Friday, Nov. 16, 2001 | 9:46 a.m.
Muriel Stevens' dining column appears Fridays. Her shopping and travel columns appear Friday. Reach her at 259-4080 or [email protected].
Pristine white, the tower that defines the new Palms is a dramatic beacon at night. Bands of bright color light up the marquee. It's a welcoming sight. The Palms opened to the public at 11 p.m. Thursday, one month before the projected opening date.
It was ready.
The Palms is a nostalgic reminder of the way it was in Old Las Vegas before hotels became beautiful monoliths that required walking shoes and a road map before they became user friendly.
No such problems confront Palms guests. One visit is all it takes to get the lay of the land. Follow the directions to a side entrance with self parking that is just steps away from the complete-service, three-story spa and beauty salon. Enter the Palms from any point and the hotel's circular design makes it a cinch to find your way to the casino-level restaurants, food court and movie complex.
For Palms President George Maloof the completion of the hotel is a dream come true. Maloof gained insight about Las Vegas and the hospitality industry from his experiences as both a visitor and resident (he graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a degree in hotel administration). He wanted to build a hotel that, as he said, "included all the things locals expect and all of the great things visitors want, a complete resort with something for everyone."
During our time together this week he constantly stressed the importance of pleasing locals.
"I feel confident we're going to do very well and will build customer loyalty to our brand," Maloof said. "It's so important to gain customer loyalty, particularly with local customers. If you can take care of the locals you can take care of anyone.
"Reaching the local market is important to the success of the Palms. We chose our location to make it convenient for everyone to reach us."
The "everyone" philosophy includes the choice of restaurants. Only one, Garduno's, already has a Las Vegas branch. It was the Maloof family that convinced the New Mexico favorite to open at the Fiesta, the Maloof's first Las Vegas hotel.
The design and decor of Garduno's at the Palms is much grander than any "rustic cantina" I've ever seen. Garduno's has two levels, outdoor dining (on the second level terrace and ground floor patio) with a pool courtyard view, and has much the same menu (with some slight differences) and prices as the Fiesta's.
The adjacent Blue Agave Oyster and Chile Bar features freshly shucked oysters, a variety of seafood pan roasts and bowls of red or green chile.
Garduno's offers a lavish margarita brunch on Sunday.
A Little Buddha
I'm crazy about Little Buddha Cafe, a new version of the tres hot Buddha Bar in Paris. Little Buddha's owner Raymond Visan had just arrived in Las Vegas from Paris when I spoke with him and asked, "Is Little Buddha a clone of the one in Paris?"
"No." Visan said. "We are not a chain. Ideas were taken from the one in Paris, it has the same feeling, but different food, music and decor. Menus are similar, yet different. We don't want to be a copy of Paris."
The decor is an eclectic Asian mix. Central to the main dining room and the one behind it are two 10-foot Buddhas placed back-to-back. Many small Buddhas are included in the restaurant's decor.
"The soul of the place is the Buddha, representing a vision of all Asia from Tibet to Thailand," Visan said. "Little Buddha was designed for this city. It has its own spirit. Different clients demand a different experience. Las Vegas is easygoing. It's easier to get into this restaurant than the one in Paris. Diners will not only get a great experience, but great food. It will be a total experience."
There are three dining areas in Little Buddha, including a full-service sushi bar. Each area offers a different kind of seating. I tried a variety of chairs and found all of the seating well-designed and comfortable. My favorite spot is the River Bar adjacent to the handsome bar. I'm not certain a drink could be balanced on the rounded bar top, but the "river" that runs through it is enchanting. The water runs across the channel in the bar then falls into an iron well where it is recycled. A moment of serenity amid the din. I'm also mad about the zebrawood floors. They're the real thing and gorgeous.
Little Buddha has an extensive menu of Asian foods at moderate prices. The most expensive entree is Peking duck ($24). Appetizers are priced from $6-$10. The sushi selection includes a signature Little Buddha roll.
Visan is planning to open a open a restaurant in New York in September. "No concerns?" I asked. "No," he said. "New York will always be New York."
To the N9NEs
For those who like to see and be seen N9NE is the place, baby. This "new breed of American steakhouse," is so cool. The Maloof family has formed a partnership with the creators of N9NE, Michael Morton and Scott DeGraff. It is Chicago's hippest steakhouse.
Morton and DeGraff also developed the hotel's entertainment venues, Ghostbar and Rain in a partnership with the Maloofs.
N9NE shrieks chic. Stainless steel and Lucite, silver mesh curtains and luxurious silver fabrics on the chairs are neat. As a counterpoint there's a mix of dark walnut woods and leather and suede furniture. There's more high tech in the "intelligent" lighting system and the plasma TVs throughout the restaurant.
Central to the 175-seat dining room is the 16-seat caviar bar.
