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| - A few years may have passed, but Scarpetta is just as outstanding as ever.
I dropped by on a Friday night, immediately after a show at The Chelsea had let out. Thousands of people were descending on Cosmo's P3 restaurant zone all at once, and I had to select a dinner spot as quickly as possible, or else no open seats would be left. Scarpetta was the ideal choice, since I could squeeze in at the bar.
The place was a madhouse, but I didn't mind. Service at the bar was just as spot-on as in the dining room. I was also luckily enough to be seated next to some very friendly and sociable solo diners who *love* talking about food.
I started off with a glass of Riesling, which I sipped while nibbling on some freshly baked bread. Scarpetta serves one of the finest breadbaskets in Vegas, with abundant olive oil, eggplant tapanade, and whipped mascarpone cheese for spreading.
For my app, I tried the braised beef short rib with farro risotto and a slice of lardo. Ladies and gentlemen -- you will never taste short rib as tender and delicate as this. Absolutely perfect.
For my entree, I tried the spaghetti, which is apparently a specialty of the house -- and I can totally see why. Thick, plump noodles with a smooth and flavorful sauce will totally upend any preconceived notions of what spaghetti should taste like. You think spaghetti is simple or boring? Not after Scott Conant has his way with it.
There are so many fabulous restaurants in the Cosmo that picking a single favorite is close to impossible...but Scarpetta is definitely high on the list!
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