When in Vegas, the dining options on the Strip are endless and while we have our favorites, there’s always room to add another.
I was in town for IMEX, and my lovely wife joined me after the conference with one goal in mind: dinner at Carbone Riviera, situated lakeside at the Bellagio.
It was a beautiful October evening and thankfully our host at Aria grabbed us a rezzie at 6 because we had Metallica at 8:30.
Taking over the former Picasso space, Carbone Riviera has big shoes, or maybe a space to fill, and it delivers. Nancy welcomed us warmly and gave us a tour of what may be the most stunning restaurant I’ve been to. Mosaic tile across the ceiling and columns gave the room a sparkle without being over the top. The staff uniforms were sharp and even the menus were well constructed and inviting to open.
Attached to the dining room is the patio overlooking the famous Bellagio water fountains, and while dinner out there would have been an experience, I was happy taking in the views from our indoor and comfortable leather booth. I can continue about the room, but let’s get to the food.
The menu is seafood forward, with plenty of options for those that prefer the land over sea. Our server Drago was helpful in steering us towards a plan that included Carbone classics, but also had us able to rock and roll later without being stuffed.
The meal began with a complementary bread assortment, pickled vegetables, and a white bean dip. All very good. We decided on oysters from Prince Edward Island that were dressed in a slightly forward mignonette, and they were fantastic. Between the starter and entree, we added some greenery to a colorful dinner by snacking on the Caesar Alla ZZ, which I enjoyed, but I felt the anchovy was a little much.
Being at a Carbone restaurant, pasta was always part of the plan. We went with the Cappellini Crab AOP and the staple spicy rigatoni. The cappellini was light, tossed in olive oil and garnished with green onions. My only regret is that I wished for a more generous helping of the chopped crab. The spicy rigatoni was divine. A straightforward vodka sauce with enough spice to engage without pushing you away.
Let’s take a break from the food and discuss the wine.
We started with a glass of Laurent-Perrier, which isn’t usually my favorite, but it hit the spot. The wine list is massive, with premier wines across the Old and New World. The MVP of the evening was sommelier David Su. Gracious, welcoming, and a pleasure to talk with, he made an already lovely dinner feel more special.
We decided on the 2014 Pontet-Canet because I love my Bordeaux. A top three château for me, it never disappoints. I’d take it over most of its first growth friends, except you Margaux.
We finished with the Branzino alla Griglia. The skin was grilled to a perfect crisp, and the fish underneath was moist and flaked beautifully. I should’ve ordered one for myself instead of splitting because it was that good, but now I know for next time.
Overall, the experience Carbone Riviera was fantastic. Like any of Vegas’ premier restaurants, expect an expensive evening whether you splurge on wine or not. The food was very good, with the oysters, rigatoni, and branzino giving us plenty of reasons to return. Service was impeccable from Nancy, Drago to David, even the bussing staff, who were also wonderful. We’ll be back sooner rather than later because there aren’t many places where you can feel like you’re dining in an Italian palace and be treated like royalty.