Visited Carnevino with two business associates last night. I had very high expectations going in, given that this is a Mario Batali establishment, and quite frankly for the price, I was disappointed. The restaurant was beautiful, but the music was waaaaay too loud! The entire night, I had Led Zeppelin, U2 and some other weird junk blasting in my ears. I love classic rock, but I found this very out of character with the restaurant. Not sure Mario would have approved that music choice. The Waiter and Wait Staff were excellent. Very attentive without being overbearing. Allowed us to move along at our own pace. We never felt rushed. The Wine List was extensive, and exhaustive to read. Their focus is obviously on imported wines, primarily Italian, which fits with the theme of the Restaurant. Great selection, Vegas prices, what can I say?! The food was a mixed bag. Bread (buns?) came with a salted butter, and some gelatinous pork fat spread. It was no pork rillette, for sure. It tasted like flavored lard. As for antipasto, I had the Insalata Caprese. It was nothing like the pictures you see on the web site here. Obviously getting fresh tomatoes in Vegas in February must be a challenge, but this had 4 slices of like re-hydrated sun dried tomatoes with a pesto sauce with some very mild white cheese. Where is the buffalo mozzarella? Where are the Heirloom tomatoes. Very disappointing. One of may associates had the Caesar Salad and didn't finish it. We also tried the beef cheek ravioli's. Very good, especially with the aged Balsamic as a kicker. Now for the main attraction, the meats. These wee 3 of the finest cuts of meat I have ever seen. I had the 16 oz Bone In New York. Wow!!!!! Cooked to perfection, beautifully seasoned, and tasted incredible. Another associate had the 8 oz Filet. Again, a superb piece of meat. I think he licked the plate!!! However, the main attraction were the lamb chops. Three of the biggest (they are double cut), juiciest and most perfectly cooked chops I have ever seen. The flavor was beyond words. The chops were a work of art! So large though that my associate could not finish it all. We also had the Fries as a side dish. Pass on those. Soft, soggy and drenched in oil. Yuck! \n\nI would recommend Carnvino for the meats. They are spectacular. As for everything else, they were very mediocre to poor. As a restaurant owner, I was a little disturbed by the quality and consistency of the experience given the steep price tag you pay.
places reviews