Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
which subtly point diners to John 3:16 or Proverbs 3:5, some of the favorite bible
quotations of the Snyder family who still own the chain as a private corporation.
$-$$
I think with the reputation it has as a celebrity-magnet, many visitors will
be surprised to find that the Palms is actually off the Strip, though not too far west
of it. If you decide to head out and try and catch a glimpse of K-Fed or Carmen
Electra and the hunt makes you hungry, pop in to the
Fantasy Market Buffet
5
(in the Palms Casino Resort, 4321 W. Flamingo Rd.;
%
866/725-6773; www.
palms.com; breakfast
$
6, lunch
$
6.99, dinner
$
8.99; daily 8am-10pm; AE, DISC,
MC, V),
a favorite of the locals for its low prices and superior food. The Middle
Eastern fare—hummus, stuffed grape leaves, tzatziki, labneh, tabbouleh, baba
ghanouj, and phyllo pastries—is a particular treat, though I have also been
impressed by the smoked pork loin, the tomato soup, large pasta selection, and
the beef taquitos. My only hope is that they'll upgrade the decor of this drab, cafe-
teria-like space, which now sticks out like a sore thumb in the midst of an other-
wise chic casino.
$$-$$$
Another locals' favorite,
Nora's Cuisine
55
(6020 W. Flamingo Rd.;
%
702/365-6713; www.norascuisine.com; Mon-Thurs 11:30am-2:30pm and
4:30-10pm, Fri 11:30am-2:30pm and 4:30pm-1am, Sat 4:30pm-1am; AE, DISC,
MC, V)
trades in hearty Italian food with a Sicilian accent. That means that when
you order the lasagna ($9.95), it will come not with the usual marinara, but with
a complex “winter” sauce laden with carrots, onions and tomatoes, put on the
stove early in the morning and left to “ripen” until dinner time. Nora herself goes
to Italy for about 3 months a year to pick up new recipes and sharpen her skills,
so be sure to listen carefully when they recite the specials. Some showboats on the
menu include Spaghetti alla Nora, which is an “and the kitchen sink” type dish
(but one that works) with eggplant, ground beef, pesto, and tomato sauce
($9.95); and the classic chicken marsala ($12). Beyond the food, there's a homi-
ness to the place that is refreshing. As Giovanni, Nora's son and now an owner,
told me, “Everybody that gets into the restaurant biz had, at least at one point, a
passion for the human contact that happens on the floor. Here, that hasn't been
lost, and you have a sense of intimacy and connection that you won't have on the
Strip.” He's definitely right, and very much a part of that, especially when he lets
loose with his operatic tenor voice, singing with the excellent jazz trio that plays
here on Friday and Saturday nights (a number of the musicians who play on the
Strip will also drop in later on those nights for informal jam sessions with the
band). A fun, convivial place, that's highly recommended.
$$-$$$
Twice a year, two 18-wheelers loaded up with apple wood from
Murphysboro, Illinois, head to Vegas to feed the pits at
Memphis Championship
BBQ
555
(1401 S. Rainbow Blvd., between Charleston Blvd. and Sahara Ave.;
%
702/254-0520; Sun-Thurs 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-10:30pm; AE, DISC, MC,
V).
The wood provides the low and slow heat, the scented smoke, that gives the
meat here its distinctive pink hue and full-bodied flavor—unlike any BBQ I've
ever tasted before. All is done to the specifications of co-owner Mike Mills, the
most-celebrated BBQ chef ever, the only man to have won the “Super Bowl of
