Much to my surprise and delight, however, Company goes way beyond the typical shallow pretensions of fame and offers up a delightful menu of twisted American classics in a beautiful atmosphere.

Let’s talk about the room first. The concept is a modern take on an Alpine ski lodge, although to be honest you kind of have to be looking for it to recognize the subtleties of the design. There are aspen trees and a fireplace and plenty of warm woods and leather, but it’s the cool touches like the modern overhead lighting that evokes the classic antler chandeliers with shadows that really make this place fun to look at.

There are plenty of comfy booths and tables in the dining area plus a small cocktail lounge (with a real antler chandelier) out front if you’re just in the mood for a drink.

The executive chef, Adam Sobel, has an impressive background, having come from Guy Savoy at Caesars Palace, widely considered to be one of the finest of fine dining experiences in town (with the $400 dinner checks to prove it). What Sobel has done here is take classic American food and spun it up with modern touches and flairs. It’s like hip comfort food and it is unique on The Strip.

Need proof? When was the last time you saw matzoh ball soup on the appetizers section of a relatively fancy Vegas restaurant? That item is offered up alongside selections like tuna tartar with pineapple, wild mushroom ravioli in a porcini brown butter, salads, shellfish, and other raw fish and beef temptations.

Over in the entrée part of the menu you’ll find the usual steaks and seafood offerings but they are mixed with fun options like pork schnitzel, roasted monkfish, and fried chicken and waffles.

Even the sides get creative with things like a potato pancake with a quail egg, macaroni casserole, cheesy southern grits, falafel, or tater tots competing for space next to the more traditional potatoes and veggies. They even spice up their brussel sprouts with Fuji apple and bacon.

At our table we ordered up a pretty wide variety on the entrée front. One went for the scallops served in a shallow tureen of New England Clam Chowder. It was an unusual presentation but a successful one with both the scallops and chowder coming off as fresh as fish based meals can get in this arid desert.

Another person went for the traditional schnitzel, although cholesterol issues kept the fried egg in the kitchen. It was a huge piece of pork, pounded and breaded with a brown butter sauce and it was fantastic – almost tart but juicy – the clear winner at our table that night.

I was tempted by the down-home comforts of the chicken and waffles entrée but wound up chickening out (pun intended) because I’m a messy eater and I was wearing a nice jacket that was going to have to last me through a show and several nightclub reviews that night. So instead and I went with a prime beef tenderloin and then kicked myself later. There was nothing wrong with the steak – it was quite good in fact; thick, perfectly prepared, and juicy – but it wasn’t as special or unique as what I could have gotten and I only have myself and my vanity to blame.

The dessert menu was another twisted delight, with unusual twists on more classic Americana. There’s a traditional banana split, “All American” apple pie, cheese cake, key lime pie, and more. We went for two of their specialties – the warm chocolate cake explosion, which lived up to its name as a deconstructed pile of cake, caramel ice cream, and roasted marshmallow; and the mini cinnamon buns, a collection of warm, flaky pastries covered in gooey icing. Both were polished off quickly.

The service throughout the meal was fantastic although it did seem to take a little long to get our main courses. This may have been an illusion since we skipped appetizers due to a heavy lunch, but even if it was reality it was a minor quibble.

Prices are definitely on the high side of things with appetizers anywhere from $14-24 (and more for the shellfish), entrees $22 (for a burger) all the way up to $65 (for lobster) but most around $40, sides all $12, and desserts $10-13. Our check for three with drinks, entrees, dessert, tax, and tip was well over $200. I don’t usually like to pay that much for dinner but this is one of a very select group of experiences where I felt like it was worth it.

Company American Bistro is a terrific new addition to the city’s dining scene, so much so that I picked it as one of my Top 10 Best Restaurants in Las Vegas for 2007.

Luxor
3900 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
702-262-4852
website

Hours:

Tryst at Wynn Las Vegas
First the back-story on this club, which is fascinating. When Wynn Las Vegas opened, their entry into the crowded nightclub scene was called La Bete, a dark and ominous space that lived up to its name (French for The Beast). It didn’t do very well and within a year it was shuttered and overhauled into Tryst, a lighter, brighter affair aimed at a well-heeled clientele.

I visited Tryst right after it opened and walked away unimpressed. I encountered lots of problems with the staff and the overall organization seemed to be lacking, to say the least. But I figured it was birthing pangs and decided I’d get back at some point to see if they had worked out the kinks.

It took me awhile but I’m happy to say that I finally returned and not only have they gotten their act together, they have turned Tryst into one of the most entertaining and appealing nightclubs in town.

The main room is all on one level, a half-circle with bars and booths at the back, more booths and VIP areas in the middle, and then a dance floor at the hub all facing a wall of windows that reveals an outdoor patio and a giant waterfall. As focal points go, you’d have a hard time topping a waterfall.

Outside are more tables and private cabanas, bars, and an al fresco dance floor that surround pools of water.

The whole place is gorgeous, as are most of the people who are partying there. Although undeniably young, the crowd here at Tryst and at Wynn Las Vegas in general, is perhaps a couple of years less young and had the appearance at least of being more dignified. This doesn’t mean they weren’t loud, screaming, dancing, and drinking themselves into oblivion, but of all the big nightclubs I went to that night, this is the one that I saw the fewest people getting kicked out of or passed out in the corner.

Cover and drink prices are outrageous of course, but no more so than anywhere else in town. The staff – the bane of my previous visit – was unfailingly polite and not just to me because I was there to review the club. I witnessed one party girl climb up on a leather banquette in her high heels to do a drunken dance. While this would’ve gotten her a lot of trouble in some other clubs I’ve been to, the security guard at Tryst just walked up to her, pointed at her with a meaty finger, and then pointed at the floor. She got down quickly.

LAX at Luxor
The latest “big deal” in nightclubs became a “big deal” before it opened mainly because of the people who have financial interests in it – names like Christina Aguilera and DJ AM. But the creation of a new nightclub and the zeitgeist that surrounds it goes way beyond the backers. I don’t care how many celebrities write checks – a club, to be successful, has to have its own personality and it better be a cool one.

LAX at Luxor is definitely cool. First of all, it’s dark – everywhere. Even the vinyl-booth style padded entry way is so dark that security guards have to shine lights on the stairs so you don’t tumble your way to a lawsuit. But it sets up an appropriately moody vibe that explodes when you walk into the main room.

The cavernous space flows both down and up, with a staircase leading down to a high-energy dance floor covered by the latest in high-tech lighting and sound, and another staircase leading up to cozy, cavy-like VIP lounges that look over the teaming masses below. Bars are scattered about everywhere and there are more VIP seating areas here and there but precious little room for the non-VIPs to do anything other than stand or dance.

The crowd was very young – at 41, I was the oldest there by a solid 15 years and even that 26 year-old probably felt out of place. But hey, that’s what you get when you come to a club like that so either accept it or go find yourself a nice bingo hall somewhere.

The energy was undeniable, with the packed house providing an almost constant feeling of motion even from the people who were just standing in line for a drink. Forget personal space and be on the lookout for the over-imbibers who were legion.

Again, cover and drink prices are typically high. I only had a limited interaction with the staff but they seemed to be on their game and not too overly intimidating.

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