Simon Restaurant & Lounge

There's no disputing that Simon Restaurant & Lounge at Palms Place is gorgeous. There's no disputing that its target market skews young and hip; the energetic soundtrack, pool right beyond the windows (and I mean right beyond) and Palms-compound location are about as obvious as it gets. And we know executive chef Kerry Simon likes to play with his food; witness the cotton candy and Rice Krispie treats on his menu.

All of which leads to the inevitable question: Is there anybody in the kitchen who's serious about food?

Thankfully, yes. And as it turns out, Simon's adventurous spirit (maybe even a love of whimsy) is communicated through his cuisine, which is infused with unexpected touches that help keep thing interesting.

For example: the "apple-celery slaw" that accompanied one of our starters, Crispy Rock Shrimp ($14). I expected ... well, a slaw, made of shredded apples and celery and mixed up with some sort of dressing. Instead? Julienne of apple for crunch, tossed with leaves of celery, by far the most flavorful part of the plant. And it was perfect with the crunchy-coated nubs of rock shrimp, a mildly flavored, firm-textured variety that many people compare to lobster, and the slightly spicy sweet chili aioli that accompanied it.

Short ribs in the summer? Not something that really seems to fit, but the "citrus-braised" part of the name ($32) piqued our curiosity. And sure enough, citrus (primarily orange, we thought), very definitely a bellow instead of a whisper. But that was a good thing, because the braising liquid was sufficiently (and skillfully) balanced so that the citrus flavor was quite compatible with the beef and also gave it a fresh note so appropriate for the warmer parts of the year. The creamy sweet-corn polenta and crispy corn tempura added further summery notes.

Beef tartare was pretty much a classic preparation -- but that was a good thing, too, because that meant the meat was coarsely cut and mixed with lots of plump capers (I hate when they leave out the capers), and some egg yolk for added richness. Here again, a bit of a surprise: whole-grain mustard that was so unsullied it looked like a pile of mustard seed sitting on the plate, and of course made a very happy marriage with the beef. Watercress on the side provided not only a delicate crunch but a hint of pepper. And there was a mound of something else that might have been fig puree but shall remain a mystery because when our server's assistant cleared the plate and we asked, he simply muttered that we'd need to ask her before stalking off. But more on him later.

Grouper is fairly unusual on Southern Nevada menus, and Grouper Casino ($32) seemed even more so. This one promised the classic flavors of Clams Casino -- which is to say mainly bacon, and what's wrong with that? -- but the touted "bacon and clam butter" turned out to be much more, encompassing a few shelled clams, which was a nice surprise indeed. The fish was a big, firm fillet, and since grouper is an extremely mild fish, the bacon and clam flavors were welcome. Asparagus on the side was textbook, but the "grilled potato" was pretty cool -- a potato that had been sliced into slabs that were grilled individually and then reassembled.

Even the bread basket provided surprises. Besides a pretzel roll there were fingers and squares with the texture of focaccia and a variety of toppings, plus a few other rolls. It was a large assortment of bread for two people, but we were dutifully sampling what we could before the server's assistant whisked it away, nearly full, between the departure of our appetizer plates and the arrival of our entrees. And so we sat, when we could have been munching. But at least the scenery was pleasant; the pool was closed, but there were fewer distractions that way, and the flowing water and crackling fireplaces inside and out provided nice natural notes.

Our waitress was quite good, pleasantly and adroitly juggling a number of tables that had been seated at the same time. Her assistant, however, needed an attitude adjustment; projecting a nature that seems surly, and pretty much nothing but surly, is not a recipe for success.

All of the little surprises that Simon presented, however, most definitely were.

Las Vegas Review-Journal reviews are done anonymously at Review-Journal expense. Contact Heidi Knapp Rinella at 383-0474 or e-mail her at hrinella@reviewjournal.com.