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| - After our dinner at Lavo, I had to "Lavo" (bathe) my mouth with water...
My friends and I party in Vegas about 3 times a year and we always stay at the Palazzo. Despite getting VIP comp tickets and open bar opportunities at Lavo on Thursdays at 10:30 PM - 11:30 PM (you have to sign-up with a promoter that can normally be found at the side of the restaurant), we never had any desire to go to because it never seems to be cracking like XS, Surrender or Tao. Just saying...
On Saturday, 12/11/10 my friend and I came to Lavo at 7 PM for dinner since it was convenient and the menu looked appealing. Even though we didn't have reservations, we were promptly seated.
F O O D:
*COMPLIMENTARY GARLIC BREAD w/ Marinara Sauce: YUM! Piping hot of the oven, the crust was very crisp and each halved portion was slathered with a garlic, butter and parsley mixture that melted into the every nook and cranny of the bread. The chunky marinara sauce was tangy and sweet, adding a punch of freshness to the bread.
*KOBE STUFFED RICE BALLS ($17): DELISH! The rice balls were stuffed with ground kobe, a layer of mozzarella, lightly rolled in a breadcrumb mixture, fried to a golden brown and topped with a dollop of ricotta cheese.
The exterior of the rice balls were crisp, providing a nice texture contrast to the soft rice and pliable melted cheese. If "kobe" wasn't mentioned in the menu, we would have mistaken the kobe for just ordinary ground beef. Nonetheless, the rice balls along with the accompanying marinara sauce was the perfect combo of flavors: salty, savory, creamy, beefy, sweet and tangy.
This is where our meal went DOWNHILL...
*RISOTTO w/ Braised Short Rib ($28): DISGUSTING! First off, the presentation of the risotto was very unappetizing; it literally looked like a plate of yack. A picture speaks a thousand words:
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/VsewHMsfj1Mgsl2i_hio7w?select=2KzRQou0aYKH-ZUqhlOB6A
The risotto was a funky orangey brown color. It was mixed with potatoes, carrots and celery, and topped with chunks of short rib and fried parsnips. Although the risotto was a perfect creamy consistency with a slight bite to it, the veggies were all cooked to a mush. The short rib was overly salty, stringy and dry and the fried parsnips were stale and hard. With each bite, I felt like I was eating from a can of Dinty Moore's Beef Stew because that's exactly how the dish tasted like. Unfortunately, 4-5 bites was all I could stomach before I threw in the towel.
*8 OZ. CENTER CUT FILET ($38): OK. The filet was overcooked to a medium to medium-well (requested medium rare). Although the filet was tender, it was on the dry side and completely bland. I have a huge aversion to salt and MSG, so when I say something is under seasoned, it must be. Sadly, the lack of salt never allowed the beefy goodness to shine through the filet...what a shame.
*CREAMED SPINACH ($12): INEDIBLE! Upon receiving the creamed spinach, it looked decadent with a crust of bubbling parmesan cheese. However, it tasted nothing like it looked. WHOLE spinach leaves were used and they were so large that we couldn't even scoop up the creamed spinach with a spoon without it falling off and back into the cast iron plate. The creamed spinach was extremely salty, so much so, that after each bite (I took 3 total), I had to swoosh my mouth with water. Plus, it didn't help that it was topped with parmesan cheese which sent the saltiness level off the charts.
In short, you know the food is BAD when you're munching on the complimentary bread instead of eating your meal.
S E R V I C E:
EXCELLENT! If it weren't for our awesome waitress and wait staff, Lavo would be getting 1 Star. Our waitress was very friendly, attentive and gracious. The wait staff was good about taking away our plates and making sure our water glasses were never empty.
Oddly, the food came out super fast but I wasn't complaining because we needed to go back to our room to get ready for the night. We ordered, received our food, and ate, all under an hour.
A M B I A N C E / D É C O R:
Absolutely STUNNING and reminiscent of the ancient Mediterranean times with rich chocolate brown furnishings and gold/cream accented décor. Tables were very close to each other so there's very little personal space and you can overhear your neighbors' conversation.
Since I never been to the club portion of Lavo, I can only account for the restaurant. However, I heard the club was inspired by Moroccan bathhouses with Turkish fountains throughout creating a very lavish and exotic ambiance. Just like its sister nightclub, Tao, you can see beautiful girls in the tubs except it's much smaller at 4,500 square feet (Tao is 10,000 square feet).
Just as a person's looks can only get them so far, the same goes for Lavo's intricate and gorgeous decor. Sorry Lavo, but you are all looks with NO substance...
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