The Martini strives to shake diners’ expectations

When the sign over the door says The Martini, people expect one thing: bar food.

But confounding expectations is a goal for the watering hole and bistro, located in the heart of the Summerlin restaurant corridor at 1205 S. Fort Apache Road.

The Martini opened under new ownership in April, about nine months after its similarly named predecessor, Martini's, closed.

In addition to saving money on new signage, "we could have called this 'Winnemucca' and people still would have said, 'Meet me at Martini's,' " according to general manager Sandra Starr.

Just because the name is almost the same, however, doesn't mean the food is, too.

Although the first things The Martini's patrons see when they walk into the 182-seat restaurant bring cocktails to mind, from the expansive wooden bar to oversize images of mixed drinks adorning the walls, the menu reflects The Martini's ambition to pair "good, fresh food" with "some fun stuff," Starr explains.

In addition to the menu's continental accents, the "fun stuff" ranges from the wine country cheese and meat platter (served on the bottom of a genuine wine barrel) to the red velvet flapjacks (with strawberries, whipped cream and chocolate sauce).

The restaurant also features a separate light menu, enabling diners on restricted diets to maintain their regimen even while out on the town. Even traditional dishes get a special spin; The Martini's version of fish and chips, for example, adds jumbo prawns and zucchini to the usual beer-battered cod.

All in a location that's open around the clock, enabling patrons to order signature dishes any day, any time, whether it's the Drunken Kobe Burger (with blue cheese, crispy prosciutto, sauteed mushroom and caramelized onions on a pretzel bun) or chicken scallopine, which features artichokes, mushrooms, aged prosciutto and lemon butter with risotto.

"We try to do everything really pretty," Starr says, "but it's got to taste good."

Breakfast: three-egg omelet (create your own), $8; Disaronno Amaretto French Toast, $9; red velvet flapjacks, $10

Appetizers: wine country platter of artisanal cheeses and Italian meats, $17 for two; truffled mac and cheese balls, $9

Soups and Salads: tomato bisque, $7 (served with mini-grilled cheese sandwich), trail mix salad, $11

Flatbreads: Ferrari-Caramo Marinated Chicken, $9, Tuscan style, $10

Burgers and sandwiches: grilled pesto chicken and avocado sandwich, $10; Drunken Kobe Burger, $13

Entrees: The Martini's fish and chips, $15; chicken scallopine, $16; grilled rosemary lemon salmon, $18; grilled filet mignon, $26

Information: 227-8464

By CAROL CLING