Craftsteak

Comments

1. Jennifer
   March 31st, 2009 at 6:20 pm
   @jentiki

   Craftsteak is not for the budget traveler, but it is well worth a splurge if you don’t mind spending anywhere from $60-$150 per person for dinner. I’ve been going to Craftsteak for several years and always receive exceptional service and food quality. I usually sit in the dining room in “Kevin’s” section. I always ask for him specially and he always remembers me and treats me like a regular. He even gave me a hug on my most recent visit after an absence of three years!

   The concept of Craftsteak is simple. Start with amazing ingredients and don’t mess them up. I am not normally a fan of vegetables, but the way they are prepared at Craftsteak tempts me to make an entire meal of them! They are always the freshest seasonal vegetables prepared simply to celebrate their natural flavor. And then there’s the Kobe! So many restaurants make the mistake of using Kobe beef in burgers or in elaborate productions burying the meat in piles of garnish and other ingredients that do nothing more than destroy the elegance of the beef itself. Craftsteak prepares their Kobe steaks simply, carefully, and with respect to the meat. I was raised on well-done steaks, but eating Kobe at Craftsteak has convinced me that medium rare is a heavenly experience when the meat is of the finest quality.

   On my last visit, I went alone, so I ate at the bar. This was a very different, yet equally pleasant experience. The bartenders even gave me the recipe to one of their specialty cocktails that I enjoyed. Some bars are way too proprietary with their recipes. Both bartenders, I think their names were Lawrence and Jeff, were very friendly, efficient, and helpful. They were pretty easy on this girl’s eyes too!

   I was focused on cocktails on this last trip, but have experienced the joys of the Craftsteak wine list on many previous visits. One of the benefits of always having the same waiter is that he learns and remembers my likes and dislikes, so I can always trust him to recommend something I will enjoy to go with each course. The wine list is extensive and somewhat daunting, so having a sommelier on hand is helpful.

   Although I would rarely spend so much on a meal anywhere else, Craftsteak will continue to be my mandatory splurge on every trip to Vegas, and I will wholeheartedly recommend it. I like it so much I made my mother take me to the flagship “Craft” restaurant in New York for my birthday a few years ago. Tom Colicchio can do no wrong!

   Stars