Valentino

A wine list that reads like a book. Grill and fine dining fare. Perfect delivery of every dish. That’s Valentino in The Venetian Las Vegas.

From the service, to the cuisine, to the recently updated décor, Valentino gets it right. A meal at Valentino could start with a bottle of wine, which your friendly and informative server will help you decide on. The wait staff keeps the water glasses full, the wine flowing and the food coming, without being overly obtrusive on your dining experience.

A selection of fresh breads, including a savory ciabatta and an olive roll are offered, along with tuiles of parmesan crisps.

If you’re a first-timer at Valentino Las Vegas, you might want to try the Chef’s Extravaganza. The seven-course meal is an amazing culinary journey with Executive Chef Luciano Pellegrini behind the wheel.

The first course is a smoked salmon, smoked in-house for 23 days. It is served with dill and smoked salmon panna cotta, asapargus and beet salad and a ciabatta crisp. The salmon is fabulous and a beautiful way to start the meal.

A goat cheese cake is presented next with yellow pepper concassé and topped with a sweet fennel salad. The plate is artfully painted with brush strokes of red pepper coulis, which is a sweet contrast to the tart, flavorful goat cheese.

Lobster sausage in a lamb casing is a flavorful dish, but fair warning, a bit on the salty side. The sausage is served with strips of crispy polenta, lobster sauce (tip: dunk your ciabatta bread in the sauce) and crispy tarragon on top.

Wild mushroom, ricotta and onion agnolotti with a spinach fondue is a pleasant pasta dish, and serves as a segue to a cheese sampler platter. The cheese sampler with homemade chutneys is a well-rounded plate of cheeses, a nice way to end the meal.

The tasting ends with a warm gianduja fondant with chestnut ice cream, moscato zabajon and a crispy almond cookie.

The tasting is just a sampling of what Valentino has to offer. In addition, Valentino has a full à la carte menu. Valentino also caters to the more casual crowd, with The Grill at Valentino. Salads, pastas and sandwiches are served there, including a rich hamburger option.

In addition to delicious food, Valentino has one of the largest wine lists in Las Vegas. The Barolo room is the restaurant's private dining area that is a unique experience catering to the wine enthusiast.

Valentino Las Vegas has become a staple in The Venetian Las Vegas. One taste, and you'll see why.

-- Review By Nikki Neu

Luciano Pellegrini, executive chef for Valentino, is the 2004 winner of the American Express Best Chef: Southwest category at the James Beard Awards.
Valentino is a 2003, 2004 and 2007 Epicurean Award winner for Best Italian.

Valentino was named Best Wine List restaurant in Las Vegas Life magazine's 2007 Epicurean Awards.