This Just In – Cosmopolitan Restaurant Lineup Announced

We’ve known for some time that Cosmopolitan President John Unwin intended to shake things up with his restaurant lineup at this giant, twin-towered hotel and casino (scheduled to open in December).

As a hospitality industry veteran, first class foodie, and uber-wine dude, his F & B bona fides are well-established, and from the moment he took the reins here, we knew that some tasty waves were about to be made.

This morning, Unwin further enhanced his stature, and set the food world atwitter by announcing that Blue Ribbon Sushi (Bruce and Eric Bromberg), Scarpetta (Chef Scott Conant) and Estiatorio Milos (Costas Spiliadis) from New York City, Comme Ca (Chef David Myers) from L. A., and STK from The One Group will be bringing their gourmet gravitas to our humble burg…and to his sparkling steel and glass towers adjacent to the Crystals Mall.

Speaking of bona fides, Blue Ribbon Sushi is all that and a bag of chips among the chefs and food cognoscenti of New York. Its Soho location has been the late night dining destination for chefs and restaurant folks almost from the day it opened in 1995. Expect the same thing to happen here…almost from the day it opens.

Scott Conant’s Italian cooking has been described as “high-minded, almost priestly,” but it’s also drop dead delicious and a lot of fun. Having him in town will raise everyone’s Italian eating IQ at least 10 points — and provide some serious competition for Valentino, Bartolotta, Circo et al.

Estiatorio Milos is Greek seafood on a different level. The moment it opens it will be the best Greek restaurant in town…but like Bartolotta, unless you’re a master at guessing weights and converting them to dollars, expect the bill to be a surprise…and plenty steep for all that freshness.

Myers’ Comme Ca is a Parisian brasserie by way of L. A., and strives, unlike so many other “brasseries,” to actually be one. Next to having Keith McNally show up with a Balthazar knock-off, it’s the closest we’ll ever get to the Left Bank in the High Mojave.

STK is a steakhouse. A hip and trendy steakhouse. (yawn)

Kudos to Unwin and crew for only putting in one.

Stay tuned. Our grapevine tells us the U-man is courting a couple of other blockbusters, and if we know the guy, there’s more delectable surprises to come.

10 thoughts on “This Just In – Cosmopolitan Restaurant Lineup Announced

  1. WOW! I’m super excited already… Especially about David Myers coming to town! Comme Ca is a real achievement in LA, and I can hardly wait to see what he does at his new location here. I’m just hoping Cosmo really does open late this year so I no longer have to “JetBlue” my way to Long Beach to taste his amazing grub.

  2. It’s nice that Las Vegas will get new blood. I think maybe the only way that is happening is because Cosmopolitan. err… I mean Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, isn’t owned by MGM Mirage or Harrah’s

  3. Any of those restaurants going to have the chef in house? Didn’t think so. I’ll believe that they will be great restaurants when they are. While many of the LV restaurant clones are good, few are great. One of the things I love about restaurants like Bartalotta and RM is that they are great and unique, conveying the personality of their chefs because they are there (mostly) to make them that way. The chef on hand for these clone restaurants may be very talented, but it is difficult to effectively convey someone else’s vision from afar.

  4. Wonderful… but I don’t see any great out-of-the-box thinking, just raising/meeting the bar on more of the same (Maybe I’m wrong about Milos). How much can you slice up a pie before you have slivers?
    Let’s hope David Myers’ Comme ça doesn’t end up being Bouchon II.

  5. Yianni, Since I’ve eaten at Scarpetta and been to ( as opposed to eat at, since its more of a scene than a restaurant) STK in the past 6 months, these are both welcome additions to our eats scene. Now I just wonder how much more the same dishes will be priced here than at their original locales. Myself and many others are getting closer in refusing to pay these places inflated LV rates !!

  6. john, you probably already know this being in the food world and all, but Chef Myers’ restaurant empire is crumbling here in southern CA (chefs leaving, sona closing, etc.). I wouldn’t be suprised if he packs his bags and makes the comme ca in Vegas his flagship restaurant. Also, I’m very excited to see blue ribbon sushi coming to vegas. can’t wait to try it.

    here’s a link to boulud’s show featuring blue ribbon sushi. http://tinyurl.com/ydu6o2r

  7. Daniel, if that were to happen and Chef Myers were to totally focus on Comme Ca in LV, that would be exciting. I can’t get excited about mere outposts though.

  8. Wouldn’t it be amazing if one of these hotels showed some love to the local talent and created something new rather than bring something old into town? Eric is right … no outside the box thought whatsoever

  9. there will be a local talent space in the cosmo being developed, but of course its not being anounced as the chef isnt a big name yet!! it will be a cool concept

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