New Aladdin revives mystique of original

Friday, Aug. 18, 2000 | 11:42 a.m.

To Aladdin President and Chief Operating Officer Bill Timmons, the imploded Aladdin is more than just a memory. To him this colorful name is a part of Las Vegas history that will never be forgotten.

"The Aladdin is a magnificent new resort that bears the mystique of the original," he said. "And it is the only new resort that still bears the name of the original.

"We've kept the memories and the name. And while it might sound trite, we've assembled a crew of people that will lead us to success. Many were longtime staffers at hotels that were acquired, and they brought in their own people. They're all happy to be part of the new Aladdin. Their spirit and morale is sky high."

Just hours from opening, everything appeared to be well under control. The design of the Aladdin is impressive. True to its "Arabian Nights" theme, there is whimsy and wonder in the decor and appointments. Huge murals follow the story lines told in "1,001 Arabian Nights." Each of the themed bars is a show in itself with flying carpets, winged horses and flower murals that "bloom" to the sound of music.

The Roc Nest bar, where a Roc's "egg" is the centerpiece, is captivating. On one wall a surreal, giant-sized eye, open wide, is mesmerizing. Close by the bar is Sinbad's Palace, devoted to high-end gaming, which is one of the hotel's smaller gaming rooms. These intimate gaming salons, open to the public, emulate the exclusive private gaming rooms found in Europe's finest casinos.

Dining at the Aladdin can be as stylish or as casual as you wish:

* The London Club at Aladdin, the first European gaming club in Las Vegas, is known for service, food and amenities. Owned by London Clubs International, which operates 11 casinos worldwide, the London Club is a showstopper.

This separate casino and dining complex is spacious and lovely, with an attached lounge, three restaurants and wonderful views of Paris and Bellagio. The decor, furnishings and art are smashing. Sophisticated yet without pretension, the London Club has great appeal.

The dining room menu features European, Asian and Middle Eastern dishes created by Chef Jacques Van Staden and his staff. Among the many foods offered are Kobe beef tartare, peekytoe crab salad, pan-seared Dover sole, peppered bison filet (European), shark's fin and bird's nest soups, stir fries, braised abalone, boneless crispy duck (Asian), hot and cold mezze, grilled sturgeon, grilled lamb chops and chicken or beef skewers (Middle Eastern). Guests can order courses from any of the menus. It's an exciting concept.

The wine list includes at least 600 selections. Of course, there's much more. Reservations are advised.

Chef de cuisine Mario Capone, formerly of Neros at Caesars, is a terrific chef with exceptional skills. Capone is working in tandem with Director of Fine Dining and Wine Michael Credico. Tremezzo, on the mezzanine level, is open for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch.

Casual fare is offered for lunch: panini, salads and soups, first courses, pastas and risottos, and a selection of entrees. Prices are moderate. Typical of the many selections on the larger dinner menu are such dishes as wide pappardelle noodles with veal Bolognese, grilled jumbo shrimp with blood orange butter, agnolotti filled with butternut squash and a grilled veal chop with a crispy risotto cake.

The wine list is excellent, and there are at least 20 wines available by the glass. Reservations are suggested for dinner.

Many of the raw bar selections are available, too, on the dining-room menu. And there's pan-seared Hudson Valley foie gras, salads and a smoked, creamy onion soup. Maine lobster, striped bass and other fish are offered along with a selection of meats: braised short ribs, peppered ribeye, wood-grilled porterhouse, herbed rack of lamb, New York steak, filet mignon and a boneless whole chicken.

Elements has a splendid view of the casino action. Dinner only.

There are seven food stations situated around the room. Two are salad stations. A Middle Eastern station, said to be the only one in town, has a special grill for cooking kebobs. And there's Mexican, Italian and Asian stations and a seafood station with crab legs, shrimp, sushi and would-you-believe turbot and other cooked fish.

And wait until you taste the desserts. Pastry Chef Manfred Schmidhuber and his staff were preparing desserts of all kinds in preparation for the opening. Schmidhuber is an inspired pastry chef. I've been a fan of his for many years. Everything I tasted was wonderful: a superb, custardy bread pudding; cherry-cheese coffee cake, small cakes of all description and a most delicious apple strudel studded with raisins. I've been told that the rum-raisin rice pudding is memorable Prices are moderate.

The food will be mostly the same as in the other P.F.C's, although the menu has been streamlined and some slow-cooked dishes have been added, but the setting is far from formulaic.

The two-story restaurant is built right into the hotel's dramatic facade facing the strip. Restaurant seating is on two levels and there's an outdoor patio with a view of a stunning waterfall. Prices are the same as in the other P.F.Chang's.

"This is the biggest project for the company," Katzman said. "People will be impressed by the level of the decor. We're doing this right, and we're doing it Las Vegas style with private booths and dining rooms and two bars."

With Desert Passage right next door, shopping at the Aladdin is limited to:

By the time the Aladdin grand opening takes place in October, the showroom and a full-service spa should be completed.

Meanwhile, there's much to enjoy at the new Aladdin.