Here and Now: A look at some of Las Vegas' newest hangouts

Friday, August 15, 2008

RAW DELIGHT

(WWDMAGIC " August 2008)

Written by Bobbi Verdugo

Yellowtail Sushi Restaurant & Bar made its splashy premiere last month at the Bellagio Resort and Casino.

Award-winning chef Akira Back, who has worked at Japanese eateries such as Nobu, Nagao and Morimoto, creates an extensive menu of traditional and modern Japanese dishes with seasonal fish and ingredients flown in daily. Signature dishes include the Big Eye Tuna Pizza, topped with ahi tuna and shiso and flavored with truffle oil ($26), and the Maine Lobster Carpaccio, served with sweet shaved onion, cilantro and sweet and sour sauce ($26).

Designed by the Rockwell Group, the restaurant features elegant wood and stone surfaces and screens made from woven twigs set inside antique brass frames. A private balcony offers outdoor veranda seating and a panoramic view of Lake Bellagio and its fountain and light show. But the biggest visual hook is the 25-by-13-foot bronze installation at the entrance resembling the dorsal side of a Japanese amberjack.

Yellowtail Sushi Restaurant & Bar at the Bellagio Resort and Casino, 3600 Las Vegas Boulevard South; 702-693-8300.