Follow the Night Fly to a variety ofclassy after-hours dining spots

Best Late-Night Dining

     Finding love is easy in the city after midnight, sweetheart. At least, compared to finding a good steak in an upscale atmosphere.
     For that, you need more than a good travel agent. You need the Night Fly, the man who lives by neon, the elusive fellow who lurks late and strikes straight into the heart of Las Vegas' late-night dining scene. For a burg known as a 24-hour city, you'd be surprised how few superior restaurants are open after curfew.
     Forget about grabbing the best pub grub in town. If you're looking for a chicken wing fix, it's easy to find. Most of the gin mills in Sin City offer good grease at reasonable rates.
     And if you're hunting for a meal served under better lighting, coffee shops throughout the casino circuit dish it up 24-7.
     The hard part is rising above the dives and joints and coming up with top-notch cuisine after the gates of the graveyard shift have swung wide open. For that, you need the Night Fly.
     He starts downtown, where tradition tells him the sobering-up crowd is waiting in long lines for hub-cap-sized ham steaks and eggs at Binion's coffee shop. But tonight he's nontraditional and instead cuts over to Andre Rochat's Frogeez on 4th, 300 S. Fourth St., where during the week the crowd runs to attorneys and county bureaucrats. On the weekends, an eclectic array of munchies is served until 1:30 a.m. to the sounds of combo jazz. If you are dying for a crab cake after midnight downtown, this is the place. Remember: Don't feed the lawyers.
     Moving around the valley, the Night Fly catches his pasta fix and then some at the venerable Venetian, 3713 W. Sahara Ave., which serves Italian cuisine around the clock. From osso buco to a slice of cheese pizza, it's all there.
     Another favorite for drinks and steaks is The Coachman's Inn, 3240 S. Eastern Ave. With its dark interior, it's a good place to see and not be seen, and the workers are straight out of old Las Vegas.
     "We're a very old established place," kitchen manager Sally Rachiell says proudly. "We have faithful customers. The owners, Shirlee Helton and Steve Murphy, were both in gaming and have been here all their lives. They both started out as kids at the old Thunderbird. They're locals, and at that time it was still a service-oriented town. They still believe in service."
     Now the Night Fly shares a secret. Tell no one else that Capozzoli's restaurant, 3333 S. Maryland Parkway, serves delightful Italian food until 3:30 a.m. Owners Ailee and Mickey Capozzoli not only attract the sporting crowd late, but offer some of the smoothest jazz in town. The real sleeper is the jukebox in the lounge, which contains not only the usual Sinatra and Bennett standards, but the best of Bobby Darin, Dean Martin and, a personal favorite of the Night Fly's, Jimmy Rosselli.
     You want something newer? Try Manhattan of Las Vegas, 2600 E. Flamingo Road, and Gentleman Jack's Supper Club, 3620 E. Flamingo Road. Both boast their share of converts from the Strip's late-night cafe scene. And there's Chang of Las Vegas, 3055 Las Vegas Blvd. South across from the Stardust, which serves Cantonese cuisine until midnight.
     But the favorite place for late-night dining and sightseeing is Ruth's Chris Steak House, 4561 W. Flamingo Road. With its heart-stopping slabs of beef and splendid wine list, this is the place for a serious meal and a late conversation.
     How strong is the food and ambience?
     On a recent night, maitre d's from Palace Court, Bacchanal and Kokomo's restaurants were seated in the same evening.
     "It's a rough gig, but we're fortunate in that we already had all the things that it takes to be a successful place," night manager Ken Carter says. "We're not a casino. People don't feel rushed when they come in here. The staff is not closing down around you while you eat. We have a relaxing late-night atmosphere."
     With light jazz five evenings a week highlighted by the Joe Darro Trio on Friday and Saturday nights, Ruth's Chris and the rest renew the Night Fly's faith in Las Vegas late-night dining. So there's no need to go hungry after the midnight hour.
     As for love, sweetheart, you're on your own.