Vegas Foodie: On Strip - Part 1

 

What’s the first word that comes to your mind when someone says Las Vegas?  Nope!  It’s not gambling!  For me, it’s FOOD!  The restaurants in Vegas are nearly unparalleled!  Whether you’re on Strip at a fancy casino hotel, or off Strip at a little hole-in-the-wall known only by locals, you’re sure to find some absolutely phenomenal food!

I’m very lucky to have quite a few friends who live in Las Vegas - some born and raised there, others transplanted.  But they’ve all been instrumental in turning me on to eateries I might never have known without them.  In this particular blog entry, I’ll write about the ones of which I had already known - these on-Strip restaurants may have been a little pricier and more celebrated, but the fare was still mind-blowingly good!

This trip, I got off to a roaring start, when my lovely friend Rhiannon and I decided to have my first night’s meal at Superfrico, in the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino.  Described as Italian American Psychedelic, Superfrico is a fun, crazy, immersive dining experience.  Created by the Spiegelworld Entertainment Group, Superfrico occupies the space once inhabited by a similar restaurant, Rose.Rabbit.Lie - a personal favorite of mine from my days reviewing restaurants for QVegas Magazine.  Eating at Superfrico is like being at a wild dinner party thrown in your best friend’s mansion!  There are several interconnecting rooms with imaginative decor and colorful lighting - more dance club than eatery!  A DJ provided music that was funky, yet never overpowering - conversations can be had easily.  Costumed performers roam the space as you dine - a young lady appeared in a penguin costume, which she stripped off, revealing herself to be a bawdy yet tasteful burlesque dancer.  We also spotted a ballerina doing arabesques and pirouettes in the aisles.  

Rhi-Rhi wasn’t drinking that night, so she ordered a Shirley Temple to start, but I wanted to try one of the signature cocktails.  I went with a Bring That Beet Back, a fabulous mix of vodka, beet juice, ginger and guajillo pepper. While it might sound odd and a bit wild, I found the combination of sweet, spicy and earthy flavors to be super tasty and quite comforting!  I actually enjoyed it so much, I ordered a second!

We then split two appetizers: the Hamachi Crudo and the Smoked Beef Carpaccio. While both excellent dishes were perfect for the lovely, warm weather we were having, in many ways, they were diametrically opposed.  The Crudo - slices of raw hamachi, served with watercress, finger lime, yuzu, mint, radish and smoked trout roe, was bright and citrusy; especially when you got a bit of everything in one perfect bite. The overall vibe of the app was delicate, light and summery. Together, we polished it off easily!

The Carpaccio, though equally right for the warmer clime, had a slightly darker, more autumnal feel.  Slices of thinly pounded Creekstone Prime Filet were topped with arugula, dabs of beef fat truffled aioli, what looked to be thin slivers of roasted red pepper, grated Parmesan and bits of parm frico for a contrasting crispy texture.  The dish was deeply beefy, with a rich fattiness from the aioli.  There was a hint of acidity from the peppers and the Parmesan gave the appetizer a nicely nutty, cheesy depth of flavor.  Our plate was clean in no time!

So…on to the main courses!  Now, while I’ve been avoiding pastas since my weight loss, one of the selections sounded too good not to order.  I chose the Shrimp Scampi Spaghetti.  The large, perfectly cooked shrimp were presented over a generous portion of noodles, all swimming in a delectable, lemony, garlicky sauce made with shellfish butter and white wine.  A scattering of English peas added a nice vegetal pop.  I only managed about four bites, but the leftovers made a fantastic breakfast the next morning in my hotel room - even cold!!

My lovely dinner date ordered one of the pastas as well; the Beef Cheek Rigatoni.  Once again, the pasta was perfectly al dente and topped with an unctuous sauce that reminded me of the juiciest, tenderest pot roast, ever!  Once again, it had a deep beefiness with just the right amount of fat from the beef cheeks, giving it a soft, luscious mouthfeel!  It was simple and not fancied up the way much of the cuisine can be on the Vegas Strip!  It was exactly right…and delicious!  

I’m sorry to say that while there were a number of temping dessert items on the menu, including Tiramisu - one of my favorites - Roasted Coconut Panna Cotta, and Banana Walnut Tartufo, we weren’t able to sample any of them, as we needed to dart into Superfrico’s ballroom, to see the fabulous show, Opium.  So we simply paid our check, tipped our server, walked through the restaurant and into the large octagonal entrance hall, where we made a U-turn and headed into the theater.  I’m sure I’ll report on the show elsewhere, but I can say this: Opium did not disappoint!  It was, as are all of the Spiegelworld shows, a bit raunchy, in a tongue-in-cheek way.  It was silly fun, with amazing acts that have to be seen to be believed!

As a dining venue, Superfrico didn’t disappoint either!  The menu, while smallish, still has enough to warrant another visit.  Or two.  Or three!  The food was fun and fabulous and I’m looking forward to returning to this absolutely delightful, wacky, psychedelic eatery!  

Superfrico is located in the OPM Theatre on Level 2 of the Chelsea Tower of the Cosmopolitan Hotel.  For reservations, call 702-534-3419.  For more info, check out superfrico.com.