SPOTLIGHT

Harrah’s, 702.777.2782

Silent Silliness

Ever play charades with your friends or family, trying your best to pantomime a word or phrase? Odds are your attempt to communicate was far more entertaining than the answer itself. And that’s exactly the vibe you’ll enjoy at Tape Face’s hit show at Harrah’s. Not only that, odds are pretty good you’ll actually be part of the show.

The comedy mime better known as Sam Wills delights in using ordinary household items to elicit laughs; he also delights in pulling volunteers onstage to assist him in eliciting said laughs. Don’t worry: You won’t do anything strenuous. Most of the time he’ll have you hold a prop, during which time you’ll be the center of attention. Embarrassed? Don’t worry—another volunteer will take your place soon enough. –Ken Miller

An Ocean of Tastes

Japanese bistro offers something for all

Are you craving sushi? Then head to Kusa Nori to satisfy your cravings and, maybe, introduce yourself to something different. This Japanese bistro, right near the District and the casino floor, is decorated in an elegant style, but throughout you’ll find rather whimsical representations of the various denizens of the ocean, like octopus on the walls and fish swimming over the dining area. In a nod to Japanese culture, another area features a flock of fluttering origami birds.

Start your meal with a drink—Kusa Nori serves up signature cocktails like a yuzu lemon drop, a hibiscus paloma and the cherry blossom, which features Roku gin and dragon fruit. If you prefer a beer, there are three types of Japanese beers on tap, and a few in bottles, too. Wine, sake and mocktails are also served.

Accompany that drink with a salad to start— cucumber salad with hearts of palm; baby gem salad with wakame, endive and frisée; and the suika poke salad with compressed watermelon, mizuna and myoga ginger.

Along those lines, before you get down with the rolls, check out the shareable shigoku oysters, accented by golden ikura and gold flake; the octopus carpaccio with a wasabi aioli; vegetable and shrimp tempuras; and Jidori chicken karaage. The chef’s signature starters include the Crab Kryptonite, with crab dynamite, tobiko and shiitake mushrooms.

There are plenty of classic rolls here, like spicy tuna and a snow crab California roll, but you’ll also find some created specifically for Vegas, like the 3000 LVBLVD, with snow crab and salmon and the Silver State roll with king crab and avocado. For an incredible sashimi tasting experience, choose the nori moriawase, a platter with 10 varying types of sashimi (pictured), which might change depending on availability.

If you prefer a meatier option, take advantage of the robata grill, with pork belly, beef filet, lamb chop and Jidori chicken sure to satisfy. Larger entrées include misoyaki black cod with a wakame arare crust. –Nina King

Resorts World Las Vegas, 702.676.6965

Slice of Heaven

The best slice of pizza I ever had was on the East Coast in a hole-in-the-wall Long Island pizzeria—it’s good to know that I can relive my youth in Buddy Valastro’s PizzaCake at Harrah’s. This cozy New York-style joint re-creates that aesthetic, with photos and street art, and a dining area where the fragrances of cheese, sauce and baking dough fill the air. You can get whole pies, but the slice is where it’s at, folded up with gooey cheese inside. Slices come in cheese, pepperoni, Buffalo chicken, veggie, and the Boss Slice, with pepperoni, sausage, smoked bacon and mozzarella. You can get these outside at a takeaway window, too.

For dessert (and considering this is the Cake Boss’s establishment, it’ll be great), order a piece of a six-layer rainbow cake, with vanilla buttercream and rainbow sprinkles. But there’s also vanilla confetti, chocolate fudge, rainbow fudge, carrot and red velvet cakes. To get decadent, order a 14-inch peanut butter cookie cake for the crew or a 14inch s‘mores cookie cake, both on chocolate chip cookie bases and heaped with good toppings. Maybe the best thing ever is the cake ATM, open 24 hours! –Nina King

Harrah’s, 702.799.9200

Oar You Ready?

