Columnist Muriel Stevens: Bellagio’s restaurants are thriving once again

Friday, Nov. 2, 2001 | 9:27 a.m.

Muriel Stevens' dining column appears Fridays. Her shopping and travel columns appear Friday. Reach her muriel@lasvegassun.com or at 259-4080.

How exciting it was to see the turnaround at Bellagio restaurants Monday evening. After dining with friends at a packed Shintaro, we visited Picasso, Prime, Le Cirque and Circo to see how they were doing. I'm happy to report that each room was booked solid, and at Picasso the small terrace was also filled with diners.

Quite a change from the drastic slump immediately following the tragedies in New York and Washington.

Many of the MGM MIRAGE properties had curtailed restaurant hours. At Bellagio restrictions are gradually being removed. Le Cirque is again serving dinner nightly; Circo is serving lunch Wednesday through Sunday and dinner nightly. Prime and Aqua's hours had remained the same. Both continue to serve dinner nightly.

Shintaro, where we dined, also serves dinner nightly. Shintaro is a lovely contemporary-style Japanese restaurant. Everything is just about perfect, from the food to the service to the decor. Diners can opt for the casual sushi bar, the teppan room where the cooking is done at the table, or the dining room and terrace.

Encouraged by the benevolent weather, and at General Manager Michael Shigemoto's urging, we decided to dine on the terrace. The combination of the glorious food, the peace and comfort of the terrace and the fountain display was matchless.

We all opted for the tasting dinner ($70 per person), six courses, including dessert. Each course offered a melange of flavors so subtly added, we played a guessing game while trying to name each component. Part of the joy of a sampling dinner at Shintaro is that Chef de Cuisine Sean O'Connell comes to the table to discuss each course. It's a proud moment when learning that you actually knew what you were eating. Chef Sean introduces the courses to all who choose to dine this way. It's important to tell him about any foods you do not eat. Adventurers give him free range and are never disappointed.

Teppan-Yaki dinners ($45 and up) are cooked at the large communal tables by your very own chef. Dinners include Aka miso soup, a salad of Asian greens with ginger dressing, seasonal vegetables, steamed or fried rice, a choice of entree and a special Valrhona chocolate dessert. Entree choices "merge the contemporary with the classic" -- char-broiled teriyaki beef with wasabi mashed potatoes and tempura of miso sea bass with red shrimp and Kaiware sprouts are just a few.

New menus will go into effect shortly. Another reason why I must return to Shintaro, soon. For reservations call 693-7111.

Helping the home team: More than 150 generous diners contributed to last week's fund-raiser at Mark DiMartino's Tillerman restaurant, for local families of displaced hospitality workers and deployed military personnel.

The entire Tillerman staff donated their time and DiMartino donated the food. The $9,500 raised will certainly help. Said DiMartino: "I feel that everyone in our community should join together during these trying times. This charity event was our way of reaching out to the community and helping the displaced workers."

Among the many who attended were Van Heffner, director of the Nevada Restaurant Association and Nevada Hotel & Motel Lodging Association; radio personalities Mike O'Brien and Lark Williams (KXPT 97.1-FM); Kevin Dubrow, vocalist for Quiet Riot; and Stuart Roy, Southern Wine & Spirits.

The Tillerman at 2245 E. Flamingo Road is a longtime local favorite seafood and steakhouse. Dinner is offered Monday through Friday, 5-10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 5-11 p.m. For reservations or more information call 731-4036.

Free pizza at Sammy's: Sammy's will put its pizza ovens on high during the Cancer Society's Great American Smoke Out, Nov. 15.

"I quit smoking 15 years ago," said Sami Ladeki, founder of Sammy's Woodfired Pizza. "I want to encourage others to break the habit and become better role models for younger people."

Smokers who turn in their last pack of cigarettes and sign a nonsmoking pledge at any of the three Sammy's Woodfired Pizza locations will receive a free gourmet pizza. Hours for the free pizza giveaway are 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Stopping smoking for just 24 hours can put you on the track to better health and restore your dulled taste buds so you can appreciate those delicious Sammy's pizzas.

Las Vegas Odyssey to return: Myriad wine tastings, cooking demos and special dinners will be part of Las Vegas Odyssey 2001: A Celebration of Wine, Food and Art taking place at various venues Nov. 15-18.

Among the many highlights: Chefs Wendy and Michael Jordan, owners of Rosemary's restaurant, join Aureole Las Vegas Executive Chef Joe Romano and his wife, Chef Meghan Romano, for "A Taste of the World" dinner at Rosemary's, Nov. 16; Julian Serrano will present a cooking demonstration and lunch at Picasso at Bellagio. With Serrano will be San Francisco's Narsai David, star of KCBS radio's "Food News with Narsai David"; the piece de resistance will be the Masters Dinner with a live auction and dance -- a portion of the proceeds will go to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Ten chefs will work in pairs to create five courses -- Arnald Briand and Carlos Guia, Terence Fong and Luciano Pellegrini, Andre Rochat and Joe Romano, Michael Jordan and Gustav Mauler and Robert Kirchoff and John Lagrone. Many wine seminars will be held. Wine valued at more than $1 million will be poured.

Ticket prices range from $75-$350. Promotional packages are available. For tickets or additional information call (888) 335-2178.