INTERVIEW: Robin Leach

Robin Leach is, well, he's Robin Leach.

How long have you been a full-time resident of Vegas?

Robin Leach: I have lived in Vegas full-time for seven years now. I love the city. I love its excitement, its pulse and the fact that away from the sins of the Strip it is a vibrant growing and extraordinarily generous community in its care for those less fortunate. It was never my intention to live full-time here but to cut down on commuting from NYC on Food Network TV business and with the executives of The Venetian before it was

planned out. I bought a small townhouse to cut down on the exhausting travel schedule, but then I fell in love with Vegas so I bought Gavin Maloof's home and made the switch from Manhattan.

You'll always be linked to the celebrity lifestyle. What are today's celebrity hot spots in Vegas? Is there a particular restaurant that really attracts the stars right now?
A battle rages between the Tao and Pure nightclubs as each week they seesaw in the No. 1 spot for claiming the top Vegas celebrity hot spot. Best celebrity spotting hotel is The Palms with its N9NE steakhouse restaurant and the new Nove, which attracts young Hollywood stars and sports VIPs alike. Tao's restaurant in The Venetian attracts numerous celebrities, as does Pure's Social House restaurant directly across the street at the Treasure Island and Pure's Pussycat Dolls lounge at Caesars. They are the best for night-time stars, and check out Spago in the Forum Shops of Caesars for daytime celebrity spotting.

You've sampled the best cuisine around the globe. Did you ever think that Vegas would become a great dining city?
I've said publicly for a long time now that Vegas is the top dining destination in the world and exceeds New York, Los Angeles, Paris and London. We simply have more superstar chefs here than any other city on earth: Joel Robuchon, Guy Savoy, Alain Ducasse, Wolfgang Puck,Thomas Keller, Michael Mina, Emeril Lagasse, Bradley Ogden, Daniel Boulud, Charlie Palmer, Bobby Flay, Todd English, Kerry Simon, Nobu Matsuhisa, Pierro Selvaggio, Alex Stratta, Julian Serrano, Jeans-Georges Vochterin and Hubert Keller, just to name a few. Back in 1998 when I first began assisting The Venetian with its plan to have the world's best chefs and their restaurants as part of the resort's masterplan I never guessed that everybody else would copy that formula. Now it's growing bigger and better everywhere else on the Strip -- but at The Venetian we still have Mario Batali and David Burke to join this winter!

Besides the obvious growth, how have you seen Vegas culture change over the years?
I'm thrilled about the development ongoing downtown. The Lou Ruvo Brain Institute for Alzheimers Research near the World Market Center speaks volumes for what Las Vegas will eventually stand for. We have flourishing support for the downtown performing arts center and that will benefit classical music, opera and ballet -- Vegas just ain't about slots and gaming tables anymore. It's the food, the entertainment, the spas that have made Vegas what it is today and that culture now expands outwards, too. Vegas will one day be proudly known as a resort city with its own distinct culture and not just as gaming central.

Do you have a single favorite restaurant in Vegas?
It's impossible to name just one favorite restaurant -- we are blessed to have so many. I'll give you a couple of my favorites: I love the comforts of Spago in Caesars and Postrio in The Venetian; I love the gastronomic experiences of Joel Robuchon at MGM and Guy Savoy at Caesars. I love the Japanese delights at Shibuya at MGM, Japonais at The Mirage and Little Buddha at the Palms. For superb steaks and sensational seafood, I recommend N9NE in the Palms, Delmonico at The Venetian and Stripsteak at Mandalay Bay. I love my Italian suppers at Valentino's and Zefferino in The Venetian and Nove at the Palms. I love the fun noisy casual mood at Simon Kitchen & Bar in the Hard Rock and I love the elegance and romance of Andre Rochat's Alize at the Palms and Fleur de Lys at Mandalay Bay. Offstrip, my two favorites are the two Nora's restaurants for Italian food and the wondrous waterside delights of the Marche Bacchus French restaurant and wine bar.

Which hotel/resort do you believe has created the finest dining experience with its collection of restaurants?
Admittedly I'm biased in favor of The Venetian for the most extraordinary collection of superb restaurants and fine dining choices. But MGM along with its Bellagio and Mirage properties are playing catch-up fast and furious! I love to see the war being fought and who knows what's next as the Luxor and Planet Hollywood unveil their new restaurants.

