These days it is settling somewhere back toward the middle, with fine dining trappings at prices that are more affordable. Such is the case at Central Michel Richard.

French born Chef Richard is no stranger to the fine dining scene. Over the years he has opened restaurants in Los Angeles and Washington DC (where his eateries Citronelle and the original Central still flourish) and has won plaudits for his cuisine including a James Beard Award.

The concept of Central (pronounced sen-TRAHL) in Las Vegas at Caesars Palace aims to reinvent the 24-hour coffee shop, fitting since it takes over the space once occupied by that hotel's open-all-night restaurant. No leatherette booths and chipped formica tables here. The space is bright, sunny, and modern - open to both the hotel's lobby and the Roman Plaza outside.

Despite the French name and French chef, there are only slight Gallic influences to the menu. Yes, there are options like cheese plates, mussels with white wine and garlic, or loup de mer (sea bass) but they also have fish and chips, fried chicken, and spaghetti and meatballs. Eclectic is a good word to describe the choices here.

Starters at lunch and dinner include items like deviled eggs, shrimp cocktail, charcuterie (a variety of deli style meats), and cheeses. The signature item is the Faux Gras, a creamy concoction made with chicken liver (instead of goose) and lots of butter and cream. I tried the bacon and onion tart and was delighted with my choice. It was large enough to share, served piping hot on a cutting board, with a flaky, almost buttery crust topped with finely chopped bacon and onions and a healthy (or unhealthy depending on your view) dose of crème fraiche.

Soups and salads include matzo ball and onion in the former category and mixed greens to Chinese chicken in the latter.

There are sandwiches and burgers available if you don't want to go for a full entrèe - a good option at lunchtime. Corned beef, turkey club, and beef, chicken, tuna, crab, or lobster burgers all come with fries or a salad.

In addition to the entrees mentioned above, other choices include rotisserie chicken, steaks, pork loin, lamb shank, pan seared salmon, and even a create-your-own pasta option. The latter offers almost a dozen different pasta, sauce, and meat choices that can be mixed and matched to your heart's content.

In the mood for some comfort food, I went with the meatloaf. It was served in a bowl on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes, all of which was covered in a rich brown gravy laden with mushrooms. The outer edges of the loaf itself were just a little too "done" but I forgave that because the rest of it was fantastic - juicy, tender, and just a hint of spicy. I was comforted.

If breakfast is more your style (or timing), you can get a couple of options at lunch and dinner including steak and eggs or an omelet but the full breakfast menu has everything from cream of wheat to Belgian waffles with stops at eggs, chicken fried steak, huevos rancheros, and eggs benedict along the way.

A late night menu has a limited selection from the breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus with appetizers, eggs, burgers, and a few entrees.

Desserts include various pastries, cakes, and sorbets. I sampled the chocolate lover's cupcake because I do believe you can judge a book by its cover. Short review: loved the insane amounts of rich frosting, could've done without the not-quite-moist-enough cake.

Prices are just as eclectic as the menu. For instance you could do the cheese puffs appetizer, a bowl of onion soup, and a burger and fries for around $30. Or just do the burger and get out for under $20. On the other hand you could have the tartar of filet mignon, a goat cheese Caesar salad, and a T-bone with Alaskan king crab legs and wind up paying closer to $100.

There were a couple of little issues with the food (the slightly tough meatloaf exterior, the slightly dry cupcake) that will keep this from being among my top restaurant choices, but overall I enjoyed the experience and think the gourmet diner concept is a fun one. Next time I'm going for breakfast.