10 Restaurants Daniel Boulud Loves in Las Vegas

Sin City is home to a lot of restaurants and bars, but there are tons of hidden gems that the majority of Las Vegans aren't unearthing. To help guide us to these potential discoveries, we've enlisted some of our city's food players to share their recommendations for a weekly feature dubbed Dining Confidential. Know a chef who wants to share some top dining spots? The tipline is open.

In this special edition of Dining Confidential, Eater Vegas talks to Daniel Boulud of DB Brasserie at the Venetian about some of his favorite restaurants in Las Vegas. Earlier, his executive chef David Middleton shared some of his favorite places to take Boulud. As expected, Boulud tends to visit a lot of his friends' restaurants when he's not in his own. Here, he shares 10 of his favorite places to dine in Las Vegas.

Which restaurants do you turn to when you're not working?
It depends. First, often I like to see my colleagues. If I happen to be near Cosmopolitan south of the Venetian, often it's to see Jaleo and José Andrés. I always end up there.

Around there is also Pierre Gagnaire. He has a sophistication and casual approach at the same time. I've known Pierre Gagnaire for 25 years. I knew him in Saint-Étienne as a youngster, a rising star. Sometimes Pierre is eccentric in a good way. He's always pushing further than anyone else for the customer.

For steak of course, I love Cut and Carnevino. Between the two I've gone one time to Cut and once to Carnevino. At Bouchon, I have a tendency to meet with Thomas Keller for breakfast when he's in town. Bouchon is one of the finest casual restaurants for that.

There's a Japanese restaurant, Kabuto, a small place.

I used to go to Marche Bacchus when David [Middleton] was there.

Before my intermittent absence in Vegas I went to Picasso. Julian [Serrano] is always always a classic here. It's important to support the classics.

At Bobby Flay's restaurant Mesa Grill, Jean-Pierre Francois, the manager, is a longtime friend. They have American flair with a twist.

My last trip I escaped early to have a bowl of pasta with Paul Bartolotta.
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