vintner grill.

Vintner Grill resides in an unfortunate location. Sure, it's in Summerlin, a nice part of town, but more specifically it's hiding among tall buildings in a quiet office park. This must have helped the restaurant build its reputation as a West side professional power luncheon, but it's really too nice of a place with too fascinating of a menu to be hiding out anywhere. Summerlin boasts the best dining options of any Vegas suburban area, and Vintner Grill is at or near the top of the list.

Executive chef Matthew Silverman -- also the guy behind the cuisine at the local Roadrunner bar chain and Agave Mexican restaurant -- shines at Vintner with a Americanized bistro menu accented by Mediterranean flair. Dining here on New Year's Eve, our party feasted on delicately seared diver scallops with sweet corn risotto, a stunning, crispy half-chicken with mac and cheese, and a wood-fired smoked mozzarella flatbread. The restaurant, decked out in modern whites and greens, complete with a multi-canopied patio and feeling quite San Francisco-ish, was packed on this special occasion and the service was up for the challenge. They knew the menu backwards and forwards, including the expansive selection of fine cheese and charcuterie that many choose to start their meal with. This feature is rare in Vegas, especially off-Strip, and we took advantage of it at a more recent dinner at the bar.

Accompanying our cocktails were small portions of aged Wisconsin cheddar, creamy yet full Colorado goat cheese and slices of smoked duck breast, cured to a ham-like consistency. The halibut with couscous was simply prepared and delicious if one of the least exciting dishes on the menu. Sweet, firm pumpkin gnocchi, on the other hand, proved truly unique. A butter lettuce salad with warm brie and orange balsamic dressing is another favorite.

Some dessert options are furnished by the luxury chocolate store Vosges. Vintner Grill has a great bar and a great wine list to complement the interesting cuisine. It might be hard to find, but many jewels of Vegas dining are. The neighbors are lucky, and for everyone else, it's worth a trip.

simon at palms place.

Despite the fact that celebrity chef Kerry Simon is a real easygoing guy and he's been happy to talk to us on several occasions, our much delayed debut at his eponymous Palms Place restaurant was a little flat. Don't get me wrong; he's a very busy dude and we are far from the tourist diner who expects to see every famous chef in the kitchen. It wasn't that. And it wasn't the menu, which looks to be a tasty hodgepodge of steakhouse/sushi/Californian cuisine. And it certainly isn't the decor, since the restaurant is wrapped by a swanky, cabana-laden pool, accented by a neat sushi bar, a fireplace, and a super-mod wooden and white, space lounge. It's a cool room.

It was the underwhelming combination of all those things, and some downright bland food and drink. A spicy yellowtail roll was fresh and energizing, but you can't really fuck up fresh fish with jalapeno. A southwestern-style turkey chopped salad had no taste whatsoever, basically lettuce with very few tiny bits of meat, cheese, black beans and corn. And the signature cocktails we sampled -- a mojito with squished grapes and a citrus martini spinoff -- were mediocre at best. The cocktail menu is uninspired, leaning heavily on vodka and fruit that doesn't taste so fresh.

I haven't yet attended Simon's newly infamous Sunday Brunch, and I can see how that would work well in this not-so-Vegasy space, which feels like a resort rooftop in some fast-paced metropolitan destination. But after this quick snack and booze sampling, I wasn't left with an impression that will bring me back for dinner anytime soon. In fact, the mild disappointment sent us searching for satisfaction elsewhere. We found better booze at the Rojo Lounge, the lobby bar of Palms Place, and then better food and dinner atmosphere at Summerlin's Vintner Grill.