Dining guide

Michelle McEldowney serves up two glasses of red wine on Gordon Biersch?s patio at 750 S. Rampart Blvd. near Summerlin. The restaurant?s patio is a great place to people-watch on a hot Sunday afternoon. Misters make the temperature bearable. Special to View Advertisement

* Prices based on individual diner: $ = Under $10; $$ = $10-$20; $$$ = $20-$50; $$$$ = More than $50. Contact: Lisa Valentine, View copy editor, 380-4545.

PICK OF THE WEEK: KABOB KORNER

507 E. Fremont St., 384-7722

Halal is an Arabic word meaning lawful and can be applied to all aspects of life. However, it usually refers to food permitted under Islamic dietary laws. Kabob Korner is a halal restaurant, and its menu ranges from Mediterranean and Pakistani dishes to good, old-fashioned American double-cheeseburgers. Pocket pitas include gyro, chicken, beef kabob and chili chicken. Entrees include beef, shrimp or chicken kabobs, chicken tikka (marinated and grilled chicken legs) and chicken boti kabob (minced chicken with herbs). More traditional sandwiches include Philly steak, pastrami sub, Italian beef, tuna sub and turkey sub. Appetizers include falafel, hummus, chicken fingers, crab cakes, onion rings, chicken Caesar salad, Greek salad and homemade soup. There also is a fried chicken basket with fries and fish and chips. Desserts include baklava, cheesecake and Kool Freeze kulfi, a flavored, frozen dessert made from milk. Kabob Korner is open from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

-- Jack Bulavsky

Aloha Specialties Restaurant, 12 E. Ogden Ave., California Hotel 382-0338 Hawaiian Sunday-Thursday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. $ Known for teriyaki. A teriyaki combo plate with an entree, salad and rice is $6.95.

Big Mama's Rib Shack, 2230 W. Bonanza Road 597-1616 Southern American barbecue, soul food Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday noon to 8 p.m. $ All barbecue can be ordered as lunch or dinner entrees, as sandwiches, by the pound (sliced beef, ham, pork) or by the piece (chicken). Entrees come with assorted sides such as collard greens, fried okra, macaroni and cheese, candied yams, hush puppies, potato salad, black-eyed peas, grits and red beans. Other menu items include fried seafood (shrimp, oysters, catfish) dipped in a traditional corn meal batter, hot links, meat loaf, po' boys with lettuce, tomato, pickles, mayo, mustard and onions, chicken dumplings, fried pork chops and spicy jambalaya with smoked sausage, ham, beef, shrimp and chopped vegetables simmered with rice and Cajun spices.

Bistro Divino, 241 W. Charleston Blvd.,

Holsum Design Center 362-8200

Hours: Lunch, Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; dinner, Friday only, 5 to 9 p.m. $ to $$ Thin-crust pizzas feature assorted toppings (sun-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers, artichoke hearts and red onion), meats (fennel sausage, smoked Italian prosciutto and dried beef), and cheeses (mozzarella, Emmenthal Swiss, brie, gorgonzola and pecorino). Popular appetizers and salads are plates of sliced Italian meats, platters of mixed Italian cheeses, Caesar salad, and carpaccio, thinly sliced dried beef on arugula with parmesan and lemon vinaigrette. Sauces for your choice of pasta (penne, rigatoni, tagliatelle and spinach ravioli) are Norma (tomato basil, grilled eggplant, onion, garlic and smoked ricotta), Puttanesca (tomato basil, anchovies, black olive, capers, garlic and red chili pepper), and traditional Bolognese (tomato basil, ground beef and onion).

Chicago Joe's, 820 S. Fourth St. 382-5637 Italian Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m.; closed Sunday and Monday $$ The menu includes a variety of pasta, seafood, veal and chicken dishes. Daily specials.

Courthouse Bar & Grill, 330 S. 3rd St. 388-8222 American Monday-Friday 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. $ Menu items include pancakes, the house French toast with pineapple and vanilla, eggs with bacon or sausage patties, and the Café sandwich, an omelet with ham, bacon, sausage, avocado or tomato on toast, bagel or English muffin. The lunch menu features specialties such as steak sandwich on French roll, French dip, hot corned beef or pastrami on rye, chicken fajita salad, and spinach or flour tortilla wraps (BLT, sliced chicken breast with Jack cheese, turkey and avocado).

