1. 2
WWD WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2013
SECTION II
WWD.COM
WWDLASVEGASPREVIEW
Scene
Get your Vegas on at four of the hottest new places
on The Strip. By Fatima Rizwan
FAST FACTS
MAGIC is projected to have 80,000
delegates, which translates into
a nongaming economic impact of
approximately $102 million for the
local economy.
Gross gaming revenue for Clark
County reached $9.4 billion in 2012,
a 1.9 percent increase from 2011.
The Las Vegas Strip saw an increase
of 2.3 percent in revenues to $6.2
billion in 2012.
SOURCE: LAS VEGAS CONVENTION AND VISITORS AUTHORITY
Javier’s
MOORISH CHARM
Staying true to its authentic SoCal
roots, Javier’s spices up the Las Vegas
Strip inside ARIA Resort and Casino.
Paying homage to a rich heritage of
authentic Mexican cuisine, Javier Sosa
serves up traditional dishes using family recipes passed down for generations.
While lunchtime favorites such as
carnitas ($22), enchiladas poblanas
($20) and carne asada ($45) remain
true to their humble Orange County
roots, the 9,000-square-foot restaurant offers a dramatic flair. The space,
designed by Dodd Mitchell, has a
Moorish feel, with amber lighting,
white stucco walls and a dominating
carved bar adorned with beads.
As if this weren’t enough to impress guests, Javier’s is also home
to the world’s largest piece of chain
saw art. Weighing 3,000 pounds, spanning 25 feet and carved by J. Chester
Armstrong, the mammoth piece depicts the legend of Mayan creation
and Mexican history. Using hundreds
of carved Día de los Muertos skeletons,
the artwork tells a five-part story from
the Tree of Death to the redemption in
the Tree of Life.
Javier’s mixes Moorish opulence with
Mexican tradition, and the dinner menu
is a perfect blend of the two elements. A
true seafood-lover’s paradise, the menu
includes seafood enchiladas ($27), Cabo
Azul (a Maine lobster in pasilla sauce,
$30) and Fideo del Mar (linguine pasta
with Dungeness crab, Mexican white
shrimp and wild scallops, $30). To top off
the experience, a hand-shaken Javier’s
margarita ($12) is a must.
Javier’s at ARIA Resort and Casino
3730 Las Vegas Blvd.
Tel: 866-590-3637
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to midnight
Web: arialasvegas.com/dining/
restaurants/javiers
Hyde Bellagio
LIVE IT UP
Want a break from the lavish pool parties, electric clubs and alluring casinos? Hyde Bellagio has it covered.
The 10,000-square-foot indoor/
outdoor space at Hyde Bellagio plays
host to Live Thursdays beginning at 9
p.m. every Thursday. Overlooking the
eight-acre lake, guests enjoy drinks
and live music from various artists as
the Fountains of Bellagio choreograph
a dance to a dramatic opera. Local
favorite and oneman-band Jeremy
Cornwell has entertained at Las Vegas
venues including
Studio 54, Mandalay
Bay and the Hard
Rock, but now provides an eclectic
array of tunes at the
Bellagio. “American
Idol” contestant
Mahi Crabbe is also
a regular musician
at the luxe space,
entertaining guests
with his Hawaiian
charm and acoustic guitar.
After the live music, guest DJs
begin at midnight.
Live Thursdays at Hyde
Hyde Bellagio
3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 702-693-8700
Hours: Thursday,
9 p.m. to midnight
Web: hydebellagio.com
RED-HOT RUSSIA
Red Square at Mandalay Bay relaunches with a Russian revamp.
Merging American favorites with
Russian influences, chefs Brian Massie
and Chris Conlon have created a menu
rich in taste and culture. While most
restaurants typically introduce an appetizer menu first, Red Square offers a
caviar selection ranging from Special
Reserve Beluga ($189) to Smoked
Trout Roe ($22), so guests can find the
perfect, indulgent caviar for their taste
and price point.
If the crimson-themed room with
appropriately named dishes such as
Chicken Kiev ($26) and Czar Salad
($11) are not enough to get diners in a
Russian-esque mood, the Vodka Vault
will. Chilled in a frigid zero-degree
Fahrenheit cooler, more than 11 varieties of vodka are on offer in the
Vault, including Russian classics like
Stolichnaya ($12), Imperia ($12) and
Beluga Noble Russian ($12). As if
the choice of vodkas was not enough,
guests can get the full Vodka Vault experience by donning a Russian fur or
authentic Russian military coat and
cap while sipping in
the vault, for $100.
If the theme of Red
Nobu Hotel
Square isn’t obvious
from the headless statue of Vladimir Lenin
(complete with faux
bird droppings), the
cocktail menu makes
it clear. Created by
master mixologists,
Siberian Night ($14),
Red Scare ($17) and
the Moscow Mule
($17) get anyone into a
Russian state of mind.
Red Square
The Mandalay Bay
Resort and Casino
3950 Las Vegas Blvd.
South
Tel: 702-693-8300
Hours: Sunday to Thursday, 4:30
p.m. to 10:00 p.m.; Friday &
Saturday, 4:30 p.m. to midnight
Web: mandalaybay.com/
dining/red-square
NOBU BY NIGHT
Red Square
What’s better than Nobu
sushi? Nobu sushi in bed.
Caesars Palace not only
features the famous sushi
restaurant and lounge but the
Nobu Hotel as well.
With 181 rooms, 16 suites
and a penthouse at the Las
Vegas staple, the world’s first
Nobu Hotel is a boutique
hotel with luxury amenities
and perks within Caesars.
Guests have access to all that
its encompassing hotel has to
offer; VIP treatment includes
complimentary access to
PURE nightclub, fitness centers, valet,
priority dining at Nobu restaurant,
and an exquisitely crafted in-room
dining menu. Chef and restaurateur
Nobu Matsuhisa is not alone in his
restaurant-hotel merger — Robert De
Niro, co-owner of Nobu Hospitality,
joins him in the venture.
Staying true to Nobu’s signature
Japanese elegance, the accommodations feature natural materials,
artwork by Japanese artists, black
Umi-tiled showers and neutral tones.
Designed by architect David Rockwell,
the Zen feel of the boutique hotel runs
true, from the cherry-blossom-patterned hallway carpets to the chilled
sake waiting for guests inside their
tranquil rooms.
Rooms include standard Nobu
Deluxe ($249 per night), Hakone suite
(features Jacuzzi, $719 per night), and
Sake suite (features media room, pool
table, and bar space, $919 per night).
As guests slip from their relaxing
oasis and head out for a night on the
town, they don’t need to travel far. The
always-stylish Nobu restaurant and
lounge spans 9,500 square feet at the
base of the Nobu tower, with 327 seats.
Sticking true to its famous menu, dishes include squid pasta with light garlic ($24), seafood toban yaki ($38), chef
sushi dinner ($75) and a multicourse
menu by Chef Matsuhisa ($150-$200).
Nobu Hotel, Restaurant, and Lounge
Centurion Tower Caesars Palace
3570 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 866-227-5938 (Hotel); 866-733-5827
(Restaurant and Lounge)
Hours: Dining room: Sunday to
Thursday: 5-11 p.m.; Friday and
Saturday, 5 p.m.-midnight;
Lounge: Sunday to Thursday, 5 p.m.1 a.m., Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m.2 a.m.
Web: caesarspalace.com/restaurants/
nobu