Lavo---the new restuarant and lounge from the Tao group, and former Bastide and L'Orangerie chef Ludovic Lefebvre's Vegas debut---had it's splashy celebrity-filled grand opening party at the Palazzo this weekend, so here we finally have a proper look inside. The concept is inspired by ancient Mediterranean bathhouses---no doubt so they could get away with barely-clad women bathing with each other in the nightclub---with a menu that "highlights the best of the region’s cuisine." Perusing said menu, you definitely see Ludo elements (asparagus, fried egg, black truffle panini; "Ludo's crudos"), but it's much less adventurous than, say, the caramel popcorn-coated chicken he was whipping up at Bastide or the foie gras udon soup at Breadbar. He's a serious and talented chef, yes, but any chef worth his salt should be able to cook simple, comfort, pre-clubbing food, so this could work. The pizzas, pastas and seafood dishes make sense with the Mediterranean theme, so just one question: How'd the reuben-stuffed knish "slider" get on there? Some early tracking here and here. [The Palazzo, 702.791.1800; website]
