RAO’s,
the famous tiny Italian restaurant from New York that is exclusive
because of its size as well as its food has become a staple in the Las
Vegas dining scene. In New York it’s nearly impossible to get a
reservation but thanks to Caesars Palace, everyone can enjoy the Italian
eatery. While, it’s impossible to replicate the New York City
experience, the Las Vegas location gives it a great shot. There are two
ten-table rooms duplicating the original RAO’s saloon as well as a
larger dining room and the outdoor patio, where you can sit at poolside
and enjoy a game of bocce in-between bites.
Prior to dining at RAO’s, I’d heard mixed reviews, everything from
its very traditional to it’s just a name on a restaurant. My experience
was phenomenal. I was with a friend who spoke Italian and essentially
told the waiter to bring us the signature RAO’s dishes that we could
share. I love to eat family style and perhaps my Italian speaking
friend brought us some extra love from the motherland because everything
was exceptional.
We started with a nice House Salad and the Antipasto Della Casa which
included beautiful prosciutto di parma that I didn’t forget for weeks.
Next we had Penne Vodka which was a perfectly prepared.
Our main courses included delicious homemade Sausage and Meatballs
along with Uncle Vincent’s Famous Lemon Chicken and Veal Parmigiana.
While the Tiramisu was tempting, there was no dessert after filling
ourselves but we did enjoy a little Sambucca.
I’m not sure if this kind of eating was allowed to us because our
friend spoke magic Italian or we just ordered and shared a bunch of
dishes, but RAO’s was fantastic. If you’re with a large party I
definitely recommend ordering many dishes and sharing if possible
because there nothing that says family like jumping over one another to
grab your next bite of food.
Originally posted on Galavantier