Actress contributes to flavors at Beso

This TV housewife knows her way around the kitchen for real. When Beso executive chef Matt Piekarski presented his boss, Eva Longoria Parker, with an initial tasting of Eva's tortilla soup last year, the "Desperate Housewives" star immediately noticed the chili peppers.

"She looked and said, 'Those are not mulatos,' " said Piekarski, who had substituted anchos.

"It's a similar chili," Piekarski said, "but we couldn't get mulatos at first when we were opening."

Parker's personal recipes for guacamole, churros and skirt steak also dot the menu at the upscale Beso in Crystals at CityCenter, 3720 Las Vegas Blvd. South.

"She has a very developed palate for her flavors," Piekarski said.

Partnering with celebrity chef Todd English, Parker first opened Beso ("kiss" in Spanish) as a Latin restaurant in West Hollywood, Calif., in 2008. The two rebranded it as "a steakhouse with a Latin flair" before landing it here in December.

"It's more versatile than a Latin restaurant," explained Piekarski, a former chef at Stack and SW Steakhouse. "You can still put a flair on a steakhouse and still have things that appeal to everyone."

Piekarski said plans are in the works to take the brand national.

The chef said he is allowed some menu flexibility. He has added his own take on slow braised short ribs and crispy pork shank, changed the sea bass to halibut and switches the foi gras seasonally.

"But we make sure Eva tries things out," he said. "She has ultimate say in what goes on."

Mirroring this modern take on a classic theme is the decor. Steakhouse-brown woods are presented via sharp angles and adorned with unexpected touches. The wallpaper, for one, is cork with gold and silver lace, while the chandeliers are Swarovski crystals reclaimed from an Academy Awards broadcast.

Beso -- which seats 143 in the dining room, 50 on the patio and 45 in the lounge -- is open daily from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m., after which the action moves upstairs to Parker's Eve nightclub. (Admission is free with a dinner receipt.) Reservations are recommended.

Signature dish: Crispy pork shank, $41

Starters: Eva's avocado guacamole, $10; beef tartare, $16; seared foi gras, $19

Soups and salads: Eva's tortilla soup, $10; melon gazpacho, $12; Beso Beso salad, $14

Entrees: Slow braised short ribs, $44; pan seared chicken, $28; seared tuna adobo, $36

Desserts: Churros, $8; plantain con creme, $8; Beso chocolate cake, $8

Information: 254-2376

By COREY LEVITAN