ON AND OFF THE STRIP

Tacos & Tequila

New But Familiar

So many fresh takes on classics, so little time

The newest hot spots in Las Vegas dining come from celebrity chefs and restaurateurs, industry heavyweights with new culinary perspectives to share, and tried-and-true brands serving up familiar fare everyone craves.

Our first stop is at The Forum Shops at Caesars, where the Lettuce Entertain You hospitality group has teamed with celebrity couple Giuliana and Bill Rancic to open the third RPM Italian (702.860.2225) restaurant across the country. Both the menu and the space bring a stylish and modern approach to this beloved traditional experience. Standout dishes include provolone cheese-stuffed peppers, A5 wagyu beef carpaccio, Dungeness crab scampi with Calabrian chili, black truffle chicken Vesuvio, and a host of house-made fresh pasta dishes from rigatoni alla vodka to sweet corn agnolotti.

Moving to Mexican food, a longtime favorite on the Strip just popped open the doors at a new location off the Strip. Tacos & Tequila (702.367.2411) at Palace Station is serving up the same brilliant margaritas, habanero chicken wings, enchiladas, tacos and fajitas that earned

a terrific reputation for years at its old Luxor location.

Meanwhile at Tivoli Village, the speakeasy-style eatery with refined Mexican fare operated by local restaurant chain El Dorado Cantina has reopened with a new name and an expansive, multicultural menu. The Chancellor (702.447.0502) has more than Mexican items available, including beef tartare, spicy tuna on crispy sushi rice and whole roasted branzino, all mingling with fried chicken tacos and chipotle pork tamales. These are flavors you won’t find elsewhere.

Back on the Strip, “Cake Boss” Buddy Valastro has done it again with Boss Cafe (775.490.2873) at The Linq Hotel, where fresh mozzarella is made in-house daily for salads and focaccia sandwiches, and Grandma-style square pizza slices are the specialty of the house. If you fill up fast, take some cannolis for the road. For another highly recognizable bite, head to Excalibur to feast at the new Fatburger (702.597.7777), another Strip site for the 70-year-old Los Angeles burger institution.

Restaurateur and consultant Elizabeth Blau and her globe-trotting chef husband Kim Canteenwalla have made an immense impact on Las Vegas dining through the years, from developing the food portfolio at Bellagio to launching their own homey neighborhood spot at Honey Salt. Their latest local project is a companion to the immersive Illuminarium experience at AREA15, a versatile restaurant called Lumin Café & Kitchen (702.527.3100). The indoor-outdoor space serves lunch, dinner and a special late-night menu for revelers taking advantage of AREA15’s nightlife offerings, with comfort food favorites like fried chicken sliders, chickpea hummus, tater tot poutine and a bacon grilled cheese sandwich taking top billing. Relax on the patio with a sparkling paloma or mojito and reflect on your latest Vegas adventures. –Brock Radke

The Chancellor

Lumin Café & Kitchen Fatburger