I ate at Rao’s at Caesar’s Palace in Vegas this week and I can honestly say it was one of the ten best meals I have ever eaten. We started with the Insalata Caprese, a terrific arugula salad lightly dressed with vinegar and oil and shaved parmesan and an order of delicately breaded calamari and zuchinni. These are dishes that don’t so much explode with flavor as bathe your tongue in subtle flavors. Our server gave us great suggestions as to how much food we should order and we finished our first course the way you are supposed to feel: a little bit sated but ready for the secondi and primo.

We ordered a pasta dish of Pennete Alla Vodka (a creamy sauce of San Marzano Tomatoes, proscuitto and vodka and cream) which was heavenly. We also shared Uncle Vincent’s Famous Lemon Chicken, amazing pan-seared pork chops with sweet and hot peppers, and the amazing Bisteeca alla Pizziaola, the best steak I’ve ever had. They take a 17 ounce Prime Shell Steak and saute it in Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Fresh Oregano and then top it with some fresh tomatoes. The outside carmelizes into a subtle char and the inside is as tender as any steak I’ve had. Simply delicious.

The food at Rao’s is simple but expertly prepared. The bill for four fame to nearly $300 — not bad for Vegas — and worth every penny. I know that it isn’t the same as the original, but I would return to Vegas simply to eat at Rao’s again.