Eats of the Week

Heidi's Picks is a weekly selection of restaurant suggestions from Review-Journal critic Heidi Knapp Rinella. Price symbols are based on the cost of an average entree: $ = entrees less than $10; $$ = entrees between $10 and $20; $$$ = entrees between $20 and $30; and $$$$ = entrees more than $30.

CREATE

7290 W. Lake Mead Blvd.; 586-0430

Our burgers were overcooked because we were unaware they could be done to order (next time we'll know), but we liked most everything else about Create, including the upbeat (if a little personal) attitude of management and employees. The Impressionist burger was just spicy enough with its jalapenos, pepperjack cheese and atomic mayo, and our do-it-yourself option was pretty much as ordered. Also worthy of note: nice crispy fries (both sweet potato and regular), and truly delicious frozen custard. (1/23/09)

Overall: B $

FUSIA

Luxor, 3900 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 262-4778

Fusia is uncommonly friendly for a Strip-resort restaurant; it also flies under the radar, but its food quality compares quite nicely with that of the big boys. The white-miso-lacquered sea bass with sambal aioli was flaky, firm and sweet, and we also liked the duck spring rolls with mandarin relish, spring field greens and Cinnamon Monkey Bread -- the best dessert we'd had in a long time, on the Strip or off. (5/9/08)

Overall: B+ $$$

THE MAPLE TREE

6000 Spring Mountain Road; 362-5151

The Maple Tree works to evoke a New England sugarhouse, which it does to mixed degrees. But maple syrup reigns supreme here -- the real stuff, which is just perfect on the fluffy pancakes. We liked the Sugarhouse Sampler, which, besides pancakes, includes eggs, sausage, bacon and maple-baked ham, and the crab cakes and eggs, with their country potatoes. And we especially liked the service. (3/26/08)

Overall: A- $

MORELS FRENCH STEAKHOUSE & BISTRO

Palazzo, 3325 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 607-6333

Asking us if we'd like filtered tap water instead of bottled charmed us right off the bat, but Morels easily stayed in our good graces with a combination of good service, a pleasant interior (and a patio) and top-notch food that included an amuse-bouche of a prosciutto-wrapped fig with a cherry-ginger reduction, mushroom bisque, a summer heirloom tomato salad, the daily fish (Loch Duart salmon), a Kansas City steak and Truffled Creamed Summer Corn. We even loved the good yeast rolls -- and the tapenade and butter rolled in sea salt that were served with them. (7/4/08)

Overall: A $$$$