Columnist Muriel Stevens: Las Vegas feeding hunger for new restaurants

Friday, June 4, 2004 | 8:57 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.

Once again Las Vegas is on a restaurant roll. From now through the fall a flurry of new restaurants will be opening almost weekly. Much of the action is taking place at MGM Grand properties.

How many new concepts in food and design can there be? For a taste, read on.

Ravings for Cravings: Cravings, the new "all-you-can-eat dining experience" (aka buffet) at The Mirage, served more than 4,000 covers each day of the holiday weekend. That's a plentitude of food.

There are exceptional services at Cravings. Made-to-order salads (choose your ingredients and dressing -- the chef will toss it, season it, dress it and give it to you), pasta cooked al dente while you watch and food choices not seen before have raised the bar high for this kind of dining.

There are no steam tables, since almost all of the foods are cooked to order. Close your eyes and imagine that it's Mama arranging the antipasti on the beautiful platter. Designer serving pieces and unusual accessories are part of a Cravings meal.

Guests took the time to pass on their comments to Mirage Vice President of Food and Beverage Bart Mahoney. All of the remarks were favorable. Some guests were so pleased with their first experience they returned so that they could taste all of the meals.

Pizzas, fresh from the special oven, won rave reviews. The most favored foods? "The Asian selection," Mahoney said. "The dim sum and sushi stations worked non-stop."

Room Chef Michael Carritan, who honed his organizational skills at the Four Seasons and Spago in Chicago, is a good fit for Cravings. Keeping the cooking action at top level are executive chefs from some of The Mirage fine dining rooms: Dennis Diddio of Onda, Reuben Lopez from Samba Grill, Billy Cheng from Moongate and Russ Harry from Kokomo's.

Each keeps an eye on two or three stations for a few hours during peak dining times. Chef Harry oversees the rotisserie and carving stations.

Cravings' design features are outstanding. The magic of Adam Tihany's creativity captivates everyone, including the designer. This was a first for Tihany. The world is covered with his restaurants, yet this was his first all-you-can-eat project, and he fell in love with it. I'm in love with the marble that is a dead ringer for exotic wood.

So much to see, so much to taste ... and so much more to come.

Cravings' day begins with breakfast at 7 a.m. ($12.50); dinner ($20.50) ends at 10 p.m. For more information call 791-7111.

Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill at MGM Grand: Situated in the space formerly called Wolfgang Puck Cafe is the new Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill. This hip concept is a beautiful change. Conceived by noted architect/designer Tony Chi, the decor emulates the California patio lifestyle. Think bungalow.

"Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill will provide an oasis of casual California outdoor living," said Chi.

And there's casual California-style cuisine to match. Still in the final stages, the menu will typically include appetizers (large bites), soups and salads; grilled panini sandwiches and focaccia; pizzas from a wood-burning oven and calzone; main courses; a number of grilled items and a host of side dishes. And while the names of some of the dishes may sound familiar, they are all new -- even the pizza toppings.

Everything from a prime burger to the Italian favorite fritto misto will be offered.

"It's very bar and grillish," a Puck spokesperson said. The comfy bar is bound to become a popular hangout. Always available are a number of small bites and bar snacks. A separate bar menu is available at dinner.

Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill is a casual, comforting dining place where guests can relax and chill. A mid-June opening is anticipated, but with a little tweaking it might be sooner.

Diego Mexican restaurant at MGM Grand: June 30, when Diego opens at MGM Grand, there will be no celebrity chef in the kitchen. "The star of this restaurant is the food and the environment," said MGM Grand Director of Food and Beverage Tony Angotti.

When asked how he would define the food at Diego, he responded, "Everything for everybody."

As Angotti describes it, Diego is a vibrant eatery with a menu that reflects the best Mexico has to offer, including savory Mexican street foods. Still waxing poetic, Angotti continued, "The flavors are unbelievable. The salsa cart is terrific, and wait until you taste the guacamole prepared tableside."

"There is no decor like Diego's. It is awash with a color palette never seen in a restaurant before."

And then he told me about the tequila program. What could be new about a bunch of tequila bottles on a shelf? Not much. That's why Angotti and Stephen Judge, vice president of food and beverage, hired the Ambassador of Tequila for the U.S. as a consultant. This consultant was appointed by the Mexican government and is the real thing.

And, according to Angotti, Diego's tequilas will include some of the rarest found anywhere. The consultant "has sourced Chinaco Black Label, the rarest tequila in the world." This is serious tequila. One shot could cost more than dinner.

Of course, there are many other tequilas, some so phenomenal that only a few bottles are available. For tequila aficionados, Diego will offer a unique tequila-tasting opportunity.

Among the desserts are margarita popsicles, sweet and sour cotton candy, tequila sorbet shooters. Ole, Diego. We're happy you're on the way!

Short orders

Geyser Peak wine dinner at Roy's: A five-course dinner with Geyser Peak wines at Roy's Summerlin will include owner/founder Roy Yamaguchi. This special dinner is $75 per person (does not include tax or tip). Included are papaya-cucumber gazpacho, Mizuna greens salad, arborio-crusted Hawaiian Opah fish, Szechuan peppercorn grilled lamb strip loin and a white chocolate blackberry marquise with blackberry and white chocolate mousse for dessert.

Geyser Peak wine pairings with each course: 2002 Geyser Peak Sauvignon Blanc, 1999 Geyser Peak Reserve Meritage, 2002 Geyser Peak Chardonnay, 2000 Geyser Peak Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and with dessert, 2000 Shiraz Vintage Port.

For reservations for the June 7 event call 838-3621.

Michael Mina opens signature restaurant in San Francisco: On June 15 celebrated chef Michael Mina will open his "magnum opus" Michael Mina in San Francisco's historic Westin St. Francis on Union Square. Renowned California designer Barbara Barry worked closely with Mina to create the ultimate elegant background to complement the cuisine. Michael Mina is the culmination of Mina's dreams. Michael Mina will serve dinner Sunday through Thursday 5:30 to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 5:30 to 11 p.m.; afternoon tea 2 to 4:30 p.m. daily. For reservations call (415) 397-9222.