San Diego Magazine / April 2008 / Desert in Bloom

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Desert in Bloom

I don’t have the steely nerves or skill of a good gambler, so when I head to Las Vegas, I go in search of the sure bet. For my money, nothing can beat the pleasures of a spectacular meal or show, a great shopping find or an indulgent spa treatment— and I come home a winner every time.

That’s why, on my recent visit, I spent more time seeking out dining and massage tables than gaming tables. In an attempt to capture the current snapshot of Las Vegas’ ever-changing landscape, my mission was to explore the recently opened, the newly redone and the why-didn’t- I-find-it-sooner. Here is what I discovered.

Height of Luxury

My quest was off to an auspicious start at the glittery, 50-story, $1.9 billion Palazzo Las Vegas, which opened in January adjacent to its sister hotel, the Venetian. The Palazzo lends fresh excitement to the culinary scene with its new take on steak served by celebrity chefs: Mario Batali’s CarneVino, Charlie Trotter’s Restaurant Charlie, Wolfgang Puck’s CUT and Emeril Lagasse’s Table 10. We dined at Morels French Steakhouse & Bistro, where Eric Bauer (most recently chef de cuisine at the Four Seasons Aviara in Carlsbad) also seems poised to become a star.

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