Heidi’s Picks
Heidi's Picks is a weekly selection of restaurant suggestions from Review-Journal critic Heidi Knapp Rinella. Price symbols are based on the cost of an average entree: $ = entrees less than $10; $$ = entrees between $10 and $20; $$$ = entrees between $20 and $30; and $$$$ = entrees more than $30.
CHART HOUSE
The Golden Nugget, 129 Fremont St.; 386-8364
The room's centerpiece -- a 75,000-gallon aquarium filled with upwards of 1,000 colorful fish -- might be draw enough, but the Chart House in the Golden Nugget's new Rush Tower doesn't rest on its reefs. Seafood does, as you might imagine, reign supreme in such dishes as a crab-avocado-mango stack, shrimp scampi with crab and macadamia-crusted mahi mahi, but we also loved the fried asparagus and the Chart House classic chocolate lava cake. (6/25/10)
Overall: A- $$$
HANK'S FINE STEAKS & MARTINIS
Green Valley Ranch, 2300 Paseo Verde Parkway; 617-7515
We liked Hank's; the place is gorgeous with all of that stone and crystal, service was great and the piano bar adds a nice touch. But we paid big for the pleasure. Worthy of note were the classic crab cakes, mixed-green salad with goat cheese, shrimp cocktail, creamed spinach, petite filet mignon, bone-in New York strip and molten chocolate cake. (9/17/10)
Overall: B+ $$$$
JULIAN SERRANO TAPAS
Aria at CityCenter, 3730 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 590-7111
Julian Serrano is from Spain and so are tapas, so it should follow that his tapas would be exemplary, and they are. Refreshingly updated twists on the classics, they include an apple and manchego salad, huevos estrallados, chicken croquetas, pan Manchego, pinxto morcilla, stuffed dates and, for dessert, Santiago's Cake. (9/17/10)
Overall: A $$$
SHARI'S DINER
1900 N. Buffalo Drive; 870-6424
With the exception of the sticky-salty gravy on the pot roast we liked Shari's old-school diner favorites -- and especially Shari's old-school diner atmosphere. Particularly worthy of note were two Shari's originals, the Philly Cheese Steak Fries and The Brie-Licious burger, and a bit of sweet, delicious wretched excess, a peanut-butter malt. (7/17/09)
Overall: B+ $$