Looking for something different to do today in Las Vegas? Grab your group or your sweetie and book a ride along the waters of The Venetian on a gondola ride. Guests can glide along the indoor waters of The Grand Canal Shoppes as the gondolier serenades or take it outdoors and float along the waters Stripside and enjoy the sunshine. Twice a day, guests can also catch the Gondolier March—gondoliers serenade in unison through the indoor canals at 9:50 a.m. and 4:20 p.m. –Kiko Miyasato

The Venetian, 702.414.4300

As If by Magic

Some particularly favorite moments from a recent Jen Kramer performance: • A seemingly ordinary video Kramer shows the audience of her card-handling skills, one which later turns out to be strangely prophetic at the conclusion of a subsequent card trick; • Kramer’s version of a game show, complete with three mystery doors, an audience volunteer, a hundred-dollar bill and a whole lot of audience participation;

• Three beach balls, a fake Facebook profile and a box that hangs from the ceiling. (For those who think magicians use plants, heads up: Yours truly got picked for this, and speaking as a nonplant, I was completely floored by the result.)

Kramer’s connection with audiences is undeniable. It’s a reminder that magic really is a universal language. –Ken Miller

Westgate Las Vegas, 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster

The Mirage, 702.791.7188

Serene Sanctuary Mirage attraction honors legendary duo’s legacy

Dolphins have excellent vision and make eye contact with humans. They can distinguish between individuals at the surface visiting them at Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden & Dolphin Habitat, but only look with one eye at a time. So says the announcer at a pool deep in the heart of The Mirage, where aquatic headliners Maverick, Osborne and K2 strut their stuff.

As nearby exotic big cats sun themselves in late-morning sun, the dolphins are ready to play and interact. Low-impact hijinks and swim-bys segue into aerial maneuvers and increasingly complicated choreography. They perform synchronized somersaults in pairs, then double somersaults. They “walk” on water and wave at people above the surface as well as below, where observation windows provide an aquarium view of the dolphins. Some folks take off their shoes and have photos taken on the wet deck, while several others in wet suits listen to instructions preceding dives into the pool.

Elsewhere in the Secret Garden, a small child calls to a white lion from Southern Africa’s Timbavati region, which subsequently opens its eyes. Timbavati means “the place where something sacred came down to Earth from the heavens,” but Timba-Masai looks majestic whether in repose or while wide awake and holding court.

The regal resident presides over a realm that includes spotted leopard Neruda, black spotted leopard Shadow, snow-white Bengal tiger Cosmo and gold Bengal tiger Svengali. Svengali is a rare heterozygous cat capable of producing white cubs, which late, legendary magicians Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn were committed to sustaining.

Secret Garden functions as a preserve as well as a scientific research and education destination. Casual learning is part of the fun. Bronzed signs share information about the big cats, and take-home packets full of activities are available for kids at the exit. Look sharp for “The 21st Century Ark of Noah,” an artwork donated by Romanian nuns in appreciation for Siegfried & Roy’s help in building an orphanage. –Matt Kelemen

Stop for a Drink

Margaritaville is your headquarters for kicking back, ordering a tall, cold drink and forgetting the cares of the day. And with 12,000 square feet spread across three levels, there’s never going to be a problem finding a table or a seat at one of the six bars. In addition to wonderful signature drinks like Changes in Latitudes, indulge in shareable plates like Lava Lava shrimp, served with Thai chili sauce, and wings (the Caribbean jerk sauce is the best). –Ken Miller

Flamingo, 702.733.3302

4627 Koval Lane, 702.933.8458

Got the Drive?

If you have a large group or family, you’ll definitely want to check out Topgolf Las Vegas, an entertainment facility with so much to do you’ll probably need to revisit multiple times to experience it all. The 120-plus hitting bays are hard to resist, and for good reason: They’re suitable for all skill levels, and feature all sorts of games, including a version of Angry Birds. All the balls have sensors, meaning you can easily keep score with your friends and family as you try to hit different targets spread across a large play area.

