And while it’s true that there was at least one number that qualifies as “the worst,” it’s important to look at the numbers before running to tell your friends that Vegas is doomed.

That number was 10 percent and it’s the amount of decline in gaming revenue in Nevada for the year. It represents the largest decline in state history, more than five times worse than the decline the city saw after 9/11. A huge chunk of that decline came in the last three months of the year, when revenue was down an astonishing 18.9 percent.

Visitor visitation is also down for the year by 4.4 percent – down 11 percent in December in alone.

So on a percentage basis, things are bad. But from a real number perspective?

Even at its 10 percent off pace, the state still took in $11.6 billion in gaming revenue. That’s billion, with a b or roughly 1.5% of the stimulus package recently approved by congress. And the state still drew 37.5 million people to its glittery borders, still making it one of the most popular tourist destinations on the globe.

Don’t get me wrong… times are definitely tough for Las Vegas with the major and minor casino companies struggling to stay afloat. That impacts more than just whether or not you and I will have a place to gamble, it affects people’s jobs and lives. And not just those who work for the casinos but statewide since Nevada relies heavily on the tax revenue the casinos and all those tourists bring in.

But what is important to note, I think, is that from the numbers I’m seeing, most casinos are still making money, they are just making less of it. The thing that has gotten them in trouble is the same thing that has gotten a lot of people in this country (including myself) in trouble: too much debt. Granted, this is on a much larger multi-billion dollar scale, but the principle is the same. These companies owe more money than they can afford to pay back right now.

2009 is not expected to be a lot better for the city from a numbers perspective and there will almost definitely be more bad news in terms of closures, layoffs, and bankruptcies for several major companies. The sad thing is that the billions of dollars they borrowed to make the kind of “Only in Vegas” experience that brought in the big bucks could be the very thing that comes back to bite them in the end.

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Buca is a chain of Italian restaurants with dozens of outlets around the country including two in Las Vegas – one at 412 E. Flamingo at the corner of Paradise Road (just off The Strip) and another in Summerlin on the west side of town.

But I didn’t eat at either of those – I ate at the one in the Universal City Walk in Los Angeles, California. Why? Well, because they invited me and who am I to turn down an invitation?

The reason I got invited is because Buca was purchased last year by Planet Hollywood, the company responsible for the terrific transformation of The Aladdin into Planet Hollywood Resort on The Strip. They were eager to show off the changes they’ve made to the Italian eateries and so I grabbed some friends and headed out for dinner and more than a few cocktails.

Let’s start with those cocktails. One of the celebrity partners is Danny De Vito, whose infamous appearance on The View after a night of drinking Limoncello shots sent sales of the liquor up by 20%. Now De Vito has his own Limoncello brand, made from organic lemons from Italy (and high-proof alcohol), that has become a featured drink at the new Buca di Beppo.

It’s strong. Good, but strong. You have been warned.

There are a bunch of new items on the menu, all of which is served family style so bring your appetites. This is definitely the kind of place where you want to bring a big group of people, order a bunch of stuff, and then pass the plates.

The menu is classic Italian – start with an appetizer of the cheesy garlic bread or the delectable bruschetta, served dripping in olive oil on thick bread. The mozzarella caprese was also a winner here with sweet cheese, fresh tomatoes, basil leaves, and more olive oil. With all that garlic and olive oil it’s a good thing we were all friends at my table.

A wide variety of salads are offered but if I could recommend one it would be the apple gorgonzola, with Granny Smith apples, walnuts, cranberries, and an Italian vinaigrette.

There are a selection of pizzas and baked pastas like a nine-layer lasagna that were tempting, but we went to the classic pasta and entrée section instead. Filling up our table were a huge bowl of chicken carbonara, imported spaghetti noodles with prosciutto and chicken in a creamy Alfredo sauce; finely breaded chicken parmigiana topped with a tangy marinara and chewy mozzarella; and the chicken saltimbocca, sautéed in sage and prosciutto and topped with a lemon butter sauce.

As mentioned the portions are family style, which is code word for huge, and even the “small” versions of those three dishes was more than enough to feed four people with a doggy bag of leftovers going home for lunches the next day. Although I will say that there wasn’t a lot left over because everything was so good that we simply could not stop eating.

Be sure not to miss the dessert menu. They’ve got a new red velvet cake under a buttercream frosting and a chocolate cake in Sambuca sauce (plus tiramisu, gelato, and more) that we considered but we finally went for the Chocolate Vesuvio – a chocolate fudge and caramel brownie with vanilla gelato – and a piece of their homemade cheesecake. The former was a mind-numbingly sweet treat but the cheesecake was the star, probably the best example of the genre I’ve tasted in years – fluffy and creamy, with a tangy raspberry sauce setting it off perfectly.

Prices may vary from restaurant to restaurant but figure $10-20 for the “small” main dishes and $20-30 for the big sizes. Since the small can easily feed two people the math works out quite well in the end.

Service at the Universal City Walk restaurant was perfect from beginning to end – friendly, fast, and more than willing to put up with our alcohol induced silliness. Obviously I can’t speak to the service at other outlets but if this one was any indication, you’re going to be in good hands.

I had never eaten at a Buca di Beppo before Planet Hollywood took it over so I can’t put all of the credit for the success of the experience in their hands. But seeing what the remarkable and enjoyable success they’ve had in Las Vegas makes me a believer that this company knows what they are doing these days. Fans of classic Italian should find out for themselves.

To see if there is a Buca di Beppo near you, visit their website at bucadibeppo.com.

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