The Good, The Bad and The Ugly at Echo & Rig

Max Jacobson heads to Echo & Rig Butcher & Steakhouse, Sam Marvin's new joint in Tivoli Village. So far, it seems he likes the small plates, such as the burnt peas with onions, mushrooms and saffron, butcher's sausage with beans and escarole and grilled thick-cut bacon stacked in little squares with a complex barbecue sauce on the side.

Some dishes he found confusing, such as a fried chicken overwhelmed by clove and Brussels sprouts with pistachio nuts and lemon juice.

John Curtas waited 10 days before filing his review of Echo & Rig. He says the steak tartare "?sure was stunning alright. If making steer muscle look like regurgitated dog food is art, then Chef Sam is a regular Picasso." Same goes for the lamb chops, which he found "as ugly as the tartare." Fear not. He declares the burger as good as the short-lived, now-defunct Poshburger and likes the "over-the-top, giant BLT made with house made bacon bread." [ELV]

"Whatever the explanation may be, in this instance the customer is always right, stop arguing weird details, apologize and take a new order," Erik Chudy says of the experience with a burger his fiance didn't like at Rx Boiler Room at Mandalay Place. "This burger sucked, this experience sucked, and we paid far too much for it. Do yourself a favor and stay downstairs in the seafood(!!!) restaurant if you want a good burger." He gives the burger a 55 out of 100. [VBB]

Al Mancini's plans to go to Luna Lounge were thwarted by half the items crossed off the menu with black masking tape, he checks out Tacos El Gordo. While ordering is confusing (you have to order from a different person for the type of protein they handle), he recommends the tongue and al pastor. "In a town sadly lacking in quality Mexican food, Tacos El Gordo is well above average," he says. [CL]

Holy cow. Heidi Knapp Rinella not only hands out a C grade, but to a restaurant on the Strip. Central Michel Richard, Michel Richard's 24-hour cafe at Caesars Palace didn't wow her with the food, the atmosphere or the service (which earned a C-). The fried chicken had no flavor. The tuna burger was overcooked and the chicken schnitzel had too many capers. Hallelujah. A C grade. [LVRJ]