Columnist Muriel Stevens: Rejuvenated Rio returning to its dining roots

Friday, April 26, 2002 | 9:29 a.m.

Muriel Stevens' dining column appears Fridays. Her shopping and travel columns appear Wednesday. Reach her at (702) 259-4080 or muriel@lasvegassun.com.

It's more than rumor that The Rio is striving to regain some of its dining glory. The passing of culinary superstar Jean-Louis Palladin and the closing of Napa discouraged locals. There are signs that parent company Harrah's brass is once again moving in the right direction.

Coming soon are three new restaurants, two with super-chef owners (still in negotiation), that will bring new vitality to The Rio's dining scene. Already signed is the Japanese Hamada. It will replace Mask.

Already in play is the smashing new Ship-Wrecked Sunday Champagne Brunch at Buzio's, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Created by Director of Culinary Operations William Becker, Ship-Wrecked's displays and food offerings are delightful.

Buzio's is a handsome sunlit room with a view of the waterfall and white-sand lagoon pool. It's a lovely locale for an upscale brunch.

Ship-Wrecked gives guests two dining options: The complete brunch is $49.99 and includes table service of a cooked-to-order entree, fresh fruit served in a martini glass, topped with a French waffle cookie and dessert. Without the entree the price is $38. All brunches include a small basket of assorted breads, complimentary champagne and a choice of juice and coffee or tea.

The buffet wraps around one section of the restaurant. Presentation and food selection is excellent, mostly high-end fish and seafood. At first glance the selection appears to be small, but there is a wide variety of foods on the tiered tables. There is no carving station, but the entree selection includes a composition of Colorado lamb -- a lamb porterhouse (loin chop), spicy Merquez sausage and lasagna of lamb tenderloin with goat cheese and lamb's lettuce (mache) -- and a petit filet of Black Canyon beef with shaved foie gras and morel butter.

My entree choice was the fritatta of Maine lobster with avocado chutney and slices of fresh buffalo mozzarella, topped with a lobster claw. The light, puffy fritatta was studded with small bits of lobster and masked with seafood beurre blanc. My companion chose the classic eggs Benedict with Canadian bacon and truffled Hollandaise. The Benedict may be ordered with smoked salmon or the Canadian bacon.

Among the buffet selections -- spring fruits and berries, chopped salad, Caesar salad and spinach salad; Sonoran crab salad covered with chunky avocado chutney; green mussels with shaved fennel; grilled tuna with potatoes Nicoise; many vegetables, including grilled asparagus with aged balsamic vinegar; seasoned sliced chicken breast; and a raw bar section with freshly shucked plump oysters and clams, tiger prawns, snow crab and king crab sections and house-made gravlax.

There's more: Chefs were manning a station with cioppino and bouillabaisse and cooking large Santa Barbara shrimp that had been marinated and skewered. Most beautiful of all was the whole salmon that had been scored and cooked in a bamboo basket.

Ship-Wrecked offers a selection of wines by the glass ($4 to $20) and specialty cocktails ($4.50 to $9.50).

Becker said the food selection will change seasonally. At this point the champagne being poured is Tattinger, a fine French champagne. Hopefully, it will continue. It's a good bubbly.

For Sunday brunch reservations call 777-7923.

Short orders

Ethel M suggests: What better gift for a loyal administrative assistant than Ethel M chocolates? Administrative Professionals Week (formerly Secretary's Day), ends Saturday, so don't delay. While at Ethel M's check out the new flavors. I like the strawberry-shaped one and the caramel nut patty, but wouldn't turn down any of the new or old flavors. Two new Las Vegas stores have been added: one is at Circus Circus, the other at Sam's Town inside the climate-controlled Mystic Falls Park.

More APW: Bring an aide to McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant to celebrate APW week and receive a free two-for-one pass to see "Chippendale's, The Show," at The Rio. A few of the Chippendale hunks will be at the restaurant each day from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to greet APW's and pose for pix. Reservations are suggested and guests should advise the restaurant when making the reservation that they are taking advantage of the Fish & Chips Secretaries Day offer.

New at Original Pancake House: How sweet it is. OPH has added Macadamia Nut White Chocolate Chip Pancakes to the extensive menu. This new sweet treat is being offered at the Original Pancake House at Cheyenne Avenue and Durango Drive.

Free scoop night at Baskin Robbins: Baskin Robbins stores nationwide offer free scoops to anyone stopping by Wednesday, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. For every free scoop served BR will make a donation to First Book, a national nonprofit do-gooder that provides free, new books to children from low-income families. Don't drip on any books.

Buca di Beppo downsizes for two: Two Buca di Beppo locations, 7690 W. Lake Mead Blvd. and 412 E. Flamingo Road, are featuring Buca Per Due (Buca for Two), making it easier for two diners to dine without carrying home heaps of leftovers. I suspect that even these combination platters will tax all but the heartiest eaters.

Hyatt Resorts good to kids: Kids Stay, Play and Eat Free packages are available to families at 16 Hyatt resorts in the continental United States, Hawaii and Caribbean from June 1 to Aug. 31. This new package offers a free night based on minimum length of stay, one complimentary day session at Camp Hyatt for each child (up to two per room) and free meals for youngsters under 12 when accompanied an adult who purchases a meal. There's much more, so contact the Hyatt of your choice to learn if they are participating. For more information call (800) 233-1234.

Alaskan brown king crab at McComick & Schmick's: Don't delay, the season is short for brown Alaskan king crab. I enjoyed the delicacy in Vancouver and have never forgotten the sweet taste of this "golden" crab. Three species of snow crabs are harvested in Alaska -- red, blue and brown. Brown or golden crab comes from southeast Alaska. Ask, when making a reservation, if the brown king crab is still available. Call 836-9000.

Seafood buffet at Sam's Town: Sam's Town is featuring a seafood night at the the Firelight Buffet ($15.99) every Friday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Included are mahi mahi, broiled salmon, haddock, fried catfish, seafood Newburg, peel-and-eat shrimp, oysters on the half shell, hot and cold crab, marinated mussels, clams, scallops and sushi, as well as a wide array of salads, fruits, vegetables, breads and desserts.

Parts for appliances: Don't throw away those older small appliances. Culinary Parts Unlimited can supply parts and accessories for more than 35 top brands of small kitchen appliances. And doing business with this friendly company is a joy. Call (800) 543-7549 for additional info.