Unique restaurant chains link families and fun

Max Jacobson

Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2002 | 8:25 a.m.

Most people around the country think of Las Vegas as the land of the buffet and, more recently, of the celebrity chef. But our fast-growing and remarkably diverse demographic makes Las Vegas a huge test market for big national restaurant chains.

Virtually all of the major chains are located here, many with multiple locations. Some of these chains stand out, not only in terms of quality and in bang for the buck, but also with regard to originality and family appeal.

Here are four examples where all these qualities are in abundance.

Romano's Macaroni Grill

This chain, which specializes in fresh, rustic regional Italian fare, has grown to an impressive 185 locations in 35 states and five countries. Most of the restaurants have a display filled with steaks, portabella mushrooms and other fare that eventually turns up in the various dishes the chain specializes in.

Call for a table, and when on hold, there are taped Italian lessons to bide time with, a clever touch.

These are clubby dining rooms where tables are covered with butcher paper and stocked with bottles of good extra virgin olive oil for bread dipping.

Service is cheerful, friendly and kid-friendly. There are crayons for kids and adults alike for those who want to doodle while dining. "Menu & Fun" is a six-page paper menu for the kids filled with puzzles, mazes and things to draw.

Some of the menu items include mini corn dogs and a grilled cheese with waffle fries. All items are $2.99, and include a choice of beverage.

Some of the fare for grown-ups includes crisp-crusted wood-oven pizza, sun-dried tomato bisque, a terrific Tuscan-style rib-eye steak and dense, delicious lasagna, oozing a meaty ragu.

There is always fresh fish, and interesting salads such as one made with salmon "croutons," fried chunks of fresh salmon. All in all, Romano's Macaroni Grill scores high consistently.

Cheesecake Factory

This wildly successful chain opened its newest branch in the Boca Park center in Summerlin on Sept. 9. At 11:30 on a weekday morning, it's difficult to find a parking space near the front entrance.

What's the secret? It could be one of the 30-plus lush cheesecakes displayed in a front case, anything from Heath Bar Crunch to Key Lime Pie. More likely it's the encyclopedic menu and the amazing design. This might be the most beautiful new restaurant in the city.

The newest Cheesecake Factory is a soaring, Tuscan-themed room filled with etched glass, Diva lights, wicker chairs and hand-painted sconces. There is a luxurious marble floor, and plenty of room between tables. The company started life in Beverly Hills back in 1978, and this is the 55th restaurant to open.

The menu contains everything from pastas, salads and steaks to around four pages of specials, anything from chicken and dumplings to Asian-broiled ahi to Thai chicken pasta.

It's probably the most eclectic menu of any national chain. There is no kids' menu, but a few dishes for the small fry include sliders (small hamburgers), chicken wings and, of course, those cheesecakes. Come early.

Claim Jumper

Las Vegas' only Claim Jumper is located up on the upscale chain intersection capital of the valley, the corner of West Charleston Boulevard and Fort Apache Road, home to Mimi's Cafe, P.F. Chang's and that new Cheesecake Factory.

But the good news is that the company is nearing completion of a new restaurant, adjacent to the new Henderson Pavilion at Liberty Pointe, at the crossroads of Interstate 215 and Green Valley Parkway.

This is another California product, hence the Mother Lode theme.

On a good day, the restaurant does a whopping 1,200 covers. Everyone is greeted with a warm, "Hi, folks," then treated to excellent food served in enormous portions. A few of the specialties include barbecued ribs, (which are also sold under the Claim Jumper label frozen in selected supermarkets), rotisserie chicken and wood-oven pizzas.

Some Claim Jumpers have huge salad bars, but not ours. Instead, customers can order from a list of gourmet salads. The out-sized desserts, such as a foot-high chocolate layer cake and deep-dish pies the size of small bird baths, are not to be believed.

There are two, count 'em, kids' menus: Jr. Jumpers, where the prices range from $5.95 to $10.05, and Little Jumpers, where everything is $4.95 and includes juice, milk or soda. The restaurant also does takeout platters that serve either eight to 10, or 16 to 20. Prices on these range from $35 to $105.

Outback Steakhouse

There are five locations of this loosely Australian-themed dinner house here in Vegas, the best, in the view of many (including this reporter), of the mid-priced steak chains.

Waitresses greet their customers with "G'day" and with friendly smiles, and the brisk business and bad acoustics mean that these tend to be noisy, happy places. Nothing served here has ever been frozen, from the crisp French fries, called Aussie chips on this menu, to the hand-whipped cream served with desserts.

One of the most popular appetizers is the Bloomin' Onion, a battered, deep-fried onion cut into the shape of a flower, with dozens of pull-out petals. Gold Coast coconut shrimp are dipped in beer batter, then rolled in coconut and fried. But steak is what Outback does best.

All meats are USDA Choice, and are cooked on flat-top grills. The Rockhampton rib-eye is a fine 14-ounce beauty, and a nicely flavorful center-cut sirloin weighs in at 12 ounces. Most entrees are under $20.

For kids, there is a fun book with crayons and a kids' menu, where everything is $4, except the 6-ounce steak, which is $4.99.

For that price, the chain also serves Aussie chips and a drink, and it's the best five-dollar steak in town, outside a casino, that is. For dessert, try Chocolate Thunder From Down Under, a hot, nutty home-style brownie topped with fudge sauce, vanilla ice cream and that good whipped cream. No worries, mate.