People used to joke about being afraid to eat seafood in the desert until James Beard Award-winner Paul Bartolotta proved there was nothing to laugh about. He has since left, and his namesake Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare was handed over to Chef Mark LoRusso, and the biggest change was apparently only to the name. The seafood at this two-story restaurant is flown in daily from the Italian Mediterranean, caught by regional fishermen whom the chef has met and recruited himself; some of them only catch for him. When the server swings the glass cart around to your table to show you what’s available, you’ll be introduced to specimens like dorado, purple snapper, and scorpion fish, all of which have been out of the water for only about 24 hours. Sweet, giant langoustines come from a very specific region near Italy, and even after much pestering, chefs will not divulge its location. If you choose one of the whole fish, or the langoustines, you can opt to have it grilled simply with olive oil and lemon, or you can go more extravagant and have the fish baked under a salt crust. With the latter treatment, they bring the finished dish out to you on a cart and crack the hardened mound, releasing the fish to filet it for you at the table. Don’t be put off by all the sea salt, the cooking process results in a perfectly seasoned, perfectly cooked fish. Pastas are as divine as the bounty from the sea, and they aren’t all dressed with seafood. The ravioli filled with sheep’s milk ricotta and served with pecorino and Marsala wine glaze, and the pappardelle, wide ribbons of pasta with earthy porcini mushrooms, are both eye-rolling good. Like Milos above, the price for seafood this fresh and pristine is exorbitant. But, if you’re going to have one Las Vegas dining splurge in a truly gorgeous setting with impeccable service, this is one of those times where “you get what you pay for” is mandatory.