Steakhouse a la carte menus are mostly predictable, but N9NE has a few surprises. A little sashimi and sushi, a clay pot of steamed mussels covered with garlic lavosh, and at the caviar bar, a parfait of American caviars, chopped egg, red onion and crisp potato pancakes ($19).
With such splendid surroundings I was anticipating higher steak prices, but they're well in line with local prices, perhaps even a bit lower ($33-$36). A 24-ounce bone-in ribeye is $34, a 22-ounce porterhouse, $33. Fish and pasta entree prices start at $15.
Not included, of course, are the side dishes. Executive Chef Brian Massie was formerly with Charlie Palmer Steak at the Four Seasons.
Going 24/7
As you make your way around the casino you will find the delightful 24/7 Sunrise Cafe with a terrific menu. Owner Dennis Berkowitz has fashioned Sunrise Cafe after his Max's Cafes in San Francisco, combining casual fare with authentic New York deli food. Prices are reasonable; the selection mouth-watering. All of the over-sized pastries, pies, cakes and breads are made fresh daily. Russian cabbage soup with diced brisket, chicken matzo ball soup, meal-sized salads, potato latkes (pancakes) are just a tip of the fresser's delights.
Generous corned beef or pastrami or brisket sandwiches ($7.25-$7.95) are served with potato salad and cole slaw. Plan to spend a while deciding what to eat. Too many tempters.
It's a Festival
At first glance the selection of foods at the Festival Market Buffet appears to be small for the almost 500-seat buffet, but it isn't. There is a lot of food in a relatively small space. Among the choices are a Mongolian grill where you choose the raw foods to be cooked, an Asian station where two huge rice cookers sit on a an easy-to-reach ledge, a carving station offering pastrami turkey, regular turkey, ribs, chile, mashed potatoes and many veggies and a sensational dessert station piled high with scrumptious choices.
Chef Harris has come up with a neat idea: He has created sampler plates with two or three of the most favorite desserts. A Hawaiian buffet is a regular Wednesday night feature; brunch is offered Saturday and Sunday.
Going courting
The food court with a Garduno's Express, McDonald's, Panda Express, Boston's Regina Pizza and a Coffee Bean is nearby the entrance to the 14-screen Brenden multiplex. This is the first Brenden theater complex in Las Vegas. Kid's Quest and a game arcade are close by.
Tucked away off the casino is a high-roller lounge with a feature I'd never before seen. Guests who smoke can choose the tobacco they want and then watch as their cigarettes or cigars are rolled to order. A light menu is also provided in this exclusive high end gaming room. Only a velvet curtain separates it from the casino. And, oh yes, a high-end credit limit.
Also in a little hideaway off the casino is the Palms resident palmist. No charge for this exotic service that could change your life or your luck or maybe none of the above -- but it's a kick.
Floored by heights
Alize, a new French concept from one of Las Vegas' premier restaurateurs Andre Rochat and his partner Mary Jane Jarvis soars above the city on the 56th floor.
Almost totally glass-enclosed, the view is breathtaking. Named for the "gentle trade wind" that wafts along the French Mediterranean, Alize features French cuisine similar to, yet slightly different than, Andre's.
Andre is known for his collection of fine wines and he recently introduced his own private label wines. A 12-foot glass wine cellar in the middle of the dining room exhibits nearly 1,000 fine wines. Chef de Cuisine is Michael Demers formerly of Napa.
If you want to have "fun, fun, fun," look no further than Ghostbar on the 55th floor, a private club that is open on a limited basis to nonmembers. There is a charge for nonmembers during late-night hours. Members have unlimited entry, admission to special events, preferred seating for concerts at the nightclub, Rain, and discounts on gift-shop stuff.
It's a gorgeous setting with decor and furnishings to match. The moire-like wallpaper in the hall leading to the bathrooms has almost a psychedelic effect. It moves as you do. Celadon colored mirrored glass bricks in the men's and ladies' rooms are so beautiful.
With me while I was visiting the Ghostbar was Palms Assistant General Manager John Culetsu. When he was informed that the terrace's peep hole (a sizeable glass- and Plexiglas-covered square) that looks down on the swimming pool had been completed, we (of course) had to test it.
The wrap-around terrace is a wonder. On both sides there are viewing areas. Height is not my favorite thing, but in the spirit of Alice I ventured to the edge to look down upon Wonderland. We had a clear view of the pool below. Oddly enough, we later learned that those at the pool looking up could barely see us (for more about Ghostbar, read Jerry Fink's lounge column on page 6E).
Chance of Rain
Rain, the three-story nightclub is a wonder with enough bells and whistles and high-tech lighting and stage effects to please the most jaded nightclub-goer. Private boxes, similar to those featured in sporting arenas, food service and coddling that only celebrities take for granted are part of the Rain scene.
Later when I again caught up with George, we talked about Rain.
"We wanted to create a place for our friends in sports and entertainment, and we wanted to create a place where everyone could go to have fun and party," he said.
You've done it, George. So what's next? He looked at me and smiled, "There's always things to do."
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