Dining Pick of the Week: Spiedini Ristorante

Spiedini Ristorante

JW Marriott, 221 N. Rampart Blvd.; 702-869-8500

Certified master chef Gustav Mauler, who has been serving Las Vegas residents since 1987, was a celebrity chef long before there were celebrity chefs. However, his celebrity status does not prevent him from walking the restaurant floor, greeting his loyal customers, many of whom are celebrities themselves. Begin with chef Mauler’s chopped salad (romaine, avocado, corn, tomato, bacon, Russian dressing), crab cakes with spicy remoulade, Tuscan hummus, spinach salad, Sweetwater shrimp wrapped in prosciutto, mozzarella Caprese, clams with spicy Italian sausage, and eggplant stack, where crisp layers of eggplant are layered with tomatoes and mozzarella. Featured entrees are osso buco with fettuccini, chicken parmigiano with penne marinara, wild Alaskan halibut, veal Milanese or veal romano, chicken involtini (portobello mushrooms, spinach, Fontina cheese, potatoes, vegetables), 16-ounce rib eye with onion rings, grilled lamb chops with garlic mashed potatoes, and chicken saltimbocca. Several pasta dishes are capellini pomodoro, lobster risotto, fettuccini garlic chicken, ricotta spinach gnocchi, linguine with clams in white wine, and short rib ravioli. Popular sides include garlic Parmesan fries, creamed spinach and sauteed mushrooms. When weather permits, dine on the restaurant’s outdoor patio. Ask about the monthly wine dinners. Entrees start at $17. Spiedini is open nightly at 5 p.m.