvering through the Palazzo as it is smaller and access to restaurants shops or its seven pools is closer.
The Cut at The Palazzo
The Palazzo is stunning with grand displays and it has its own restaurants, all located within steps of the lobby. One of the trending steakhouse in town in located inside The Palazzo, Cut is a contemporary twist on the classic steakhouse by master chef and restaurateur Wolfgang Puck. Las Vegas Weekly ranked Cut as No. 12 on a list of the 20 most important restaurants in Las Vegas and as “the virtuoso” among Las Vegas’ top 10 steakhouses. We had quite a meal that racked up a 4 figure bill. I believe the table side bartender with floral infused drinks may have something to do with it. It’s a lovely service for a high end restaurant such as this, but be aware.
The menu offers 35-day dry-aged steaks that are USDA Prime Nebraska corn-fed and Japanese 100 percent Wagyu Beef. The meats are priced by the ounce and if you want a nice big juicy piece of steak, it will cost you a pretty penny. Along with your main course, delicious sides like Tempura Onion Rings and Yukon Gold Potato Puree make your meal complete in the contemporary and relaxing atmosphere. We also started with a Bone Marrow Flan, Mushroom Marmalade, Parsley Salad which was as unique as it could ever be.
OTTO Enoteca
We had a little taste of Italy when we stopped at Mario Batali’s OTTO for drinks before dinner. OTTO Enoteca is located in Venetian’s Piazza San Marco, The Grand Canal Shoppes. I had to have a refreshing Limoncello, since daytime temperatures are still in the three digits in Las Vegas right now.
OTTO serves gourmet pizzas, daily pasta plates & fine wine. We spent some time at OTTO’s marble antipasti counter watching European street performers while sipping cocktails. The piazza is the center of Italian social life. It’s a place for people to enjoy la dolce vita: the good life. OTTO’s perfect location makes it the epitome of an elegant Bolognese enoteca on the piazza.
