CatHouse

Edgy, trendy, sensual, elegant -- CatHouse Loungerie in the Luxor is all that and then some. The French-style restaurant offers a well-rounded menu from Chef Kerry Simon and a great lounge / nightlife atmosphere from nightclub guru Billy Cross.

Enter the restaurant from the ground floor inside the Luxor, pass by a series of antique and unusual corsets and head up the stairs where you’re dropped into the bar and lounge area. Rich, dark woods and dim lighting give the room a definite mystique. Past the lounge is the dining room, where blue velvety booths line the wall and more corsets and sensual art pieces adorn the restaurant walls. A large mirror illuminates throughout the evening, revealing a CatHouse kitten getting ready for a big night -- well -- in.

To the left of the bar is a hallway containing a photo booth to capture the evening’s festivities. Beyond that is the nightclub, complete with tables to dance on and a full bar.

CatHouse, by all accounts, has a great lounge feel and nightlife scene, but that’s just the first in a series of good impressions CatHouse will leave on you.

During dinner hours, the food takes center stage. Start with fromage fondue, served with a white chocolate pecan bread, apples and mushrooms. Melted cheese -- how can you go wrong?

Additional first courses that are great for sharing are a selection of sliders, like the lobster roll sliders or the meatball Bolognese, served with meatballs and sausage in a savory marinara sauce and topped with parmesan. If you’re looking for something a little more playful, try the pigs in a duvet, the upscale version of pigs in a blanket, made fresh to order and in heaping abundance, again, great for sharing.

Other options include a variety of salads including a duck confit salad with roasted beets, goat cheese and candied pecans. A gruyere pastry, stuffed mushroom caps with bleu cheese and a crispy calamari with zucchini chips round out the starters.

Large plates include amazing steak options, including the prime New York steak with truffled frites and lobster béarnaise. This steak is well cooked and served with the most pungent and well-essenced truffle frites I have ever tasted. Equally good are the filet mignon with sautéed mushrooms and a 20-ounce ribeye served with cipollini onions. There are also pasta, chicken and seafood options.

Sides include creamed spinach, pommes frites and a creamy truffle macaroni and cheese.

Dessert options include vanilla bean crème brûlée with fresh berries and a warm French apple tart with flaky pastry dough, thinly sliced apples, almonds, spiced cider glaze and a crumb topping.

Las Vegas’ truly unique CatHouse Loungerie serves great food, entertainment and nightlife. In the middle of the Strip, which has more than 1,000 restaurants, CatHouse stands out as a destination spot.

--Review by Nikki Neu