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.
Matthew Hurley learned his way around the kitchen at an early age, learning from his two first mentors, his mother and grandmother. The Boston native would spend afternoons in the kitchen preparing weeknight dinners for his large family. Later he went to the Culinary Institute of America and relocated to Las Vegas after graduating to start his 19-plus year career with the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group as a prep cook at Spago. He worked his way up through the ranks as a café chef, line cook, kitchen and purchasing manager and corporate catering chef for Puck's private dining and catering. Now he's the executive chef of CUT at the Palazzo. For The Five Days of Meat, he shares some of his favorite hidden treasures in Las Vegas.
Where do you like to go for steak on your days off? What do you like to order?
On my days off, if I'm going to eat a steak, I'm going to make it on my grill at home for my family and myself to enjoy together.
How about meatballs?
Rao's at Caesars Palace because it reminds me of authentic New York Italian. I don't get to New York as often as I'd like and this is gives me my fix.
What about barbecue?
Rollin Smoke BBQ. I order the barbecue brisket, baby back ribs and fried green tomatoes.
Do you go anyplace special for meats on a stick?
Abriya Raku on Spring Mountain because it's high-quality, simply prepared but with huge flavor. I also like running into my chef colleagues and friends there late at night.
What about places where you can cook your own meats? Or is that sacrilegious for a chef on a day off?
Yagyu Yakiniku on Spring Mountain. They have great quality meat that you can cook yourself and the beer is at 29 degrees, best of both worlds! They have great cuts of inside skirt, kobe, etc.
Hamburgers?
Always In-N-Out Burger! Double Double is my go-to.
Hot dogs?
Chicago Hot Dog
How about charcuterie?
DB Brasserie at the Venetian for pate de campagne bourguignon and terrine foie gras or B&B Ristorante for the house-cured salumi.
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