And while you’re waiting for your turn, order everything from shareables like cheesy macaroni bites, warm pretzel bites and Topgolf wings to sandwiches like the Smokehouse Burger, turkey avocado wrap and fried chicken sandwich. The drink menu features your favorite beers and cocktails like Topgolf Tea, a heady blend of Absolut vodka, Bacardi rum, Bombay Sapphire gin and DeKuyper triple sec.

But the fun is just beginning. There are also two pools and five bars, as well as a 48-foot TV screen for some serious entertainment value. –Ken Miller

Great Escape

Don’t be fooled by the name—although Iceland has its share of ice, it also has waterfalls, cliffs, volcanoes and fields of flowers. In FlyOver Las Vegas’ new flight ride film, Legendary Iceland, you’ll soar over all of them, and it’s incredibly moving.

Before the main film, a special preshow film in a special antechamber will introduce you to Iceland’s history (and the main character is indeed memorable). When it is over, head into FlyOver’s theater, where you’ll be belted into seats that face a nearly 53-foot spherical screen. You’ll be lifted into the air, where six planes of motion will have you feeling as if you are indeed in a helicopter, zipping between canyon walls, diving toward the sea and taking in the beauty of the capital city.

FlyOver’s other show here spotlights American West locales like the Grand Canyon and Lake Tahoe. –Nina King

3771 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 866.498.2023

Old-World Thrills

When you first take your seat at Tournament of Kings, you’re struck by the fact that you’re in a section that represents a country—Romania, Ireland, Spain, Austria, France or Hungary. As you watch the arena’s various sections fill up, you’re brought a meal that consists entirely of finger foods like a Cornish game hen, a bun and steamed veggies (no utensils here; the experience is meant to replicate a medieval feast). The adults in the audience can order a beer, while the kiddos can enjoy a soft drink. But old or young, you’ll be smiling from start to finish as the Knights of the Round Table compete for their country’s supremacy.

As the action unfolds, you cheer when your country’s knight mounts a steed and competes in various demonstrations of skill, from jousting to sword fighting. And just when things are getting interesting, the forces of darkness descend on the proceedings. There’s much fighting, conquering and, as you would expect, much rejoicing.

Tournament of Kings is as old as the Excalibur, and that’s not by accident; it remains one of the finest entertainments on the Strip for all ages. –Ken Miller

Visit Flavortown

Guy Fieri stresses one thing: No matter the dish, it needs to be fun—and ridiculously full of flavor. As simplistic as that philosophy seems, it really is the secret to Fieri’s success, and it’s on full display at his eponymous Guy Fieri’s Vegas Kitchen & Bar.

Flavor dominates every edge of this part of the menu, especially the andouille sausage-and-cheese-stuffed jalapeño poppers that pair well with house-made ranch dip. And for a real head-turned, order the Trash Can Nachos. Your dish arrives in a tall metal pitcher with a removable bottom. One pull of the trigger and the whole mess slides onto a plate. Another showstopper is the Motley Que pulled pork sandwich, which features bourbon brown sugar barbecue sauce and is piled with citrus slaw, pickle chips and donkey sauce. We hope you saved your appetite, because this will require every last bit of it. –Ken Miller

The Linq Hotel 702.794.3139

Excalibur, 702.597.7600

Shorely, You’ll Love It

From the desert dunes to the tropical sands, the luxurious Élia Beach Club transports guests from Las Vegas to a beachy paradise. Guests can chill in the cool waters or on luxury daybeds dotted along the sand or opt for one of the many roomy cabanas. A huge covered outdoor lounge and bar allows for shaded reprieve, and the multilevel day club also offers an intimate pool, second bar and plenty of lounging space on the upper floor. –Kiko Miyasato

Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, 702.693.5570

Tentpole Production Caesars Palace show is one of the Strip’s best

It’s a question anyone who’s lived long enough in Las Vegas is eventually asked by their guests: “If you could only see one show while you’re in town, which one would it be?”

