Columnist Muriel Stevens: New Marriott Suites features quaint, quiet eatery

Friday, Sept. 4, 1998 | 10:08 a.m.

An invitation to dine at Allie's American Grille, in the newest Las Vegas Marriott Suites Hotel on Convention Center Drive, was a pleasant surprise.

Located one block from the Convention Center, the new Marriott Suites has 199 suites, 69 executive suites, 8 handicap-accessible suites and two hospitality suites complete with a board room table, wet bar, living room area and a bedroom.

The ground level includes a comfortable lobby, Windows lounge and bar (light fare and drinks) and Allie's American Grille, where my friends and I dined -- a casual restaurant specializing in American fare with some Southwestern touches.

Allie's is an attractive, all-purpose dining room serving breakfast (6:30-11 a.m., Monday-Friday; 7 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday and Sunday), lunch (11 a.m.-2 p.m., Monday-Friday; 1-5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday) and dinner (daily, 5-10 p.m.).

This is the season for Coho salmon. The season doesn't last long for this delicious salmon, so the Marriott chefs are making the most of it by creating dishes to celebrate the run of this wild salmon from Alaska.

A separate menu, available only at dinner now through Sept. 25, offered two Coho salmon appetizers and three entrees created by Chef Curtis James.

There were three of us, so we decided to order each of the three entrees and share the two appetizers. I always get to do the sharing. Having grown up with three siblings, I know the importance of giving everyone their fair share. Besides, having paid my dues in the kitchen, I'm a neat slicer.

Slices of citrus-cured house salmon ($6.95) were served with a savory herbed cheesecake; five spice salmon egg roll ($5.95) was a plump egg roll cut diagonally into three slices, then arranged on end to give it a bit of pizzazz. A sake-orange ponzu sauce was a nice touch. The two appetizers were more than enough for the three of us. The size of the portions was an indication of the generous portions to come.

My choice was the ginger-glazed salmon surrounded by paper-thin orange slices and a Napa cabbage salad ($13.95). I shared it, reluctantly. It was very good. Also good were the bow tie pasta with chunks of salmon, sun dried tomatoes and spinach sauced with a light dill cream ($12.50) and the Mediterranean-style seared salmon with roasted new potatoes, olives, tomato and minted snap peas ($16.95).

We felt so virtuous after eating such healthy fare that we ended our meal with two of the signature desserts -- a luscious slice of Key Lime pie ($3.75) and a slice of Snickers pie ($4.25). The Key Lime was, by far, the best. This delicate and refreshing dessert was developed by Mrs. Alice (Allie) Marriott. The restaurant is named for her. We lingered long after dinner, enjoying the ability to talk without having to shout over the din of other diners. Allie's is a relaxing, enjoyable restaurant.

Allie's lunch and dinner menus change regularly. Always available on both are appetizers and entrees. Salads, sandwiches and pastas are regular features at both lunch and dinner.

Prices are moderate. Entree prices are as low as $7.25 for pasta; $10.95 for roasted chicken or teriyaki salmon. All entrees are served with vegetable and starch. A typical dish is the glazed teriyaki salmon served with sauteed bok choy and mashed yams.

Some of the dishes are noted with a heart on the menu indicating they are lower in fat and calories. The calorie and fat contents are also listed.

At breakfast there's a Healthy Start Buffet ($7.95) with oatmeal, assorted cold cereals and fresh fruit and yogurt and an All American Buffet ($9.95) that includes all of the above, as well as cooked-to-order eggs, potatoes, bacon and sausage. A la carte traditional breakfast items also are available.

Allie's American Grille is not a fine dining room with an extensive menu, but it is an enjoyable place to dine when looking for reasonably priced food, good service and pleasant surroundings.

Short orders

*Stratosphere hosts wine dinner

Top of the World restaurant at the Stratosphere will host a Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve wine dinner Sept. 16. Space is limited for this grand event, so don't delay making reservations. The $60 all-inclusive price includes a reception, five elegant courses created by Executive Chef Michael Njorge and Chef de Cuisine Joe Larivee, and six excellent wines. For reservations, call Karla Sieler at 380-7742.

*Sortland Kraft finalist

Congratulations to Las Vegan Karla Sortland, who is a finalist in Kraft's Flavor Search contest. Contestants had to create a new recipe using one of the Kraft barbecue sauces. So far, she has won $1,500 in prizes for her "Tangy Taste of the Tropics Barbecue Sauce." To come up with her winning recipe, Sortland added mangos, ginger, pineapple, lime juice and jerk seasoning to Kraft Thick n' Spicy Barbecue sauce. The winner of the $25,000 grand prize will be announced in spring '99. Good luck, Linda. You could be our first Grand Prize cooking contest winner.

*New Asian buffet

An abundance of Chinese and Japanese dishes is offered at the newest of our ever-growing list of Asian buffets. Classic Buffet is near the Sav-On shopping center on Tropicana at Pecos. Sparkling clean and attractive, the restaurant was packed the day I stopped by to check it out. Everything is fresh. No canned foods are used. More than 100 items are rotated regularly. Prices are $6.95 at lunch; $8.95 at dinner. Soft drinks or hot or iced tea are included in the price. Hours are 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.