9550 S. Eastern Ave.; 463-7300

Greek restaurants have been few and far between in the Las Vegas Valley over the years and those we did have seemed to be mostly west of the Strip, so we were delighted to discover this east-side mom-and-pop that's as authentic as it gets. We liked the combo plate of spanakopita, tyropita and patatopita; the gyros platter; the pastitsio; and a delicious dessert of galaktobureko; and pretty snazzy Greek wines (Xatzimichalis Cabernet Sauvignon and Skouras Merlot) to boot. (12/26/08)

Overall: A $$

LA MADONNA

6115 S. Fort Apache Road; 586-0925

La Madonna calls its food "avant-garde" and maybe it is, but only insofar as it's more sophisticated and skillfully prepared than much of what passes for "Mexican" food in our fair city. To wit: amazing crab cakes, shrimp tamales, a fresh-corn tamale, shredded-beef enchiladas, fish tacos and some nice fruity, housemade sangria. (5/23/08)

Overall: A $$

LE PROVENCAL

Paris Las Vegas, 3655 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 967-7999

The high-profile guys who get all the hype provide great adventures, but hidden gems like Le Provencal are lots of fun to find. We loved the free entertainment -- our waitress and two colleagues, singing operatic-style -- and the slightly Provencal-inspired, mostly Italian dishes that included bruschetta, stuffed clams Nicoise, open lobster ravioli, a grilled veal T-bone and buttery crepes Suzette. (4/13/07)

Overall: A $$

PINOT BRASSERIE

The Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 414-8888

Pinot Brasserie is kind of easy to overlook among the more attention-grabbing residents of The Venetian's restaurant row, but that would be your loss, because this unassuming place is brasserie at its best -- with California verve. Particularly appealing were the foie gras, Belgian endive with Roquefort cheese, braised short ribs, seared scallops and strawberries with balsamic vinegar and Humboldt Fog goat cheese. (3/2/07)

Overall: A $$$$