Zeffirino, overlooking the Grand Canal at the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian, has an elegant atmosphere and stunning view. Photo by Ralph Fountain.

"Have a nice week in Las Vegas," our waiter said as we prepared to depart.

And that, my friends, points a big neon arrow at the shortcomings of Zeffirino: If you're not a tourist, they don't know what the heck you're doing there. The we-appreciate-our-locals initiatives of other Strip restaurants are simply missing in action.

I know I harp on the bottled-water thing (my main objection being that if I want it, I can order it myself), but this was a particularly egregious case of strong-arming the unsuspecting, our waiter simply saying, "How about a bottle of water for the table? Still or sparkling?" without pointing out that pesky charge that would come with it.

We had to ask for a wine list (guess they figured if we were too cheap for bottled water, wine was out of the question). And said wine list was lacking the up-and-comers that can be had for bargain-basement prices if the oenophile in question is well-read or willing to experiment, we being the latter. (Our Cruvin 2000 Savonese Ruffino -- from Liguria, home of Genoa, birthplace of Zeffirino -- was $55 and OK.)

And, last but not least, my pasta entree was $32 -- high even by Strip standards.

All of that said, Zeffirino is a gorgeous place, and the food was excellent.

That $32 pasta, for example, was billed as dual-colored, so I figured half of this and half of that. Wrong-o; this fettuccine was different-colored on each side, which we see extremely rarely, mainly because of the degree of care that must be undertaken in sandwiching two types of pasta and then cutting it. (So that does justify a higher price, but considering the cost of the ingredients, this was a little extreme.) We chose it mainly because it had been tossed with a sauce that contained pesto, the creation of Genoa, and it didn't disappoint, brightened up by the flavor of tomatoes and mellowed with a good dose of Parmesan.

The Cotoletto di Vitello alla Valdostana ($42) was, price-wise, a little more in line with what I'd have expected, veal chops generally being in the carriage-trade category. It was also exceptionally large, exceptionally tender and stuffed with an exceptional amount of fontina. And very good.

Our appetizers were simplicity personified. The classic prosciutto and melon ($15) showcased both ingredients to great advantage, the cantaloupe at the perfect degree of ripeness and as sweet as cantaloupe comes, the slightly salty ham balancing it perfectly. This was the best example of this dish I've seen in a long, long time.

And while we didn't know what to expect of the lobster salad ($17), the chef likewise showcased its main ingredient -- succulent and sweet -- by not messing with it, employing a very simple, light dressing. And we thought this one was actually quite reasonably priced.

Our waiter brought the check without asking if we wanted dessert, but after we said we did, he apologized profusely and seemed inclined, finally, to let us linger a bit -- which should have been less of an issue because we didn't have one of the canal-front tables, which are in no doubt in high demand. And so, while we sunk into the delights of our chocolate pyramid with pistachio filling ($9), we relaxed and took in our we-almost-feel-like-we're-in-Italy-but-this-is-in-much-better-shape surroundings and peeked out at the faux canal.

If you've strolled through the Grand Canal Shoppes, you've no doubt spotted Zeffirino, which with an air of elegance and gravitas presides over it all like the grand cathedral on the city square.

It's a pity to leave it to the tourists.

Las Vegas Review-Journal restaurant reviews are unannounced and done anonymously at Review-Journal expense. Contact Heidi Rinella at 383-0474 or e-mail her at hrinella@reviewjournal.com.