Eats: Top Ten in 2010

My favorite restaurants in Las Vegas? That varies greatly, not only from year to year but from day to day, as I continually discover new spots and re-examine venerable ones.

And as you might imagine, I’m not able to dine in every restaurant in Las Vegas each year. That’s a feat that would be possible only by Santa Claus, and you can see what has happened to his waistline.

I am, however, happy to tell you my favorites from among the restaurants I did review during 2010.

1. Mastro’s Ocean Club, Crystals at CityCenter — Mastro’s has it all. I immediately felt welcome when the guy behind the podium showed me to my table before the rest of my party had arrived, and the devotion to great service continued throughout dinner. From the vanilla-battered shrimp to the warm butter cake, the food was perfect, and the surrealistic faux-tree location on the second floor at Crystals is only a plus.

2. Julian Serrano, Aria at CityCenter — I’d expect the master of Picasso to do a masterful job with a tapas restaurant, especially considering that, like Picasso and tapas, he’s a native of Spain. And he did, from the apple and manchego salad to the Santiago’s Cake.

3. Bachi Burger, 470 E. Windmill Lane — I love it when somebody does something new and Bachi Burger does, with its Asian-burger fusion. Start with the house-pickled vegetables, and don’t miss the pork-belly-filled steamed burgers.

4. Sabor, 594 N. Stephanie St., Henderson — Cali-Oaxacan fusion might not be new but it’s not exactly common in Las Vegas. And Sabor does it well, including an expanded and very unconventional chips and salsa and such dishes as coconut ahi tuna with roasted pepitas.

5. Indian Curry Bowl, 5643 Centennial Center Blvd. — I also like it when somebody does traditional dishes perfectly, and Indian Curry Bowl does, as in the sublime beef samosas and killer lamb korma.

6. Todd English P.U.B., Crystals at CityCenter — Bar food? Not exactly, but this is American food at its finest, as in the best brisket I’ve even eaten, and some truly superlative bread.

7. Lola’s, A Louisiana Kitchen, 241 W. Charleston Blvd. — Two words: grilled oysters. They’re not something you often find in Las Vegas, and at Lola’s they’re real and they’re spectacular.

8. StripHouse, Planet Hollywood — We loved the fact that they gave us a scallop lagniappe because we were locals — almost as much as we loved the warm garlic bread with Gorgonzola fondue.

9. Elements Kitchen & Martini Bar, 4950 S. Rainbow Blvd. — Elements is the kind of neighborhood place we’d all like to find in our own neighborhoods — a friendly spot with great, creative food such as the portabella ravioli in a mild masala curry.

10. Aquaknox, The Venetian — Though it’s smack-dab by the convention center, it’s a peaceful respite from the madding crowd — and a good spot for top-notch seafood including Jonah crab.

Contact reporter Heidi Knapp Rinella at hrinella@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0474.