For at least the last 10 years, that answer more often than not is probably Absinthe, a one-of-a-kind production in a one-of-a-kind venue that has been drawing rave reviews since it debuted on the Strip in 2011. It’s the kind of show you can’t wait to tell everyone about once you’ve seen it.

The venue itself makes you feel like you’re part of something special. The spiegeltent is ornately decorated, its circular space featuring a bar, hundreds of seats, tables, and a smallish circular stage at the center. “That’s it?” you might be asking yourself. But you’ll forget you even thought it once the show begins.

That space is used extremely effectively by a variety of acts, all connected by the extremely foul-mouthed (and extremely funny) Gazillionaire, a sleazy “producer” who brags about his money when he’s not insulting the audience and abusing his poor assistant, Wanda Widdles, who’s not above being a bit blue herself.

The acts themselves are all world-class, starting with one that may induce vertigo in some audience members—an acrobat slowly ascends to the top of a chair mountain he builds, balancing himself along the way and sometimes actually moving the chair mountain around. Once he reaches the top, down comes The Green Fairy, an iconic part of the show displaying great curves and great pipes as she serenades the crowd with “Come On-A My House.” It’s the perfect segue into the show’s raunchy—but fun—style.

Along the way, you’ll enjoy acrobats, jugglers, strongmen and a few naughty intermissions that will have you doubled over with laughter. Just like the drink itself, this show is intoxicating—and maybe just a little addictive. –Ken Miller

Caesars Palace, 18+ticketmaster.com

It’s So Sweet

For something truly special, head to Ethel M Chocolate Factory and Cactus Garden in Henderson for a chocolate and mimosa tasting for you and your bestie(s). You’ll try four chocolates, including a vanilla truffle and a prickly pear (my absolute fave), plus four mimosas in fruity flavors like mango and white peach, and learn about how the chocolate is made and what you should look for. Classes are at noon and 3 p.m. on Saturdays during May (21-plus only), and reservations are required. –Nina King

2 Cactus Garden Drive, Henderson, Nev., ethelm.com

Caesars Palace, 702.731.7286

Fantastique!

For dining at its finest, it doesn’t get better than the long-standing Restaurant Guy Savoy. The acclaimed French chef brings all his edible masterpieces to the plate at this fine-dining establishment. For those with mad green, the Celebration Menu offers a multicourse experience with wine pairing for $555 per person. Dishes include octopus terrine with caviar and saffron, seabream with Mediterranean flavors, Savoy’s signature artichoke and black truffle soup, A5 Japanese wagyu with lobster and a caramel-and-popcorn dessert.

If a prepared menu is not up your alley, go à la carte with starters like the famous soup, seared foie gras and caviar service, then follow with selections from the sea (roasted wild Atlantic turbot, lobster or salmon) or land (Muscovy duck confit or veal chop). Every dish is an indulgent flavor experience in French cooking.

End the memorable meal with the dessert trolley. Have your server wheel the decadence on over to your table and peruse plates of ice cream, sorbet, Mason jar desserts and traditional and modern French pastries. Bon appétit, indeed! –Kiko Miyasato

Don’t Look Down

There is no shortage of WTF moments in Las Vegas, but the thrill rides atop The STRAT SkyPod might top them all. A triple threat of death-defying experiences await: X-Scream, Insanity and Big Shot, all with their own unique brand of OMG that will stir you to the core.

Undoubtedly, you’ll all scream on X-Scream, a roller coaster that resembles a seesaw, which teeters over the edge of the SkyPod. As for Insanity, there’s no better name for this carousel (which is controlled by a monstrous mechanical arm) that dangles and spins 64 feet away from the tower.

Big Shot is a pneumatically powered ride that shuttles up and down the tower’s iconic space needle. Although it seems rather pedestrian now compared to the other rides, it’s still incredibly fun. And we definitely all need a little LOL right now. –Las Vegas Magazine Staff

The STRAT, 702.380.7777

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