BARDOT BRASSERIE ARIA RESORT & CASINO
As with all the large-scale Las Vegas hotels on the Strip, Aria packs in a wide variety of dining experiences. One of the top choices, Bardot Brasserie, serves supremely satsifying French comfort food under the watchful eye of chef Michael Mina. He heads the San Francisco-based Mina Group, which manages a diverse portfolio of restaurants around the country, but his Las Vegas presence is indeed noteworthy from the moment you enter. With its shiny brass details, marble floor, and classic décor, Bardot exudes an ambiance that just might transport you from Las Vegas to the Paris of another era. You can take a seat at the elegant bar first, sipping on a dramatically named cocktail like And God Created Woman (Citadelle gin, Byrrh, lemon, St. Germain, Angostura bitters) or Blood and Sand (blended scotch, cherry Heering, Carpano Antica, fresh orange) before heading to your table to choose from tempting appetizers like buckwheat camembert crêpés with frog-hollow peaches and plums, followed by a sumptuous main course like duck salmis a la presse (pan roasted moulard duck breast with raspberry ratatouille) or Parisian gnocchi, prepared with Tête de Moine cheese, chanterelle mushrooms, and jumbo asparagus. It’s no surprise that the wine list leans heavily toward French varietals, so perfect pairings are easy to achieve. 3730 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Tel: 877-230-2742. www.aria.com/en/restaurants/bardot-brasserie
BAVETTE’S STEAKHOUSE & BAR PARK MGM
One of the newest names on the Strip, Park MGM represents a multimillion-dollar revamp of the former Monte Carlo hotel. The dining venues have been reimagined as well, so that guests and visitors alike can choose from an array of new venues with dramatically different formats. For thick cuts of juicy beef, the preferred destination is Bavette’s Steakhouse & Bar, which provides a French-inspired take on the traditional steakhouse, with décor enhanced by rich woods, dramatic lighting, and Hollywood-worthy red banquettes that are perfect for striking a pose. If you’re a carnivore, you’ll likely want to dig into one of their béarnaise-enhanced specialties, including the 10-ounce traditional filet mignon; the 16-ounce classic ribeye; and the massive, 22-ounce dry-aged bone-in ribeye. If beef isn’t your thing, not to worry: you can also choose from a satisfying baked crab cake made with preserved lemon and remoulade, a variety of overflowing salads and chilled seafood towers that overflow with king crab and shellfish. Wash it all down with a mezcal Martinez martini, made with El Silencia mezcal, Carpano Antica, and maraschino, or perhaps an old fashioned or classic gimlet. You can even choose the ambiance that fits your mood: the jazz-infused main dining room or the loungey parlor, where trip-hop and downtempo rap set a modern tone. Park MGM, 3770 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Tel: 702-730-6700. www.bavettessteakhouse.com
