Lavo Las Vegas :: A Tasteful Experience

from Casino Life Magazine

Issue 113 - Dec 2017

www.casinolifemagazine.com

In the weeks following G2E Las Vegas, Casino Life Magazine was invited to experience the award-winning Lavo Las Vegas.  Considered by many to be a “must-visit” restaurant during a Vegas sojourn, we found it’s hype was exceeded by a real-life, first-hand experience.

Casino Life Magazine
Issue 113 - Dec 2017

Joining me was DJ Erny, an international DJ formerly based on tropical Bali and in the process of relocating to Las Vegas after a 12-year residency at the island's top Italian resto-lounge. Aside from Lavo being an ideal venue to celebrate her birthday, it also provided an unbeatable introduction to sin-city’s nightlife and a chance to experience the city’s top Italian restaurant.

Lavo’s vibe impressed us from the moment of arrival. Greeted by friendly hostesses, we were escorted through the busy lounge to our table inside. (Lavo also offers outside seating on their Terrace overlooking the famous Las Vegas Strip.)

From our table we were able to enjoy the venue’s ambiance and internal décor which was inspired by the Mediterranean bath houses of Southern Italy.  We took a moment to soak in Lavo’s warm colors and soft lighting emanating from the low-hanging chandeliers within the tile and stone walls, water-splashed plaster, high wooden ceilings. Their attention to detail provided a level of cozy sophistication.

Once seated, we were given menus by Jo, one of the friendliest waitresses you’ll ever meet.  She provided us with menus, along with her recommendations on what we should be sampling.
We were fortunate that Jo was well prepared to highlight their specialties -- so we didn’t spend much time with the menus, and went with recommendations. This turned out to be a very good choice.

For our appetizer we chose the Crispy Fried Calamari with fresh lemon, parsley, and spicy marinara along with their selection of breads. Having often had fried calamari on the seaside, we were eager to compare.  We were quite surprised, that even here in the Vegas desert, the quality of the calamari was the best we’ve had.  Our drinks with the appetizer and into our meals were a good selection of chardonnay.

For our main meals, we again follow Jo’s advice.  Erny ordered the Spaghetti with Meatballs -- an imperial wagyu, fresh ricotta, ragu. The wagyu meatballs are one of Lavo’s specialties and can be ordered as an appetizer or the main meal.   I in-turn, ordered the 20 oz. Bone-In Rib Eye (medium rare), dry aged, with garlic mashed potatoes, and roasted garlic with cream and extra virgin olive oil.  Both meals exceeded our expectations, and the portions were sizeable and more than we could finish.

Our main course was followed with a platter of dessert samplings that included New York
cheesecake, Tiramisu and an assortment of additional sweets.

We followed-up our meal with a couple mojitos to take-in a bit more of the evening vibe. During our two-hour visit, the DJ’s music picked up from lounge to a bit more up-tempo house as the evening progressed.  Mark Childers, Lavo’s Assistant General Manager kindly stopped by for a chat to see that all was going well.

Though Lavo has over 20,000 square feet of space, they remained extremely busy with a queue to get in.  Despite the fact that all tables were occupied, their service was impressive. Staff seemed to be everywhere, and yet seemed in sync and mixing well with customers. They were all very attentive and on point with their own tables, but also assisting other staff without hesitation. Glasses of water were always full, while empty plates were removed rather quickly.

Lavo Italian Restaurant and Nightclub is part of the The TAO GROUP, which is a leading restaurant and nightlife company that develops, owns and operates many of the most successful food, beverage and nightlife entertainment venues in the United States. Partners Marc Packer, Richard Wolf, Noah Tepperberg, and Jason Strauss have brought decades of hospitality experience to the brand portfolio.

Currently TAO Group boasts operations in New York City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Sydney, Australia. In New York City.  Along with Lavo, the collection includes Avenue, Beauty & Essex,, Marquee Nightclub, The Stanton Social, TAO Asian Bistro Uptown and TAO Asian Bistro Downtown. TAO Group operates all of the food and beverage outlets of the Dream Downtown hotel including room service, PHD Rooftop, Electric Room and Bodega Negra. Additionally, they operate all of the food & beverage outlets of the Dream Midtown hotel including The Rickey, Fishbowl and PHD Terrace. Las Vegas operations include TAO Asian Bistro, Nightclub & Beach at The Venetian, LAVO Italian Restaurant & Lounge at The Palazzo, Beauty & Essex at The Cosmopolitan and Marquee Nightclub & Dayclub at The Cosmopolitan. TAO Group’s most recent expansion to Los Angeles include Avenue, Beauty & Essex, Luchini Pizzeria & Bar, TAO Asian Bistro and The Highlight Room rooftop, lounge, pool and grill atop the Dream Hollywood. Marquee Nightclub at The Star – Sydney represents the company’s first international offering. TAO Group regularly brings the brands to additional markets via pop-up venues at noted events such as the Sundance Film Festival and the Superbowl, among others.

TAO Group will soon unveil three new concepts within Moxy Times Square including Legasea, a Seafood Brasserie; Egghead, an egg-centric all-day breakfast sandwich shop; and Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge, New York City’s largest hotel rooftop open all season. TAO Group will expand to new markets in 2018 including Chicago and Singapore.

A fashionable evening at Lavo for dinner and drinks was a welcomed break.  The service is top-notch, the Italian bath-house architecture is warm and inviting, and the sophisticated ambiance puts one at ease.   Highly recommended for a night out on the town.