Duffer's Bar and Grill, 3415 E. Bonanza Road, Desert Pines Golf Club 388-4400 American Daily, 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. $$ Breakfast entrees include three slices of Texas French toast, 8-ounce steak and eggs, four buttermilk pancakes with choice of ham, bacon or sausage, three-egg omelets served with cottage fries or hash browns, breakfast burrito and assorted bagels, danishes and muffins. Several large salads are Caesar with chicken, shrimp or steak, raspberry-walnut spinach, Mandarin chicken, shrimp Louie and chopped salad with salami, turkey, jack cheese, garbanzo beans, sun-dried tomatoes and green onions in mustard-herb vinaigrette.

El Sombrero Cafe, 807 S. Main St. 382-9234 Mexican Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Closed Sunday. $ Combination plates, served throughout the day with beans and/or rice, include enchilada and taco, two tamales with red chili beef sauce, three tacos, chimichanga, chile relleno and enchilada, and guacamole tostada and enchilada. Lunch specials, priced from $6.50 to $7.50, are available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and include chile relleno, tacos, enchiladas, tamales and burritos.

Florida Café, 1401 Las Vegas Blvd. South 385-3013 American, Cuban Daily, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. $ Authentic Cuban food, such as eggs with white rice, sweet plantains and Cuban toast for breakfast. A variety of chicken, fish, pork and beef dishes, cooked in garlic, onion and peppers, are served for lunch and dinner. Featured items are the famous black bean soup topped with raw onions, the Cuban sandwich with roasted pulled pork, sliced ham, cheese, dill pickles and mustard on pressed Cuban bread, and bistec de palomilla (fried round steak marinated in lime juice and garlic).

La Palapa, 1515 N. Eastern Ave. 642-0699 Mexican Daily 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. $ Whole fried red snapper and catfish, lobster served with soup, rice and bread, tuna and crab salads, and sandwiches. The fish can be prepared with various sauces, including ranchera (tomato, onion, green pepper) or garlic butter. Nonseafood diners can find beef tamales, chicken or beef enchiladas.

Las Palmas Mariachi Restaurant, 953 E. Sahara Ave., Commercial Center

732-0010

Mexican

Monday-Thursday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 a.m.

The extensive dinner menu begins with rolled beef taquitos, Mexican salad (steak or grilled chicken, lettuce, roasted tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, Mexican cheese and avocados), seafood platter for two with shrimp, octopus, abalone, crab and oysters, menudo (tripe spicy soup) and pozole, pork and hominy soup. There are assorted tacos, including Tacos Las Palmas, two tacos with steak or chicken sautéed with bacon, onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, melted Jack cheese and guacamole.

Makino's Seafood and Sushi Buffet, 875 S. Grand Central Parkway, Las Vegas Premium Outlets 474-7500 Sushi Lunch, Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Friday through Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; dinner, daily, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. $$$ Rainbow roll and California roll are specialties.

Peppermill, 2985 Las Vegas Blvd. South 735-4177 Coffee shop Daily, 24 hours $ to $$ Breakfasts served 24 hours include egg entrees accompanied by turkey sausage, 16-ounce bone-in ham steak, Canadian bacon, corned beef hash, chorizo or Southern fried steak, as well as buttermilk pancakes, biscuits and gravy, and Belgian waffles. The menu also features salads (Walnut Creek, Mediterranean Cobb, Asian Jungle, Southwest chicken) with rosemary or garlic bread, half-pound hamburgers, sandwiches (gyro, Reuben, Philly cheese steak, French dip, focaccia chicken and Peppermill club) and wraps. Entrees include New York steak with fettuccine, honey balsamic chicken, Southwestern beef kabobs, shrimp scampi Acapulco, porterhouse with sautéed mushrooms, Icelandic fish and chips, and chicken parmesan.

Pad Thai Restaurant, 850 S. Rancho Drive 870-2899 Thai, Chinese Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; closed Sunday $ Featured entrees are ground mint chicken, curry chicken, beef or pork with Thai red curry paste, zucchini, bamboo shoots and bell pepper, deep-fried chicken breast sautéed in chili, garlic and cabbage, shrimp in lobster sauce, Mongolian beef, garlic squid and Gulf of Siam, which is catfish, scallops, shrimp, green shell mussels and squid sautéed with tasty chili paste.

Pullman Grille, Main Street Station, 200 N. Main St. 387-1896 American Friday and Sunday, 5 to 10 p.m. $$ to $$$ Steaks include broiled rib-eye, filet mignon, petite filet, New York strip and prime rib. There also are a variety of chicken entrees, king crab legs and the popular seafood stir-fry, consisting of shrimp, scallops and lobster in a light black bean sauce with saffron rice. All entrees come with choice of salad, soup and potatoes (lyonnaise, rosemary, baked or mashed), and diners have a selection of steak sauces.

