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Editor Pick
Quintessential Venetian Dining...
- November 24, 2009
- Rated 5 of 5 by
Red Mezz from Inverness, Scotland
One of the first places my husband and I ever travelled together when we first met was Las Vegas - a place that understandably has very fond memories for us from our long ago days of travel.
So for our anniversary we decided a little return trip to revisit some of our favourite parts and get to do more of the things we didn't do the first time around was in order.
And what we primarily didn't get to do while we were there before as penniless 20 year old backpackers were things that cost any money.
In the golden days of Las Vegas - you could visit the amazing strip and as long as you didn't gamble, you could have an incredible time with out spending very much money. Sadly those days are gone, but what is still available is the change to experience extraordinary things closer to home.
And we were especially reminded of this on our dinner at Canaletto.
The Venetian hotel itself was one of our favourite parts of Las Vegas on our first trip - but being one of the priciest places we didn't spend very much time there. So as it came time to choose where we would eat our Anniversary dinner in the plethora of options available along the strip - the Venetian came to mind first.
It wasn't easy choosing Canaletto - I can assure you. We were there on the holiday weekend of Thanksgiving, and the city was packed to the gills. And though we weren't walking miles along the strip this time hoping to get a 3/4 pound hot dog for under a dollar - we still didn't want to spend all of our trip money on one celebratory dinner.
Not to mention, in the Venetian alone there are many wonderful sounding, beautiful restaurants just begging to be sampled.
In the end there was a beautiful brass band playing festive music in the shopping centre of the Grand Canal - as well as performers and with the restaurant wasn't too crowded, so we happily made our way over.
There is seating available both outside and in - for anyone who's never visited The Venetian or one of the big Vegas hotels, you are inside the hotel in a stunning rendition of Venice's grand canal district complete with painted ceilings and sunset lighting. It's truly remarkable and currently my favourite thing about Las Vegas.
There are vendors on the 'cobblestone streets' selling Italian ice-cream, and you can sit in one of the great 'outdoor' tables of Canaletto and soak up the atmosphere.
We decided to take an indoor table due to the crowds, and inside the atmosphere changed again, to a very luxurious dining area that offered a bit of luxury and yet felt very private and comfortable. There are booths as well as tables - (I strongly suggest that you have a look at their website to whet your appetite) and the decor is extremely impressive.
The food was also very nice. In Northern Italian style cooked by a very good Italian chef - you really do get the feel of enjoying a meal in Italy, with out having to deal with the flight or customs.
The waiters were all Italian on our visit - an important touch I felt - and though not of the highest quality - they were good. The bread baked locally was excellent, and my pasta dish was very very tasty as well as being a hearty portion.
You should also sample a glass of their wine, as they have some great wines on offer and what is an Italian meal with out a tasty glass of red wine?
When you are finished and have had your coffee to round off the meal, I recommend you walk along the Venetian canals - listen to the gondoliers singing, and sample some tasty Italian ice-cream.
From journal Las Vegas - The Italian Experience...
Editor Pick
Sedate Italian Finery Amongst the Canals
- December 22, 2008
- Rated 3 of 5 by
wolfbrother from Edinburgh, United Kingdom
The Venetian Hotel & Casino is an amazing place. It is beautifully put together and extremely well run, offering its customers a palatial setting right in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip. One of the most stunning parts of the whole hotel is the shopping precinct. It offers a wide variety of shops and galleries - most of them very expensive - interwoven with indoor canals that offer gondola rides with classically trained, opera singing gondoliers. All of this underneath the perfectly rendered blue cloud-scattered skies that arch between the 'streets'.
In amongst these extravagant surroundings you could be forgiven for thinking that all of the eateries are going to be black tie, high cost affairs but this is thankfully not the case. Nearly all the restaraunts are Italian themed, as you would expect, and in the central Square area there are several to choose from. I recommend Canaletto.
