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.

BRIO TUSCAN GRILLE

Town Square, 6653 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 914-9145

Brio looks a lot more like a Tuscan manse than an outlet of a restaurant chain based in Columbus, Ohio, but that's just part of its appeal. It manages to deliver the familiar with a slightly innovative edge, as in the garganelli carbonara (with not only the customary bacon and Parmesan and also grilled chicken and fresh spinach leaves), a bruschetta Caprese that blends the best of both dishes, a somewhat-too-subtle artichoke-and-herb-crusted pork chop, a trio of creme brulee and a lovely soup of the day, creme of morel. (9/5/08)

Overall: A- $$

CASA DON JUAN

1204 S. Main St.; 384-8070

The refurbished Casa Don Juan at first struck us as a gringo paradise but maybe it's a foreshadowing of the future of downtown, with downtown employees dropping in after work and those who live in the area coming in later. They're all there for authentic Mexican food that includes excellently prepared Camarones al Mojo de Ajo (shrimp with garlic, to you and me), and good flautas, choriqueso and a combination plate of a chile relleno, taco and enchilada. (4/27/07)

Overall: B $$

L'ATELIER DE JÖEL ROBUCHON

MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 891-7358

The genius of Chef of the Century Joel Robuchon shows all over this, the more casual of his two MGM Grand restaurants, but especially in the Discovery Menu that shows off 10 of his dishes such as poached baby kumamoto oysters with French butter, slightly smoked salmon with watercress, quail breasts stuffed with foie gras, and langoustine carpaccio with roasted poppy-seed dressing, as well as a la carte dishes such as roasted rack of lamb. (2/3/06)

Overall: A $$$$

MONTANA MEAT CO.

6371 Centennial Center Blvd. (also at 9135 S. Durango Drive); 396-7615

We were impressed with the 16-ounce rib-eye in Montana Meat's signature pepper marinade not because it was a great steak -- it was more of a good steak -- but because it was priced at $18.95, when other places around town are charging twice that for similar quality. A starter of flavorful tiny lamb chops, moist bacon-wrapped scallops with a sprightly orange-mango chutney, macadamia-crusted Alaskan halibut and some really good sourdough bread were all likewise worthy of note. (8/22/08)

Overall: B+ $$