What is the most decadent dish you've ever been served in Vegas?
I'm all for delicious dining decadence. I'd have to tip my toque to two meals I ate from the master, Joel Robuchon. He's not called the Pope of the food world for nothing. In his Mansion I went through an 18-course meal with my friends Michael Boychuck and his wife, Karen Rader, that we'll never forget. And then the superstar chef topped that with his very own custom-made chef's tasting menu next door at his "workshop," L'Atelier. Michael Mina dazzled the night before he opened Stripsteak and Guy Savoy created art wth his offerings at Caesars. Forget the prices, though. Just sell the car, take a loan and definitely do one of them before you die! And yes, with the highest prices in town it's not only justified but worth the extravagance. To have one particular dish stand out above all others is an actual impossibility because it's the entire meal that become memorable. But I'll never forget the truffle pasta Luciano Pellegrini made for me at Valentino and the truffle ice cream David Robins at Spago conjured up. In fact, Spago has a "Rich and Famous" pizza even though it's not on the menu. Order it and you'll get smoked salmon and cream cheese on the pizza -- and you can enter the world of extravagance and decadence simultaneously by saying, "Top it with all the caviar you have!" Perfect with very expensive fine champagne ... and now you all know where "champagne wishes and caviar dreams" came from.

bartolotta, one of a kind.

Paul Bartolotta is a very celebrated chef, and his seafood-centric Italian restaurant at Wynn on the Strip is, likewise, a very celebrated destination. But no matter the richness of the resort or the dining room or the Midwest legend’s reputation, it all comes down to the food. At Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare, the food is delivered with simple elegance, in a manner reflecting the chef’s reverent respect of the region he’s trying to present to his fortunate diners.

Sure, it was named one of Esquire’s best new restaurants in 2005 and snagged the AAA Four
Diamond Award in 2006. And it earned Bartolotta another James Beard Award nomination,
even though he already won one in 1994. As grand as these accolades might be, and as
spectacular as the restaurant strikes you as you are lead through gold and rich red decor,
past columns and huge urns and down a dramatic spiral staircase to a light, plush dining room
overlooking serene waters, remember that this is a house built by a guy who loves what the
Italian seas have to offer. Yes, the place is a bank-buster, but it’s worth it with the consolation
that Bartolotta offers one of the most unique dining experiences in the city and an authentic
and creative twist on Italian food that the non-traveling American might never know.

Fish is the thing here, and it's sold whole by the gram. Seafood is delivered fresh daily, and
you don’t have to believe it because your server is going to bring you those whole, fresh fish
and shellfish on a giant silver tray and describe each of them in detail. The offerings change
frequently but sometimes include black striped bream, sea bass, turbot, spiny lobster, purple
snapper or John Dory. The preferred preparation is to roast the fish whole with a select few
seasonings, such as a white wine and clam broth, in order to bring out the subtle flavors, and
then serve them with a duo of simple but tasty sauces.

The menu is divided up in the traditional Italian manner, so you can run through your antipasti and pasta courses or mix and match. Antipasti selections are incredible and inventive, such as grilled cuttlefish with langoustines in a slightly minty tomato broth, or parmesan custard with basil, leeks and asparagus. Pasta dishes can be with or without seafood, including a creamy potato gnocci or a shellfish-laden risotto.

The presence of a restaurant like Bartolotta, and its success among the other fine options at
Wynn Las Vegas, only proves the evolution of the Vegas dining scene. A world-class, one-of-a-kind meal like this could only make sense in a one-of-a-kind place like ours.

INTERVIEW: Rick Moonen

Rick Moonen is chef/owner at RM Seafood in Mandalay Bay.

You opened at Mandalay Bay in February 2005. How was your first year in Vegas? What's the difference between operating here and in New York?

Rick Moonen: Well we've been through a lot of changes already. When we first started to make plans to come to Vegas we were partnering with Mandalay Bay, and now, of course, we're working with MGM (the parent company). MGM has been a terrific partner in the first year, but it's been a learning process and
we've had a lot of changes. I think we've stabilized now and we're doing a pretty formidable job. As for differences, well, Las Vegas is a lot more transient, obviously. It's been a bit of a challenge to learn a new market. You know, I'm an East Coast guy. I've been in New York for 30 years. But I'm not disappointed at all. Learning is an ongoing process. The market is just different. Plus, we're still learning about the locals here, and how to take care of their needs. We're all about hospitality.

You didn't originally plan to close rm seafood in New York to come to Vegas, right? You were going to maintain both?
When they first approached me, that's what I thought. Sure, I'd do it. But then I came out and I'm staring at this beautiful 16,000-square-foot space that's established, and I knew I needed to focus on Las Vegas 100 percent. There's a lot more opportunity here in Vegas.