It is beautifully decorated and staffed with actual Italian people, all adding to a fine dining atmosphere but without the stiffness. There's no dress code, you rarely need reservations and you have the choice of eating out in the Square or inside.
Once seated, the menu is refreshingly simple and straighforward, but with an excellent selection of find Italian dishes that should cater for most diners. What really surprised me about this place though was the price. I ordered a beautiful fettucine dish and my wife opted to create her own meal. This is a really good option - you select the sauce and you select the pasta, so you can tailor your meal to whatever you wish. With each of these mains coming in at under $16, at dinner no less, this represents excellent value for money. And being next to the Square outside you stand a good chance of being able to listen to live music while you eat.
With an ample, decent wine list, great coffees and some wonderful sounding desserts to round things off, Canaletto gets the nod of approval from this reviewer.
From journal Eating Out in Sin City
Canaletto
- May 22, 2008
- Rated 5 of 5 by
ak1 from Auburn, Washington
While strolling through the Grand Canal Shops at the Venetian Hotel, my fiancé hinted that he would like to try some Italian food for dinner. We finally found a restaurant called Canaletto that we both thought we might enjoy. Of course being dinner time and in the midst of Saint Marks Square during one of the music performances, the restaurant was full but we decided to put our names in and wait for a spot.
Everything went smoothly, our table was ready when they said it would be and we had a great spot close to the front of the restaurant where we could look out onto the crowd of people in the square. The inside of the restaurant was simple yet elegant with rich dark woods and white linen tablecloths. The thing that I really enjoyed was the servers were professional but did seem pretentious.
For dinner I decided to try their Vermicelli al Pomodoro which is an angel hair pasta dish with marinara sauce and fresh basil. My fiancé ordered their Ribeye steak. Both were excellent meals with plenty of food to spare. I loved my pasta everything about it tasted fresh. Our biggest problem was that we filled up on their tasty fresh bread and didn’t expect our meal to come as quick as it did but it all worked out.
Overall our visit to this restaurant was a wonderfully remarkable night filled with great service and fabulous food. I look forward to returning to Vegas and eating their again.
From journal Living it Up, Vegas Style
Canaletto
- January 3, 2006
- Rated 4 of 5 by
schinamama from wayne, Pennsylvania
We had dinner at Canaletto's the first night, and the food was very, very good. If you get a table on the patio you are actually in the courtyard and get to see all the people strolling or the performers. We sat inside along the canal and heard the singers in the boats. I had the polenta appetizer--bits of rectangular polenta with different toppings that were to-die-for. The sea bass entree was wonderful, and the three different pasta dishes were excellent. The bread disappeared in a minute, and we had seconds. I must say that I can't remember what dessert was, so it did not leave a lasting impression.
From journal Las Vegas in December
Editor Pick
Canaletto
- March 21, 2005
- Rated 5 of 5 by
tj_vegas05 from Virginia Beach, Virginia
This was one of the highlights of our trip to Vegas, and we might not have even gone to the Venetian if I hadn't seen a show about it on the Travel Channel (we were staying at the opposite end of the strip). The St. Marks Square atmosphere is incredible with walking minstrels, singers, jugglers, musicians, etc. Canalleto's has an "outside" section where it feels as if you are eating on the streets of Venice. Our waiter was knowledgeable and pleasant. I had an eggplant ravioli which was very good - very fresh. My husband had the special - a seafood cannelloni (and was talked into that because they were out of the chicken), and it was FABULOUS! Very rich, savory flavors - made you long for more. The portions are just right, so that you leave feeling satisfied but not stuffed. We shared a chocolate mousse dessert, which was just the right touch to a wonderful dining experience. If you're in Vegas with a loved one, this is a wonderfully romantic ambience if you're sitting outside with the minstrels singing/playing while you eat. At one point, they turned the "lights" down to make it appear that it was night. We are so glad we ate there and experienced this. Just make sure, if you make reservations, that you give yourself plenty of time to get there - St. Marks Square is in the back and somewhat confusing to get to if you're in a rush.
From journal Las Vegas in March