Roberta's Steakhouse El Cortez, 600 E. Fremont St. 385-5200 Steakhouse Daily, 4 to 10 p.m. $$ to $$$ Featured entrees include the award-winning 20-ounce porterhouse cut from the short loin, roast prime rib, New York steak with onion rings, herb-crusted lamb chops, Australian lobster tails, fresh Pacific halibut, shrimp scampi, rack of barbecued baby back ribs, Alaskan king crab legs and chicken marsala. Many of these entrees can be made into combination plates. All come with a choice of rice, baked potato or steak fries.

Second Street Grill, Fremont Hotel, 200 Fremont St. 385-3232 American with Pacific Rim influence Sunday, Monday, Thursday, 6 to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 6 to 11 p.m.; closed Tuesday and Wednesday $$ to $$$ Featured entrees are grilled Mongolian rack of lamb, roasted duck with blackberry glaze, blackened ahi, parmesan-crusted salmon, wok-fried whole Thai snapper, Mongolian hot pot (assorted seafood in a red curry and lemon grass fish broth), veal T-bone, and an 18-ounce bone-in rib-eye. All entrees come with stir-fry, pesto mashed potatoes or pasta. Ask about the Maui onions. Popular desserts are macadamia nut cheesecake, apricot and plum Napoleon, and assorted sorbets (mango, passion fruit, strawberry).

Springs Cafe, Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd. 822-8713 American Daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. $ to $$ Salads include organic green with English cucumbers, tomatoes and sweet carrots, and a rotisserie free-range chicken Cobb with chopped egg, smoked bacon, avocado and crumbled Maytag blue cheese. Pizzas are four-cheese (mozzarella, fontina, goat and parmesan), classic pepperoni and spicy Oregon pink shrimp. Other entrees are the Chinois Chinese chicken salad, rigatoni Bolognese, 8-ounce prime grilled cheeseburger, chicken panini, wild-caught barbecue salmon BLT, and barbecued pulled pork and crispy onions on a toasted panini roll.

Triple George Grill, 201 3rd St. 384-2761 American Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 4 to 10 p.m.; closed Sunday. $$$ House specialties include the filet Oscar (crab cakes and asparagus atop filet mignon); beef short ribs prepared osso bucco style; porcini mushroom-crusted bone-in rib-eye; pistachio-crusted lamb chop; shrimp George (shrimp stuffed with crab meat, breaded and baked and served with lemon butter sauce); and shrimp and scallop pasta.

Uncle Angelo's Pizza Joint, 1821 Las Vegas Blvd., Jerry's Nugget 633-6153 Italian Every day 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. $$ Every entree includes soup or salad and Italian bread and oil. Everything is made to order. Daily lunch and dinner specials.

Florida Café 1401 Las Vegas Blvd. South, 385-3013

Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Cost: $ to $$

Cuban: Specialties include black bean soup, white cake soaked in milk and arroz con pollo (chicken and rice).

Italian American Supper Club 2333 E. Sahara Ave., 457-3866

Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m.; closed Sunday and Monday

Cost: $$

Italian: Specialty pastas include angel hair pomodora (fresh tomatoes, basil and garlic sauce), eggplant Parmigiana and lasagna al forno. Also New York strip steak, chicken Marsala, chicken shrimp viazzi and veal piccata. Daily specials available. Live music.

Huntridge Restaurant Huntridge Drug Store, 1122 E. Charleston Blvd., 834-3333

Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Cost: $

American: The 50-year-old restaurant has breakfast and lunch specials and handmade milkshakes.

Jerry's Famous Coffee Shop Jerry's Nugget, 1821 Las Vegas Blvd. North, 399-3000

Hours: Daily, 24 hours

Cost: $ to $$

American: The steak and shrimp special is $8.85 daily, and the lobster dinner is $12.75 and the steak and lobster dinner is $15.75 on the weekends. The steak and shrimp special features a prime-cut New York steak and pan-fried shrimp.

L&L Barbecue 2755 S. Nellis Blvd., No. C-1, 597-9898

Hours: Daily, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Cost: $

Hawaiian barbecue: The Original Mix is barbecued beef, chicken and short ribs. Lau Lau and Kalua combo is pork chuck wrapped with taro leaf, steamed and served with pork.