Has your reputation and notoriety helped build your restaurants' following here, or has it been like starting over?
I knew that would be a contributing factor to my success here, but I didn't come out here to be a cocky New York chef. I came to learn. I love what I do. And Las Vegas has really become a competitive city. I mean, this is as good or better than most cities in the world. You have all the factors here. And as far as that celebrity stuff, I don't think of myself as a celebrity. I'm running a business serving extremely perishable items.

Speaking of perishable items, you're known not only for serving the freshest fish possible but also serving sustainable seafood. Can you explain the philosophy behind that?
Everything I put on my menus I've done research into in order to make sure it comes from an abundant stock, and one that is managed in an environmentally sound way. I don't serve Chilean sea bass, and I haven't for years. It's important to help educate our staff and customers to be able to make choices like this. You know, I've been going to the Fulton Fish Market for ages to get my stuff, and using these methods. I don't do it for publicity. And we're hoping to make a difference in Las Vegas, too, because so many visitors from so many different places are here, so maybe we have a better chance. You really can't order poorly from my menu as far as the environment is concerned. Did you know there's more shrimp served on a daily basis in Las Vegas than in the rest of the U.S. combined?

Has being in Las Vegas made a difference in your use of certain purveyors or having the availability of fish you're used to serving?
No. Not really. You're right next to California, and we know they have great produce and you can get a lot of great stuff from them.

What kind of unique experience do you try to offer at your two restaurants in Mandalay Bay, and what is the relationship between the downstairs r bar and the upstairs restaurant rm?
The r bar is unique because it's casual. We don't take reservations down there. You can come in straight from the pool in your shorts and flip flops and get crab cakes or clam chowder or exactly what you're looking for. It's a great place to try a bunch of side dishes and share with a group. And restaurant rm, that's our flagship. That's where we really get to shine, especially putting together the tasting menus. You know, it only seats 85 up there, so it's a small, intimate environment, a real fine dining experience. We have two separate kitchens, but there's a lot of crossover and we set it up that way on purpose. In the future, we'll be doing some sushi and some other things, but really it's all about the customer. If you want some r bar items when you're in the fine dining room, they're coming up.

INTERVIEW: Oscar Goodman

MenuVegas' very first interview is with the Happiest Mayor in the Universe, Oscar Goodman.

You've been in Las Vegas for a long time. How have you seen the dining landscape change over the years?

Oscar Goodman: I've been here forever. I came here in 1964, and back in the old days the only place to get a steak was Bob Taylor's Ranch House. And you had to psyche yourself up for the 20-minute drive to get out there. It was the only game in town.

And now you can get anything, anywhere, anytime.

Absolutely. When you look at statistics from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, it shows empirically that as for why people come to Las Vegas, number one, they come to shop, and the second reason is for food.

You grew up in Philadelphia. Ever get cravings for a great cheesesteak?

You know what I miss most is my Philadelphia pizza. I miss it every day.

What's Philly pizza like?

I can't figure it out. It just tastes better. I do miss my cheesesteaks from Pat's and other places I used to go to.

You can't find any pizza in Vegas like back home?

Well one thing I can do is call my friends over at Metro Pizza, and if I tell them about a place in Philadelphia, they'll call that place and ask how they make their pizza, and then they'll try to do it that way.

If instead of being mayor of Las Vegas today you were still a defense lawyer representing certain clients...

Reputedly.

Right, those guys. Where would those guys eat and hang out today?

That's a good question. That wasn't that long ago. But where they would go to have their business meetings, so to speak, would be the back room at Piero's, which is still around today.

Where's the downtown Vegas power lunch spot?

The Triple George Grill is very strong. Another place that's picking up is Hennessey's, on the corner of Fremont Street at the old Race Rock. Those are the two spots. But then you also have Chicago Joe's, still going strong. They have such a presence downtown. You want to know a real sleeper, one of my favorites? The Philly cheesesteak place on Fremont Street. It's an old greasy spoon, frequented only by myself and the homeless.

Do you eat out often? Do you like to try new restaurants?

I'm a man of habits. I have my places I go to. I love my wife's cooking the best. She's the best short order cook I've ever seen. She can come home dead tired and whip up a meal in a half-hour better than any place on the Strip. But we usually eat at ethnic places. We'll go to Fellini's for Italian, Hedary's for Mediterranean, Diamond China for Chinese and Lotus of Siam for Thai food. I recently had to give a speech at The Hotel at Mandalay Bay and I walked through the shopping area there (Mandalay Place), and they had some restaurants in there that looked phenomenal.

I don't want to ask you this but I have to: who mixes the best martini in town?

I do.