Interestingly, we would be inclined to note 2014 more for restaurant closures than openings, at least when it comes to the higher-end type of establishment that you're looking for. Some of the more notable casualties last year in the mid- to high-end range included: Osteria del Circo (Bellagio); Sirio (Aria); Pinot Brasserie (Venetian); Empress Court (Caesars Palace); American Fish (Aria); Pearl (MGM Grand); Central (Caesars' gourmet coffee shop); The Flame Steakhouse (El Cortez); Poppy Den (Tivoli Village); SHe by Mortons (failed eatery #2 from Eva Longoria at Crystals); Hachi and Terra Rossa (Red Rock); and Terra Verde (Green Valley Ranch). The rumored closing of Comme Ça at Cosmo failed to materialize, however.
With all the various new "social hubs" being introduced to the Strip, like the center-Strip LINQ Promenade and The Park at the southern end, new eateries have tended to be on the casual side, in the main, with revamped coffee shops and pub-type eateries offering "farm-to-table" cuisine typifying the new wave. Additions to this scene in 2014 included Guy Fieri's Vegas Kitchen & Bar (The Quad, now LINQ Hotel); Brooklyn Bowl (LINQ Promenade); Della's Kitchen (Delano); Double Barrel Roadhouse (Monte Carlo); Made:LV (Tivoli Village); Shake Shack (New York-New York); Tom's Urban (New York-New York); The Pantry (Mirage); Border Grill (Forum Shops); Mercadito (Red Rock); Hearthstone Kitchen & Cellar (rustic fare in a cozy environment at Red Rock, from chef Brian Massie/Light Group); and Kerry Simon's Carson Kitchen (downtown).
The main exceptions of a higher-end variety come courtesy of two new casino openings, namely The Cromwell, which opened with TV personality Giadia de Laurentiis' eponymous restaurant debut, and SLS Las Vegas, where you'll find Bazaar Meat by José Andrés, Cleo (Mediterranean), and Katsuya (modern Asian). All three feature stylish rooms, but they're of the funky urban persuasion, with open kitchens and more casual ambiance than the more-traditional formal room you seem to be after. We must confess that the sbe entertainment group has some of the most annoying websites we've wrestled with in awhile, but if you have a half-hour to spend, feel free to click through to the restaurant listings, where you can dig down to find photo galleries of each venue to see what you think. All have received high praise for their cuisine.
Some of the other notable openings of 2014 include: Lao Sze Chuan (acclaimed Chinese brand out of Chicago that opened at the Palms); Bardot Brasserie (new offering from Michael Mina in former American Fish spot at Aria); Yusho (Monte Carlo -- great food but pricey, and in a very casual cafe-esque setting); BLT Steak (the revamped steakhouse at Bally's, that also houses the legendary Stirling Sunday Brunch); db Brasserie (the return to Vegas of renowned chef Daniel Boulud, with a classic French bistro at Venetian); Rose. Rabbit. Lie. (the "grand social experiment" at Cosmo inspired by the supper-club concept); El Sombrero (the return, sort of, of Las Vegas' oldest restaurant, revamped under the same ownership as Mundo); and Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill (Downtown Summerlin).
Depending on when you'll be heading out here, there could be additional offerings, too. Julian Serrano's new Italian eatery, Lago, should be opening at Bellagio in the spot formerly occupied by Circo. Something will take the place of sister restaurant Sirio at Aria, we just don't know what yet. Mr Chow, the venerable Chinese brand founded in London in the late '60s and which was to have debuted in the Harmon Tower, will now open at Caesars in the former Empress Court location. And perhaps "Iron Chef" Morimoto will finally get to open his long-awaited restaurant at the Mirage, although we're not holding our breath.
