Studio buffet highlights M Resort dining options

By Jeff Pope

Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009 | 12:01 p.m.

M Resort, which opens March 1, recently offered a preview of its concepts in food and beverage fare.

Resort officials hope to whet the public's appetite for its nine restaurants and five bars that take advantage of panoramic views of the valley and provide a look into the kitchens with live cooking demonstrations.

"We believe food is one of the most, if not the most important reason why guests will visit the property," said Chairman and CEO Anthony Marnell III. "We're taking advantage of the industry advances that have taken place over the last 10 years and the enormous interest among the public in the way of food preparation and techniques to present products that have never been done before."

The resort is not so much reinventing the wheel as it is "rearranging the spokes" when it comes to the buffet, said John Lipkowitz, executive vice president and general manager.

The 500-seat Studio B Show Kitchen Buffet allows diners to learn the tips and techniques of preparation and cooking. Guests can watch the resort's own chefs and guest celebrities in a live-action studio or on the 117 40-inch televisions circling the dining room. The food prepared in the studio will be available to diners.

The prices are yet to be settled but will include beer and wine at no additional cost, Lipkowitz said.

The buffet also features live-action cooking and carving stations and desert stations throughout so, "there will be a lot of action happening in the show kitchen," he said.

The resort sits about 400 feet higher than the Strip and each restaurant, except for the buffet, has outdoor terraced seating with views of rooftops, mountains and the bright lights.

The restaurant terraces also overlook the pool, called Villaggio Del Sole, and its amphitheater with space for 5,000.

Marinelli's features regional Italian cuisine from the Marnell family recipe book and wines from the family's private label.

Terzetto provides fine dining while allowing guests to savor the aromas from the exhibition-style kitchen where charcoal-grilled steaks and seafood are prepared. Guests can dine on prime cuts of beef, including a reserve list from the Marnell family ranch in Montana, and fresh from the ocean specialties. The Terzetto Oyster Bar offers casual dining with made-to-order selections including soups, stews, oysters on the half shell, pastas and cocktails.

At the top of the resort, diners have perhaps the best views from restaurant Veloce Cibo & Bar Veloce. The restaurant includes a menu of appetizers, entrees and sushi with hand-crafted cocktails and specialty drinks at Bar Veloce.

Red Cup Cafe is the 24-hour gathering spot with a 1920's art-deco inspired atmosphere. The menu offers a variety of American classics and Asian cuisine.

For novice or expert sommeliers, Hostile Grape offers more than 120 wines by the glass in a contemporary underground cellar. It includes a wine dispensing system that operates with pre-paid cards in pours of one, three or five ounces. The collection includes fine American, Italian and French wines as well as selections from Spain, South Africa, Germany and others.

Baby Cakes is a European-inspired patisserie offering an assortment of pastries, cakes, cookies, chocolates, cannolis, rum cakes, jelly rolls, a variety of coffees plus homemade gelato and artisan breads, customized cakes and wedding cakes.

For the sports fan watching the game or race in the sports book, the Vig Deli features hand-tossed pizza, subs, bagels, chicken wings and specialized offerings such as corned beef and meatballs cooked to guests' specifications.

The Piazza Grille is for diners who enjoy eating al fresco and is only open April through October. The menu includes black cod tacos, flat breads, grilled chicken and seafood dishes, wood-fired pizza, salads, cheeseburgers and fries.

Jeff Pope can be reached at 990-2688 or [email protected].