The choice is offered to both men and women, but predominantly to women, in high-end restaurants where linen napkins are used. Linen tends to pill, which means little balls of the fiber (fuzz) come off the napkin and stick to slacks or dresses. By matching the color of the napkin to the garment being worn, the effect is less visible. Why the choice of black or white? When you use both, the matched color goes on the bottom and the opposite goes on top so you can distinguish between your napkin and your clothes (and not wipe your hands on your dress).
This is done in many fine-dining restaurants, but maybe less so in Las Vegas, due to the more relaxed stance on just about everything in this city. In the same manner that stringent dress codes are rarely enforced—people just don’t dress up for dinner or shows anymore—other formal protocols are also often not observed. The fact that you were offered this choice at Mastro’s Ocean Club is testimony to that restaurant’s resolve to maintain the high standards it’s known for in Beverly Hills and other locations.
If this type of treatment appeals to you, it’s just one more reason to check out this restaurant. Speaking purely on the basis of food quality, in a city of great steakhouses, Mastro’s occupies a spot in our top-five favorites.
