New Italian restaurant near Las Vegas Strip makes a bid for locals

At the new Zio’s restaurant in the Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel, the lasagna encompasses 20 layers — thin strata of pasta, Bolognese and béchamel that are weighted down after cooking, then given a gently crisp and cheesy crust on the grill. Marinara drapes (but never smothers) the lasagna; a gust of basil completes matters.

Lasagna is typically a lusty affair, often messy (that’s the point, some would say), but also undeniably appealing. The 20 layers of the Zio’s version add elegance and delicacy, almost like a savory opera cake or petit four. Executive chef Carlos Garcia calls the lasagna a showstopper on a menu featuring “our twists on Italian classics.”

Zio’s, which opens Tuesday, replaces Envy the Steakhouse, which launched around the same time the Renaissance opened in December 2004. This summer, the space closed for about two months for its renovation and redesign as Zio’s.

Envy mainly flew under the radar for years, though the hotel enjoys a prime location. It lies on Paradise Road behind Wynn Las Vegas and next to the Las Vegas Convention Center — close to the Strip but without the crowds and traffic. The parking garage is easy to access, with validation for Vegas residents who are dining. Valet parking is also free for locals during dinner service.

The Zio’s team hopes to take these pluses, along with a new look and a menu headlined by the lasagna, to broaden the reach of the restaurant beyond hotel guests and other visitors.

“We’re super-excited to open and try and get the feedback from the crowd and target our local community,” Garcia said. “The push is to get locals.”

Crazy water

Dinner at Zio’s (3400 Paradise Road; zioslv.com) might begin with burrata and beets: a big blob of burrata encircled by roasted beets and ruby red grapefruit tossed in Campari vinaigrette, everything spattered with crushed pistachios.

Acqua pazza, or “crazy water” in Italian, refers to an herbed broth used to poach fish. At Zio’s, Garcia grills a 6-ounce piece of tuna instead of poaching it, then sets the fish in his version of acqua pazza made using olive oil, chili, lemon zest, cherry tomatoes and diced fennel roasted with orange juice.

Instead of the usual rigatoni, Garcia deploys lumache, a shell pasta with a pinched end, for the alla vodka preparation. “We decided to go with that pasta. It’s a better bite, with a kick of Calabrian chili paste,” the chef said.

Artisan crumbs

Veal Parmigiana robed in golden breading arrives classically accoutered: marinara, mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano.

”We make our own Italian breadcrumbs. We take our two-day old focaccia, toast it and cool it,” Garcia said, adding that for the veal Parmigiana, he mixes panko with the Italian breadcrumbs.

As a nod to its steakhouse predecessor, the dinner menu offers six cuts, including a 32-ounce porterhouse and a 32-ounce long-bone tomahawk.

At any point in the meal, take a moment to swipe mascarpone (perfected with a touch of sea salt) across slices of house focaccia sporting a dimpled airy crumb.

Painted marble

Zio means “uncle” in Italian, and its use for the restaurant name “was inspired by an Italian American family where the uncle is always cooking,” said Rodrigo Marin, director of food and beverage for the Renaissance. “It’s like your uncle’s place, and you feel at home.”

This particular uncle has new digs, with plush circular booths in forest green, flowing drapes in blush pink, tables set with deep purple chairs, and columns clad in stone or wood.

A barrel vaulted ceiling, painted with faux marbre technique, runs along one side of the restaurant. Near the open kitchen, a wall holds a cluster of images of Italy: a watercolor Venetian palazzo, a vintage photograph of the Colosseum, wedges of cheese set out for sale in a market, an old yellow Fiat parked in front of a church.

Food for thought

The restaurant seats about 140 in the dining room and 75 on the terrace. Zio’s has added a roomy lounge, something the old steakhouse didn’t have, by taking over the space once occupied by Grill 55. Zio’s also serves lunch; three standouts are the eggplant, meatball and chicken Parm sandwiches.

At lunch and dinner, Zio’s tiramisù makes an appearance, fashioned from coffee-soaked ladyfingers, nicino walnut liqueur, whipped mascarpone and cocoa. The dish stacks up nicely, but what would a 20-layer tiramisù look like?

Contact Johnathan L. Wright at jwright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @JLWTaste on Instagram.