Las Gorditas 2425 Las Vegas Blvd. North, 639-6059

Hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Cost: $

Mexican: Handmade corn pocket tortillas (gorditas) are filled with beef, steak, chicken or pork. There also are quesadillas, burritos and entrees such as carne asada, steak fajitas and chile relleno.

Las Palmas Mariachi Restaurant 953 E. Sahara Ave., 732-0010

Hours: Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 a.m.

Cost: $ to $$

Mexican: The extensive dinner menu begins with rolled beef taquitos, Mexican salad, seafood platter for two with shrimp, octopus, abalone, crab and oysters, menudo (tripe spicy soup) and pozole, pork and hominy soup.

Komol Restaurant Commercial Center, 953 E. Sahara Ave., 731-6542

Hours: Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 10 p.m.

Cost: $ to $$

Thai: The menu has a variety of chicken, pork, beef and seafood dishes, as well as a separate vegetarian menu with vegetarian Pad Thai, chow mein and vegetarian satay. Also tofu and rice dishes, curry, Thai beef salad and stewed duck.

Lombardi's Italian Kitchen The Plaza, 1 S. Main St., 386-2110

Hours: Thursday through Monday, 5 to 10 p.m.

Cost: $$ to $$$

Italian: Nightly specials available for $9.95 include spaghetti and meatballs, shrimp scampi, baked eggplant Parmesan, baked manicotti and linguine with white clam sauce.

Luv-it 505 E. Oakey Blvd., 384-6452

Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 1 to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 1 to 11 p.m.

Cost: $

Frozen custard: Custard is made fresh daily using only cream and eggs and comes in many flavors, some available only on certain days of the week, including butter pecan, Rocky Road, cheesecake and almond chip. Sundaes include Western (hot fudge, caramel, pecans).

Makino's Seafood and Sushi Buffet Las Vegas Premium Outlets, 775 S. Grand Central Parkway, Suite 1301, 382-8848

Hours: Lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; dinner, 5 to 8:30 p.m.

Cost: $ to $$

Sushi: Rainbow roll and California roll are specialties.

M&M Chicken & Waffles 1100 N. Martin Luther King Blvd., 395-9233

Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Cost: $ to $$

Soul food: Combinations include seasoned fried chicken with waffles and sides.

Omelet House The Plaza, 1 S. Main St., 386-2110

Hours: Daily, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Cost: $ to $$

Breakfast/American: Breakfast and lunch are served, including fried zucchini, sandwiches and burgers and a variety of omelets.

Pad Thai Restaurant 850 S. Rancho Drive, 870-2899

Hours: Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; closed Sunday

Cost: $

Chinese/Thai: Featured entrees are ground mint chicken, curry chicken, beef or pork with Thai red curry paste, zucchini, bamboo shoots and bell pepper, deep-fried chicken breast sautéed in chili, garlic and cabbage, shrimp in lobster sauce, and Mongolian beef.

Pamplemousse 400 E. Sahara Ave., 733-2066

Hours: Daily, 5:30 to 10 p.m.

Cost: $$ to $$$

French/American: The menu features salmon and other fresh fish, shellfish, milk-fed veal, Hobo steak for two, rack of lamb, prime New York steak, prime filet mignon, Wisconsin corn-fed duck and vegetarian plate. Daily á la carte items include shrimp scampi and soft-shell crab.

Paymon's Mediterranean Bistro (inside The Arts Factory), 107 E. Charleston Blvd., Suite 155, 272-0020

Hours: Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; 5 to 9 p.m. on First Friday

Cost: $$

Mediterranean: Entrees include kabobs, gyro, moussaka (eggplant, onions, potato and ground Angus beef), chicken tandoori, chicken curry and salmon. Also pita bread sandwiches, paninis, soups, salads and dips.

Pepe's Tacos No. 2 2490 Fremont St., 360-5200

Hours: Daily, 24 hours

Cost: $

Mexican: A la carte items include tortas (Mexican sandwiches), traditional beef and chicken hard shell tacos, quesadillas, chile relleno and burritos. All selections can be ordered as lunch or dinner. Breakfast is huevos rancheros, chorizo and egg burrito and huevos a la Mexicana.

Peppermill 2985 Las Vegas Blvd. South, 735-4177

Hours: Daily, 24 hours

Cost: $ to $$

Coffee shop: Breakfasts is served 24 hours. Dinner entrees include New York steak, honey balsamic chicken, beef kabobs and fish and chips.