Dinner theater serves variety

Monday, Dec. 19, 2005 | 8:54 a.m.

Ben Ardito and Gary Sax have been trying to find the right recipe for entertainment to make their downtown nightclub/restaurant work since opening their doors for business more than a year ago.

Country. Jazz. R&B.

"Nothing worked," said Ardito, a Florida businessman. "People are afraid to come downtown.

"We've got to let people know that downtown is safe. The police are here. The city is cleaning up the neighborhood. I've got off-street parking. We've got security all night -- there has not been one single incident here in a year. Our customers are safe. We've got to let people know that."

Ardito, whose home and family are still in Florida, came to Vegas at the urging of Sax -- the two men are partners in Sax Entertainment Group, a company that (among other things) produces films and commercials.

"He called me up one day and said the city is opening a new entertainment district and I should come out and take a look," Ardito said.

He flew out, talked to Mayor Oscar Goodman and others and liked what he heard and saw.

He opened the restaurant Benedetto's and nightclub Take 1 at the Day's Inn, 707 E. Fremont St.

"More than 250 people came to the grand opening," Ardito said. "The major judges, businessmen. Everybody promised us the moon."

But he hasn't heard from them since.

So he and Sax (and Ardito's son, John) have been going it alone.

After about four months Ardito said he realized he needed to turn his restaurant over to someone else so that he could spend more time in front with the customers and taking care of business.

"These guys came in from California in July and said they wanted to open a Cajun restaurant," Ardito said.

He liked the idea and leased that part of the business to them.

Benedetto's (which specialized in Italian cuisine) became the Bayou Cajun Restaurant, specializing in Cajun and Italian.

The new owners hired Chef Rodney Molese, a native of New Orleans who was displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

However, the lease arrangement didn't work out and Ardito reclaimed the restaurant, keeping the new menu and the chef.

"I knew he was good," Ardito said.

With a new menu, he decided he needed new entertainment.

When he heard Bobby Ruffin (and his tribute show to the Drifters) was looking for a place to perform after leaving Fitzgeralds, he decided to have a dinner theater featuring them and other performers.

For $29.95 customers can have a four-course dinner and entertainment five nights a week.

Or, if you prefer a dinner without entertainment, you can dine in a separate area and choose from a full menu.

"There's no place to go for an actual dinner show without having to walk a mile through a casino," Ardito said.

Entertainment includes dinner (at 7 p.m.) and a variety show led by comedian Stephano at 8 p.m., with a second show at 10 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Fridays is another revue, hosted by vocalist Maryam.

Bobby Ruffin's Tribute to the Drifters performs Mondays and Wednesdays.

"We finally have found a nice venue," Ruffin said. "The place is perfect."

Ruffin, who was with the Drifters from 1971-75, says his show focuses more on himself than the Drifters.

"I'm not trying to sell to the public the Drifters," he said. "I'm selling Bobby Ruffin's legacy with the Drifters -- I just have two or three guys with me to give the show some flavor."

Jerry Fink can be reached at 259-4058 or at jerry@lasvegassun.com.