Author: John Curtas

This Just In: FIRST and RATTLECAN Closed by Venetian

http://0.tqn.com/d/govegas/1/0/I/Z/1/firstlounge.jpg

To everyone’s surprise but Eating Las Vegas’ the Venetian Hotel and Casino boarded up both Rattlecan and First Food & Bar last night….as well as The Act nightclub. Our sources tell us these closings occurred without notice to management or staff, and rumors are swirling about the reasons.

To our eyes and taste buds, Rattlecan was D.O.A.. It featured gimmicky, overwrought, poorly-executed burgers, a tagger/biker bar motif,*and abysmal service.

First Food & Bar hasn’t been good ever since Sammy DeMarco decided to expand his brand in other directions. (There’s a lesson in there for you empire-building chefs.)

Whatever the deal was is with The Act is anyone’s guess….but we at ELV feel would sorry for its Hot Chicks with Douchebags crowd IF it closed (which it hasn’t)….since they might be forced to “Get Caught in the Act” elsewhere.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

* Al Mancini and his ilk consider the spray paintings on the walls at Rattlecan to be “art.” Then again, Al Mancini and his ilk all look like refugees from a biker bar.

This Just In: VALENTINO Leaving Venetian

http://thedivinedish.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Dining_Room-500x378.jpg

Eating Las Vegas has learned that, after 13 years and numerous accolades, Piero Selvaggio’s Valentino will be departing the Venetian Hotel and Casino in June.

Both sides describe the parting as amicable, and we have it on good authority that Selvaggio is actively seeking another home for an authentic trattoria concept in Las Vegas.

The Venetian remains mum on whatever concept will be replacing this pasta, wine and northern Italian palace, but our sources, who may or may not be reliable, have given us  information, which may or may not be true, that a famous French chef, who may or may not be named Daniel Boulud, will be taking over the space later this year.

NOBU, Negated

Nothing about this place is as good as its reputation. – Seymour Britchky

[imagebrowser id=1827]

Nobu is the perfect example of what happens when a celebrity chef gives up, sells out and cashes in. It is the gastronomic equivalent of a once-innovative cook deciding to abandon his legacy to the highest bidder and spend his retirement padding around his culinary house in a succulent silk robe and savory slippers.

None of this is surprising. By now, everyone knows Las Vegas is where they all come when it’s time to settle back and rake in the cash, because our captive audience of 40 million yearly visitors are credulous enough to buy the hype and settle for what little substance they get. But, not being rookies to the celeb chef rodeo, Eating Las Vegas‘ savvy readers know that it is those customers who ultimately pay for the luxury that these (former) titans of gastronomy and their retainers enjoy.

Las Vegas is also where our brimming-with-cash casinos are more that willing to throw money at an established chef’s brand in hopes it will save them from the food and beverage disasters they inflict upon themselves when left to their own devices (cf. Wynn Hotel/Switch). The money men behind Nobu know this, so this is where they’ve decided to plant his flag one last time time before he sails into the Peruvian-Japanese sunset.

Continue reading “NOBU, Negated”