Amalfi — Restaurant in Paradise

During our recent 4-day vacation in Las Vegas, which I used as a global foodie tour squeezed in with gambling and again resting my eyes from my computer screen; I chose to close out our stay with a dinner at Amalfi By Bobby Flay. I made our dinner reservation through the OpenTable reservation system. Well, we were playing a couple of slot machines in the Caesar's Palace Casino and I had a winning streak that caused us to miss our reservation time. We rushed over to Amalfi's hostess to check-in and apologized for our lateness. Fortunately, she was able to re-instate my reservation in OpenTable, and within a few moments, she escorted us into the restaurant.

Walking in, I was impressed by the calming neutral tones, stone and wood, and tiles. The sweeping high ceiling gave me a feeling of being outdoor, while the modern Italian furnishings showed their masculinity without being overly aggressive. The fresh fish were displayed neatly in deep blue ceramic mosaic tubs resembling Capri's Grotta Azzurra, and the fishmonger was a friendly and enthusiastic young man. Our server, Laura, was engaging, attentive, and professional.

COCKTAILS: Negroni: Più Cinque Gin, Cocchi Dopo Teatro, Cappelletti Aperitivo. I liked this Negroni's up-front sweetness with a complex fruitiness and tartness from citrus and vanilla. The Cappelletti Aperitivo was a little sweeter, lighter herbal, and slightly less bitter than the usual Campari in this Italian cocktail. $19

Maker's Mark Old Fashioned: What can I say? I didn't try my husband's cocktail choice, but he did enjoy it. $17

FOOD: -Shellfish Fritto Misto: My husband, who loves deep-fried food, ordered this appetizer to have a snack with our cocktails. Our server delivered a colossal bowl of airy and crisp deep-fried clams, calamari (tentacles and rings), and shrimp with Meyer lemon aïoli and pistachio pesto. The fried seafood was light and non-greasy. Although the fried seafood was flavorful on its own, the aïoli's sweet lemony flavor brightened the fried seafood. I especially liked the pistachio pesto with the deep-fried shrimp. $26

-Baby Gem Caesar Salad: We shared this black kale salad. Laura warned us about the bitterness of the raw black kale, but we didn't find it bitter at all. Even the treviso (similar to radicchio) was mild. The grated cheese (Parmesan?) was nutty and a little salty, but that dressing brought all the flavors and textures together. The portion was generous and perfect for sharing between the two of us. $19

-Squid Ink Fettuccine: My eyes were caught by the ingredients in this dish. I couldn't resist fresh lobster, shrimp, and squid in fra Diavolo (spicy tomato sauce specifically for seafood or pasta)! The sauce wasn't overwhelmingly spicy, but a slight chili pepper kick enhanced the briny umami-ness of the squid ink fettuccine. This gorgeous silky black squid ink pasta was flavorful, and the fresh seafood complemented its flavor and texture. $38

-Scialatielli: Scialatielli (ribbon pasta) with scampi sauce and basil was my husband's choice. He saw the menu description on the menu as sort of "boring." I knew that Scialatielli pasta is similar to fettuccine but has more curves and irregularities. But, he shouldn't have underestimated the scampi sauce because this sauce was more complex by its simplicity. Hm, if that makes any sense?! $32

Bobby's Pistachio Sundae: Because we were flying out the following morning, we didn't want to drink coffee or have any more alcohol. However, my husband twisted my arm to Bobby's Pistachio Sundae. After all, I swooned at the mention of dark chocolate sauce and pistachio gelato. Amarena cherries and chopped pistachios topped the three scoops of gelato. This frozen dessert was refreshing and a nice finish to our meal. $16

We'd gladly return to Amalfi by Bobby Flay for another meal. The service, food, flavors, and value are excellent and will make you appreciate Chef Flay's inspiration for the...

Table for 2 for Dinner While walking through the Caesars Palace casino the night before, the signage for the restaurant and the pic of Bobby Flay caught our attention. We are big fans of Flay and had never gone to his restaurant.  I approached the hostess podium and asked about available reservation slots for the next day. She informed me that a slot at 7 pm was open, and I promptly booked it.  Fast-forward to our reservation time, arriving a bit early, the hostess checked us in and assured us she would notify us when our table was ready. While we waited, we played some slots and video blackjack. After a while, we headed back over to the podium, and she directed us to our table. Seated in the main dining room, we immediately appreciated the great design and ambiance (I wish I had taken more pictures).  Our server quickly came over to take our drink orders.  We reviewed the food menu and I personally wanted to taste everything.   I ended up ordering a Focaccia bread after seeing it at another table, which Wifey and I shared. Following that, as a starter, I opted for the Squid Ink Fettuccine, which comes with shrimp, squid, and lobster.  That was very good and I let Wifey pick off some of the seafood.  For our entree, we both settled on the Chicken Parmigiano and a shared side of Crispy Potatoes with Parmigiano, oregano and lemon.  The food came out quickly and we started to dig in.   We both had the same general review of the entree. It was good but not spectacular.  I would say the highlight was the sweet tomato sauce that you could taste throughout, but overall it was average.  After the entree we were stuffed. I had definitely ordered too much. A classic case of eyes being bigger than the stomach.  I reviewed the dessert menu, but couldn’t do it.  Let me say,  the ambiance  and service were TOP NOTCH. We had about 3 - 4 different people working our table, checking on different things and making sure we were happy.  Precisely, what you'd expect from a restaurant with Bobby Flay's name. Despite the somewhat average entree, we would unquestionably return to explore other items...

The dinner at Amalfi will be an experience we will talk about for years to come. 🙌 Service we received was absolutely amazing, not one thing out of order. 👌Water glass always filled. Clean utensils always provided without asking. One of a kind 'fish-market' experience where you can walk up to these stunning glass tiled pots with fresh fish on ice. 🐟🎣 Refreshing wine. Exquisitely clean chefs kitchen. ✨ The staff is very knowledgeable about menu, fresh fish selection, and wine pairing. 🍷 🦀 Beverage: A recommended white wine from the wine list to pair with fish. Best to ask your server!!! First course: Blue Crab & Eggplant Meatballs-these were out of this world!!! 🤤 Beautifully presented. Sweet crab flavor with firm eggplant bite. Topped with a vodka sauce that is creamy and sweet from the tomato. These left me wanting more. 😻 Main Course: Market-Driven whole fish grilled. I don't even remember what we chose at the market table, but the fish was delicate, flaky, and sweet.🐟 Our servers recommend getting the sauces on the side, so we are able to taste them all with our fish. My favorite sauce was a toss up between the Salsa Verde-similar to a chimichurri 🌿and the Myer Lemon + Capers 🍋-tart and briny perfect for the fish. My boyfriend's favorite was the Red Pepper 🌶️ + Calabrian Chile Pesto-spicy but subtle with the fish pairing. Side Dish: Amalfi Chopped Salad. 🥗 This is completely underrated. THE BEST lemon vinaigrette 🍋 I have ever had, maybe even the best salad dressing l've ever had. Crunchy. Tart. Addictive. I want this salad everyday all-day. Dessert Course: Triple Lemon Cake-almond cookie with lemon cream and what almost was like a lemon pudding filling. Devine. Order a dessert per person, you won't want to share. 😋 Overall, the service and meal will probably be the best you have ever experienced—from service being top notch and food being perfectly executed with traditional Italian ingredients shining through each dish. Make reservations ahead of time to secure your table at Amalfi....