Bird cages serve as lighting fixtures in the bar-lounge area at Social House restaurant inside Treasure Island. Photos by Craig L. Moran. Social House features citrus peel miso cod, left; lobster curry salad, back center; soy mirin kurobuta pork belly, bottom center; ume boshi hokkaido sea scallops, right; and a special Malomars dessert, back right.

Social House at Treasure Island, 3300 Las Vegas Blvd. South, has made the most of its unique space at Treasure Island.

Instead of a large room, the restaurant -- formerly Buccaneer Bay -- winds around the edge of the hotel and afforded the AgroKO design company in New York with several nooks and crannies in which to create a variety of different looks.

Access to the restaurant can be obtained via stairs -- the walls are lined with brass file boxes, considered good luck -- or an elevator, both next door to the Tangerine bar.

Once upstairs, diners can check out the lounge and bar area, which includes dining tables. Light is provided by fixtures in bird cages.

Other features include steel grates for semiprivate dining, a 10-seat sushi bar, a six-seat circular bar that serves drinks and dinner, rows of Japanese newspapers under the glow of red lights and a hideaway bar in the back.

The patio dining area has been extended farther out and wraps around the restaurant for a view of the Strip and the "Sirens of TI" show.

Former owner Steve Wynn's boardroom has been turned into a private dining room with 35 seats, a plasma screen TV and a terrace with patio seating.

Music is provided by two DJ booths, including one on the patio.

The restaurant serves a variety of fruit-infused sakes.

Executive chef Joseph Elevado, formerly of Nobu, oversees the restaurant's Pan-Asian cuisine, while pastry chef Ralph Perrazzo, formerly of Bradley Ogden and Jean Georges in New York, developed the dessert menu.

Seating 270, Social House is open from 5 to 11 nightly, and a late-night menu is offered from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.

Reservations are suggested by calling 894-7223.

Starters: Cold dishes include ume boshi hokkaido sea scallops ($18); lobster and lemon pickled jicama ($24); garlic oil-seared Kobe (market price); and Kobe taro chips with peanut sauce ($25).

Among the hot dishes are shrimp and pork lumpia served with sweet chili sauce ($12); shrimp tempura with plum sauce ($15); scallop dynamite ($18); panko crab cakes ($18); citrus peel miso cod ($18); and soy mirin kurobuta pork belly ($22).

Skewers come in kalbi beef ($7), kurobuta pork ($7), adobo chicken ($7), curry shrimp ($8) and scallop teriyaki ($8).

Soups and salads: Miso soup ($4); tamarind soup with prawns, baby bok choy and chayote squash ($12); coconut lemon grass soup ($12); organic green salad with ginger dressing ($8); sesame kelp salad ($8); green papaya salad ($6); and seafood sunomono ($16).

Entrees: Tasmanian ocean trout with a truffle soy mirin reduction ($28); chicken teriyaki ($24); tamarind short ribs ($32); beef rib-eye teriyaki ($45); mixed tempura dinner ($24); and sashimi dinner ($26).

Extras: Noodles and rice dishes include cold sesame noodles with nempura shrimp ($16); adobo chicken fried rice ($8); curry vegetable fried rice ($8); and Kobe shabu shabu with rice noodles ($22).

The sushi bar serves a variety of sushi, sashimi and rolls ($4-$18).

Desserts: Banana split with milk chocolate ice cream, diced marshmallow, chocolate fudge, caramel ice cream and banana ice cream ($12); warm chocolate cake with Kona coffee ice cream, caramel sauce and chocolate crumble ($12); sweet dough balls with raspberry or chocolate sauce ($11); sorbet made with kiwi, passion fruit, watermelon, pineapple and berries ($11); yogurt pancakes with coconut tapioca, ginger maple syrup and orange caramel ($12); peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream ($12); and vanilla layer cake with cream cheese icing, lemon sauce and seasonal fruit ($12).

Appetizers is a weekly informational column about new developments on the Las Vegas dining scene. Items should not be considered reviews or recommendations and none is a paid advertisement. Contact Ken White at 383-0256 or e-mail him at kwhite@ reviewjournal.com.