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I am a big fan of S & W in New York. How is the new S & W in Vegas? Price is no _object_, I just want a great steak! From my December trip report: After our Anthem visit, it was time for lunch, and I want to apprise you of the fact that a new and eagerly awaited contender in the unofficial sweepstakes for best steak in town has made its debut. The Las Vegas branch of Smith & Wollensky, the famous New York steakhouse, is now open on the Strip. Not much has been said or written about S&W yet, because it had a soft opening in early December. Full-scale advertising is scheduled to commence after New Year's, but the soft opening, with virtually no advertising and very little public fanfare, has given the staff time to work out any minor glitches and gradually get up to speed. Judging by our visit, no additional fine-tuning is needed. Simply stated, it was one of the finest dining experiences we've had in Las Vegas. Details about the dinner in a moment, but first let me tell you about the restaurant itself. It is impossible to miss S&W's free-standing, imposing building located on the east side of the Strip, immediately north of the Showcase parking garage and movie theaters, just a few doors down from All-Star Café and the MGM Grand. This also places it almost directly across the street from New York-New York and Monte Carlo. Physically, the restaurant makes a dramatic statement on Las Vegas Boulevard, distinctive in its signature exterior colors of forest green and white. Visitors to Smith & Wollensky, which seats about 675 for dinner, will appreciate the fact that it has its own parking lot directly behind the building. The restaurant has a well-rounded menu, but it's clear from the moment you walk through the door that steak is king here. Not just any steak, but the finest prime beef, aged to perfection, and served in huge portions. The dining rooms don't open until 5 p.m., so we enjoyed our lunches in The Grill, which is accessible directly from the street. First I'll describe what we ate, and then I'll tell you about some of the other menu choices. Our meal started with complimentary servings of S&W's soft pretzel bread sticks, accompanied by ramekins of mustard butter. We were ravenously hungry after several hours of walking around Sun City Anthem, so we did not _object_ to a second serving of the bread sticks even before our food arrived. Almost everything at S&W is a la carte, except for the day's blackboard specials, and several of us had the specials. Rosalyn had a wonderfully moist serving of swordfish, accompanied by an arugula salad. Rita and Judy had filet tips au poivre, accompanied by outstanding thin onion rings that taste like fried but are actually baked. Joe had Cajun rib eye, a large, bone-in cut seasoned with blackened spices that were just right and not too spicy. My choice was The Grill Sirloin, priced at $23.50. The price for my steak might seem high, but it was an 18-ounce boneless cut that immediately took its place as one of the most memorable steaks I've ever had the pleasure to enjoy. Grilled black-and-blue as ordered, it melted in my mouth, and I savored every bite as I marveled over the beef's perfection. Most side orders cost $6.75 at lunch, a bit more at dinner, and the entrees cost more at dinner also. Side orders, again, are not as over-priced as they might seem, as they are generous enough to serve at least two and perhaps three. We shared side orders of the delicious baked onion rings and S&W's famous hash browns, and both dishes were exquisite. Our waiter was efficient and friendly, setting an informal tone that made the experience all the more enjoyable. He also gave us a tour of the restaurant, which includes two upper floors featuring additional dining areas and a number of private dining suites, along with views of the extensive glass-enclosed wine cellar. An additional Smith & Wollensky trademark is the special glass-walled private dining rooms that look directly into the kitchen. It must be, at first, an eerie sensation to be dining while seemingly part of the kitchen activity, but it has to be quite a novel experience, one that you'd remember for a long time. - These glass-walled dining rooms are available to anyone at no extra charge, simply by calling ahead and reserving. The decor of the restaurant features lots of white tablecloths and dark woods, but no enclosed booths as you'd see at The Palm. This results in an atmosphere that is airier and seemingly more casual than at The Palm. The total cost for our five lunches, with gratuity, was $150, and I know each of us will not hesitate at the opportunity to dine again at Smith & Wollensky. Here are some of the other items on the S&W lunch menu. Remember that dinner prices for the same items are higher (for instance, many steaks at dinner are $29.75): Split pea soup or soup du jour, $4.75; tomato and onion salad, $5.50; Caesar salad, $6.25; mixed greens salad, $5.25; shrimp cocktail, $11.75; Lobster cocktail, $12.75. Filet mignon, $21.75; English cut prime rib, $19.75; roast beef hash, $14.75; veal chop, $21.50. Thin crust pizza, $9.75; Wollensky's Burger, $9.75; grilled chicken BLT, $10.75; sliced filet steak sandwich, $16.25; lemon pepper chicken, $15.75; Mrs. Smith's crabcakes, $19.75; mustard crusted tuna, $18.75; grilled salmon, $17.50; Wollensky's special salad with chicken, $10.75; lemon pepper tuna salad, $14.50; Cobb salad, $13.75; fish of the day, $16.50-19.75. Homemade desserts, including coconut _layer_ cake, cheesecakes, creme brulee, carrot cake, chocolate cake, warm apple crumb tart, fresh fruits and berries, etc., are each priced at $7.50. An especially unique dish is Crackling Pork Shank, which has been labeled by USA Today as its #1 Dish in America. The shank is enveloped in a crunchy fried coating of pork, which makes the normally tough shank very tender. The dish is served with Firecracker Applesauce, which contains jalapeno chilies. Move over, Morton's, Ruth's Chris, Golden Steer, CC Steak House, etc. You've got competition!
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I still haven't made it over there yet. William Cox
