Little Buddha

Walking through the casino at George Maloof's Palms resort to reach Little Buddha restaurant always kicks up my taste buds. Chinese lanterns light the way to the restaurant entrance where attractive young women await to seat diners.

Always a presence is Little Buddha's general manager, the dynamic Shelly Galloway.

A new chef, Gerard Canales, had recently created a number of new signature dishes. I was eager to taste as many as I could.

Little Buddha is an offshoot of Buddha Bar in Paris. This French-inspired Asian venue is a restaurant, sushi bar and lounge. It is at Little Buddha that hip diners of every age hang out. There are no dining rules here. Want appetizers or sushi and drinks? Fine. Want a sampling feast with many small portions? It's yours. My dining companion and I chose the option we call "Chef's Choice." By giving the chef free range, we would taste only the new offerings.

Chef Canales is no stranger to the Las Vegas culinary scene. His most recent kitchen was at Japengo restaurant at the Hyatt Lake Las Vegas Resort. Canales is a master at blending the flavor of Pacific Rim countries with those of the French Mediterranean. The techniques he has mastered were shared by a variety of award-winning and Michelin-ranked chefs.

Under Canales' tutelage, Little Buddha's menu continues to grow and change. Interspersed with longtime favorites are Canales' creations.

Our appetizers--seafood salad, Pacific beef ceviche, lobster cakes with cumin aioli and Thai mango chutney and steamed shrimp dumplings with lobster miso sauce--whetted our appetites for the many dishes that followed.

Char-grilled chicken breast with an Asian lemon sauce is not to be confused with the thick, overly sweet gunk that is the prep in so many Chinese kitchens. Canales' lemon sauce is made with fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. The sauce lightly masks a whole chicken breast. Little Buddah's lemon chicken is a super dish.

Brilliant and refreshing was the orange roughy companioned with a citrus-avocado salad and a Vietnamese dressing; a burst of glorious flavors. Boneless, domestic Kobe short ribs were boldly teamed with a creamy garlic cabbage slaw. The heat of the Thai red curry sauce on the shrimp, scallop and glass noodle dish was perfect; a tingle and a mild aftertaste. Korean barbecue-style glazed salmon included a potato cake and crisp green papaya salad.

Duck confit with a Grand Marnier glaze and macadamia nut stuffing was followed by a marinated New York strip steak accented with sun-dried tomato paste. The Imperial Ocean Stirfry with garlic bean sauce was a wonderful spin-off of cioppino, the Italian version of French bouillabaisse.

We opted for only one sushi speciality, the Palms roll--salmon, yellowtail, spicy tuna and snow crab, wrapped in wafer thin cucumber slices. The sushi selection is extensive and is available at the sushi bar or in the dining room and bar.

There is a tempting selection of desserts, including Buddha Brûlée of the Week, a frozen Stonehenge of peanut butter and macadamia nut ice cream and chocolate Cocoa Puffs and a waffle-based strawberry shortcake with berry sauce and whipped cream. All scrumptious.

In this low-wattage sexy dining room, ask your server for a slim light or bring your own.

-- Review by Muriel Stevens