Ron’s provides unlikely oasis of fine dining in Arizona Charlie’s

Ron's Steakhouse isn't the type of place you'd expect to find tucked away inside Arizona Charlie's, 740 S. Decatur Blvd.

A neighborhood casino frequented primarily for its slot machines and buffet, the Decatur Boulevard outpost — there is also an Arizona Charlie's on Boulder Highway — seems an unlikely place for fine dining, yet that's exactly what you'll find inside the upscale oasis that is Ron's.

Located next to the escalator to that aforementioned buffet, Ron's welcomes its guests with a serene waiting area that blocks out the dings, bells and blare that constitute the casino floor. Once the glass door closes behind you, you immediately get the feeling you've stepped into a private club of some kind, or perhaps back in time, when things in Vegas moved a little slower and deals were still closed with a handshake and a bourbon over a fine steak dinner.

On the Sunday evening I visited, many of the tables were empty, but because the dining area is divided into two halves, one a larger area with tables and the other a smaller area with rounded booths, it's possible diners came and went without being noticed. The background music here is soft jazz, and the decor has something of a hunting lodge-style theme, with a faux antler candle holder and twisted tree branch arrangements anchoring the booths. The waiting area by the hostess stand previewed the theme with silver tree log end tables.

The menu here is pretty straightforward steakhouse fare: Appetizers are primarily seafood (oysters, shrimp cocktail, crab cakes), followed by a selection of steaks, house specialties, seafood and chicken dishes, with sides available to accompany for $5 each. I started with the New England crab cakes ($10), which came with two smallish cakes served atop a Creole mustard sauce and greens. The cakes were tasty, the crab meat inside large and plentiful, but I would have liked a bit more of the tasty mustard sauce.

Entrees are served with a choice of soup or salad. I chose the soup of the day, cream of asparagus, which featured a touch of garlic and was so good I kept eating it long past when I probably should have stopped to save room for the entree to come. The same can be said of the bread basket and trio of house-made flavored butters that accompany every meal.

For my main entree, I selected filet mignon au poivre ($30), one of the house signature specialties, which featured 8 ounces of filet medallions coated in cracked peppercorns and sauteed with shallots, Dijon, Cognac and cream. It came with a dollop of mashed potatoes that served as a foundation for an artfully sculpted potato waffle. From the sides menu, I chose Ron's Special Au Gratin Potatoes and asparagus ($5 each); other side choices are steakhouse fries, creamed spinach, wild rice, sauteed mushrooms, risotto-style orzo pasta, garlic mashed potatoes, waffle-cut sweet potatoes, creamy cheese gnocchi and Idaho baked potato.

Dessert ($6 each except for the tableside-prepared bananas Foster, which is $8 for one guest or $12 for two) was New York cheesecake for me and flourless chocolate cake for my dining partner. The cheesecake was thick and rich and served in a generous pool of strawberry sauce and topped with sliced strawberries and a touch of whipped cream. The cake — also super-rich — was served with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream with whipped cream, blueberries and raspberries and a chocolate straw.

We declined alcohol, but Ron's features an extensive wine list including sparkling wines, martinis and after-dinner drinks such as Cloud 9 ($9) with Frangelico, vodka, chocolate syrup, coffee and milk, blended with ice and topped with whipped cream. With a drink like that, who needs dessert?

Opened in early 2011, Ron's is celebrating its fifth anniversary. For those unfamiliar, its namesake is Ron Lurie, executive vice president and general manager of Arizona Charlie's Decatur and a 32-year veteran of the gaming industry. He's lived in Las Vegas for more than 50 years, and his resume boasts 14 years as a Las Vegas City Councilman, four years as Las Vegas mayor and six years as a member of the State of Nevada Wildlife Commission (perhaps explaining the restaurant's lodge theme).

Diners with an ace I PLAY card receive 10 percent off their meal. Ron's is open from 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday and is closed Monday and Tuesday.

For reservations, call 702-258-5201. To preview the menu, visit arizonacharliesdecatur.com/Dining/Rons-Steakhouse.