DELECTABLE DINING IN DOWNTOWN LAS VEGAS

By Heather Turk

Off-strip restaurants taste buds are sure to love

The dining scene in downtown Las Vegas continues to be one of the city’s best-kept secrets, offering guests a cornucopia of restaurants that are as distinctive as they are delicious.

At Oscar’s Steakhouse, guests can savor a selection of perfectly aged steaks cooked over a 600-degree grill while overlooking Fremont Street Experience’s Viva Vision canopy from inside the Plaza Hotel & Casino’s iconic glass dome. Named after former mayor Oscar Goodman, the old-school steakhouse serves a variety of flavorful dishes that are sure to impress even the most discerning diner. While the steaks are a must for first-time guests, repeat visitors will find non-beef selections like the Skuna Bay Salmon and the Moose’s Glazed Pork Belly appetizer with a jalapeñokumquat glaze equally delightful. plazahotelcasino.com/oscars

Siegel’s 1941 inside El Cortez Hotel & Casino offers guests another old-school dining experience. Diners can relish a menu of skillfully prepared classics, including juicy prime rib By Heather Turk available in three cuts (12 ounces, 16 ounces or an 8-ounce special served 24 hours a day for just $14.95), while sitting among black-and-white photographs of Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel and watching classic Vegas movies like the original “Ocean’s 11.” Until the end of May, guests can even enjoy succulent stone crab every Friday and Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. for $49 a pound, while supplies last. elcortezhotelcasino.com/ dining/siegels-1941

Oscar’s Steakhouse

The dumplings at 8 East can be prepared steamed or pan fried

Recent restaurant additions like 8 East inside Circa Resort & Casino are also helping put downtown Las Vegas on the culinary map. Offering a creative take on PanAsian cuisine, the intimate eatery features an array of small plates that are big on flavor, like the pan-fried Short Rib Dumplings and the Musubi Bites. Several entrées are available, too, including diced Brisket or Lobster Fried Rice. While many of the dishes are easily shareable, you’ll likely want them all to yourself! 8eastlv.com