Las Vegas Weekly

August 6, 2008 · 4:20 PM

Hot off the grill: New restaurants on the Strip

By Robin Leach

Yellowtail Sushi Restaurant & Bar

* Open less than a month, the new Yellowtail Sushi restaurant at the Bellagio is quickly building a celebrity clientele. The latest star to visit was actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who played Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show. Malcolm and friends ordered up eel, yellowtail and sashimi while sipping on Kirin beer.

* The actors who make up the cast of Jersey Boys at the Palazzo have begun calling the new Sushi Samba restaurant a second home! Owner Matt Johnson (in less than three weeks since opening) has decided to offer an authentic Sunday Brazilian brunch with his unique Japanese-Latin American cuisine. He’s also set Aug. 15 as the opening date of the new Sugarcane nightclub and lounge inside Sushi Samba.

* Tattooed chef and DJ Steve Martorano is back behind the grill and his kitchen turntables at Café Martorano in the Rio through next week, and he’s created a new, Italian summer menu for the best season for ripe tomatoes and fresh vegetables.

His eggplant stack is a unique masterpiece not found in any other Vegas eatery. It features lightly breaded eggplant layered with fresh mozzarella and vine-ripe tomatoes, topped with arugula, extra virgin olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar and slices of thinly shaved, imported parmigiano-reggiano.

Rapper Ludacris, members of the Team USA basketball team and Frank Sinatra’s daughter, Nancy Sinatra, along with longtime Blue Eyes confidante Jilly Rizzo were in to enjoy the feast. Summer seasonal cocktails -- especially the strawberry basiltini, combining the sweetness of basil and strawberries with a touch of lemon tartness -- make for a refreshingly delicious accompaniment.

During dinner, Steve plays the mellow music of Sinatra, Darin and Dino, then picks up the tempo with old-school Motown to go with scenes on the plasma screen TVs that encircle the dining room. When Steve mixes Lou Rawls with Barry White, diners jump out of their seats to dance table-side, and he told me a few have even done their version of Dancing with the Stars on top!

In other restaurant jottings, LBS, the new classic American burger joint opening this fall at Red Rock, has begun the hiring process. Applications for the 150 positions both in the kitchen, at the bar and in the restaurant should be made at Red Rock on Saturday. "LBS is a completely new take on the traditional burger joint," said Billy Richardson, well-known Vegas strip nightlife and restaurant entrepreneur who is the creator and operator of the new restaurant. "We are seeking energetic and experienced staff that will help shape our vision and create an unparalleled guest dining experience.

"The focus of LBS is to deliver the best hamburgers anywhere in Las Vegas. Executive Chef Anthony Meidenbauer has a culinary philosophy that incorporates artisan handmade ingredients and earth-friendly menu items. We have no pre-packaged, frozen, mass-produced or flavorless items, just the best ingredients simply prepared. LBS burgers will have fresh all-natural, hormone-free Hereford beef and organic turkey, selected by the in-house highly skilled butcher and ground fresh every day. LBS will also offer a totally vegan burger, filled with farm fresh vegetables, grains and herbs."

With contemporary and retro design elements, the interior of LBS is reminiscent of the quintessential American roadhouse. The 101-seat restaurant will feature a rugged exposed brick and wood interior, with distressed leather accents and brushed steel fixtures. On the ceiling above the main entrance will be a dramatic 25-by-30-foot American flag, constructed using automobile license plates representing every state in the Union. The wall opposite the entrance will feature an 8-foot-wide blown-glass sculpture of a Texas Longhorn head of cattle, especially created for the restaurant. The bar at LBS will feature more than 40 different micro brew blends and bartenders schooled in the nuances of beer making who act as "beer sommeliers." LBS will join nine other restaurants at the casino resort.

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