Restaurants in Las Vegas aren’t just competing with each other. They are competing to be noticed in the hubbub of the world’s biggest adult playground. Las Vegas Restaurants can’t just be good; they have to be great.
When I got my first restaurant job I was told that truly great restaurants are designed to leave their guests thinking, “great food, great atmosphere, great conversation, great service I just wish I could remember the server’s name.”
By this standard, Luxor’s steak and seafood restaurant, Tender, is a great Las Vegas restaurant.
Food
Oh my, oh my. We started with caprese salads to share and they were divine. I’ll be honest, I’m as sucker for heirloom tomatoes and when they are served along with buffalo Mozzarella, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and freshly cracked pepper from our table’s own pepper grinder I give up all pretense of intelligent critique. I’m in heaven and we haven’t even hinted at the main course yet.
The main course doesn’t disappoint. Nothing disappoints, but I’ll get to that later. It is apparent that I’m going to be locked away in a pleasure prison for the duration of my time here at Tender and I’m hoping that they throw away the key. When you open the menu you’ll be blown away by the steak, but do yourself a favor and find the seafood section because, oh my lord, can they handle a fish. I had seared yellowfin tuna drizzled with a sweet chili pepper vinaigrette. My playmates that ordered meat claimed that I missed out and I would have proved them wrong, but I had already devoured everything on my plate and couldn’t give them a taste of superiority.
And then there were the sides. Alongside wonderfully prepared classics such as asparagus with lemon citrus olive oil we had the mashed potatoes with white truffle shavings.
Yes, apparently Luxor has the keys to paradise…and my heart.
Atmosphere
Dark wood paneling and sexy, mysterious lighting; I felt like I was in an episode of Mad Men. Seriously, Tender is that cool. I know that all Las Vegas restaurants are cool and that they all have a style and feel, but so far Tender is the first restaurant in Las Vegas that made me feel like Don Draper. All of a sudden I had an overwhelming urge for a cigarette and a martini.
The cigarette was a no go, (this is the 21st Century and Las Vegas has a ban on smoking in restaurants) but the martini was amazing enough to complete my fantasy.
Conversation
How was the conversation you ask? Come on, that is a no-brainer. All my compatriots are accomplished conversationalists and of course I studied with the lovely linguist Gabby Gregarious in Greenwich. (Full Disclosure: I may have made that last part up, but really the conversation was delightful and wide-ranging. My mom always said, “good conversation touches on everything, but dwells on nothing.”)
Service
Our server was attentive, informative, discrete, and flexible. In short, he was incredible. Great servers seem to only exist when you need them: water glasses get refilled without commotion, dishes are cleared interruption, menu items are lovingly described without being read aloud to you. Our server was perfect.
It isn’t easy to create great food. Designing a room’s atmosphere is like walking a tight rope. Conversation is the job of the diners. A server’s job is to be your unseen guide. He/she orchestrates your meal without becoming the focal point.
Luxor’s Tender has got a rare thing in the restaurant world in general and Las Vegas restaurants in particular. A dining experience that doesn’t demand you enjoy yourself, but lets you enjoy yourself, which you will.
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