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| - Our New Year's Eve Party 2010 started at Rao's. After hearing how hard it is to get into the original restaurant in NYC (there's only 8 tables, and you need to know someone who knows someone - you get the point), we decided that we would get a taste of Italy in Las Vegas.
The dinner was a Pre-Fixe Menu that had 3 choices of appetizers, pasta, meat, and dessert for $160 - it also came with a glass of Champagne or a Bellini. I chose the Caprese Salad, Risotto with fresh veggies, Surf and Turf (9 oz filet and 7 oz lobster tail), and we all shared the 3 desserts (the best was the tiramisu).
The wait staff was superb, and the meal was very good - but as with most Italian restaurants, there was a LOT of food. After the salad and risotto, I was already starting to get full, then the main courses came, and they were delicious, but about half way through, I was done. My wife had the Ossobuco, which was amazing, and super tender. When dessert was being served, we all needed espresso to kick us out of a food coma, and get us ready for the rest of the night...
The best part of the evening was that Frank Peligrino (the owner - also a star in The Sopranos) was there, and we took photos - he also sang in the Live Band that played from 10 until we brought in the New Year. Most of the crowd in the restaurant wandered out to the private patio and watched the fireworks display over the Strip - it was awesome, and very LOUD, as the explosions echoed off the buildings at Caesar's Palace.
Overall, it was a great night, and if I had a bigger appetite, then I would have rated the entire experience 5-stars!
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