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| - 4th of July weekend in Vegas - we thought it would be nuts, but we were pleasantly surprised we were able to make a reservation for Scarpetta.
We were thrilled when the hostess seated us right next to a window, and no sooner had we sat when the fireworks started over Caesar's Palace! Our waiter was smart enough to know we having a romantic moment watching them and let us be until the end. Shortly after, he arrived and took our drink orders. I believe he was a bit new - possibly a bit nervous, but he had very good instincts and was very nice. Our water glasses did not go empty once and empty plates/glasses were removed immediately. Again, our waiter was not in a rush, but he was not ignoring us either....he really set a nice pace for us for the meal. It was nice to take our time and enjoy the ambiance, which is really a highlight of this restaurant.
The meal: We're pretty avid fans of the Food Network, and while you'd think the celebrity chefs might be overrated on the Strip especially, I have never had a bad experience with these types of restaurants. This was no exception. The bread basket is to die for....if we knew we weren't going to pay a mint for the meal itself, we might have stuffed ourselves with that alone. Our waiter recommended the spaghetti, which the chef is particularly known for. We decided to split it (they're not snobby about that at this place which is great!) as an appetizer - and it was very good. My boyfriend said he likes my spaghetti better, but I loved it. We had the veal chop for the entree, which we also split - that was very good as well.
Overall, I don't think our meal was crazy expensive - it was very much in line with the price you'd pay at any other of the strip restaurants. The portions were small, yes, but we also respect not gorging ourselves to death...that's what the buffets are for.
I can't say what would make me give this restaurant a 5 star rating as opposed to a 4 star...but, I'm definitely willing to go back to find out. Enjoy the Cosmopolitan - it's stunning inside, enjoy this restaurant - the views and food are great, and enjoy each other if you're in a romantic mood - this is the place!
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