HEIDI’S PICKS

Heidi's Picks is a weekly selection of restaurant suggestions from Review-Journal critic Heidi Knapp Rinella. Her reviews are done anonymously at Review-Journal expense.

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.

B&B RISTORANTE

The Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 266-9977

This is clearly not your parents' Italian restaurant; überchef Mario Batali and partner Joe Bastianich forego the Sinatra for the screamin' guitar and breathe fresh air into their fare, such as a roasted beet salad, prosciutto San Daniele Riserva, orechiette with sweet sausage and rapini, grilled lamb chop with eggplant, roasted cherry tomatoes and a limoncello and poppy seed torta. (9/28/07)

Overall: A- $$$$

BURGER BAR

Mandalay Place, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 632-9364

Burger Bar may serve little more than burgers, but this is far from your average burger place, with dozens of ways to make that burger your own. We enjoyed an American Kobe burger, adding cheddar and caramelized onions on a ciabatta bun, and a Ridgefield Farms burger, with blue cheese, button mushrooms and bacon on a regular bun. (2/17/06)

Overall: A- $$

MARTINIS

1205 S. Fort Apache Road; 242-8464

All was not perfect at Martini's (mainly because of some minor service glitches), but when dinner starts out with an amuse-bouche, you know the place is not your average poker bar. . (8/8/08)

Overall: B $$

POTATO VALLEY CAFE

801 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 363-7821

Baked-potato places have been around for a while, but Potato Valley Cafe, which is open only during breakfast and lunch hours, raises the genre to art. The broccoli blue cheese potato with cheddar and added Danish onions sounded straightforward but turned out to be a veritable salad on a potato, Golden Broccoli Soup was rich and warming and chili-lime sour cream added appealing zip to a plain baked spud. (8/30/07)

Overall: A $