Chez Bippy
Make a date for a trip to New York this week, and you won’t need to travel any farther than you already have. At Luchini, you can enjoy an Italian-American restaurant atmosphere, with brick and cozy booths, a pizza shop, and a sweet hidden speakeasy, Chez Bippy.
It might not be mandatory to grab a drink before you order, but if you do, Luchini offers Italian and California wines by the glass and bottle, and cocktails like the Bella Notte, with Belvedere vodka, Licor 43, Borghetti coffee liqueur, Frangelico, espresso and gelato—talk about hitting all the notes! For a nonalcoholic option, try the spiced espresso martini, with Seedlip Spice 94, espresso and vanilla. The Negroni Sour provides a less sweet sip, with The Botanist Gin, Campari, Amaro Montenegro, lemon and egg white.
Starters will satisfy everyone, with classics like eggplant Parmigiana, Grandma’s meatballs with marinara, shrimp scampi and shrimp cocktail. There are several soups and salads, like stracciatella alla Romana, which is a bit like egg drop soup; zuppa di mussels, a slightly spicy mixture of Calabrian chili, white wine and tomato; and a classic Caesar with lemon-anchovy dressing.
There are pizzas, also, from the Margherita to the Diavola, a spicy number with ‘nduja sausage, hot soppressata and Calabrian hot honey. It’s always nice to have a slice to nosh on before your main course.
Grilled branzino
Choose from plenty of pastas, like the fusilli alla Nonna, with sausage, broccoli, garlic and oil; burrata ravioli, with spinach, ricotta and marinara; rigatoni al pesto, which is super colorful thanks to basil and cherry tomatoes; and short rib lasagna pinwheels. Penne alla rosa is served in a beautiful pink, creamy sauce.
Entrées include jumbo shrimp Parmigiana; grilled lamb chops with eggplant caponata; grilled branzino; filet mignon; and New York strip steaks. Order the mixed grill, and get a little of everything: skirt steak, lamb chops, chicken, sausages and pork ribs. Sides of glazed roast potatoes and crispy broccoli will fill in any holes.
Luchini offers several fun dessert options, like the Italian-American cheesecake—yes, it’s red white and green; the Nuvolo di Fantasia with meringue, mascarpone crema, olive oil, citrus and fruits. For chocolate lovers, torta al cioccolato layers chocolate mousse and devil’s food cake, while Nutella profiteroles are stuffed with hazelnut cream. To accompany those, or alone, enjoy a dessert wine or amaro. And doesn’t a latte seems like a civilized way to end your meal, and start your night?
The Slice Shop
If you are wandering by around lunch, the Slice Shop features pizza by the slice, including cheese, pepperoni, mushroom and a daily special. You can order a whole cheese pie, and they are huge at 18 inches! Specialty pies are offered as well.
MGM Grand, 702.891.7600 or mgmgrand.mgmresorts.com
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