:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46365536/Michael_Vitangeli.0.0.jpg)
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.
Michael Vitangeli is now the executive chef of Vintner Grill, the American bistro in Summerlin. Vitangeli started his culinary career at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and went on to work at the Mirage as a pantry worker and banquette coordinator. After two years, he moved to the Bellagio as a cook’s helper at Osteria del Circo, where he moved up to executive chef during his 10-year career there. He moved on to open Double Barrel Roadhouse at the Monte Carlo before joining Vintner Grill. Here he chats about three of his favorite restaurants in Las Vegas and offers tips on what to order at each.
Which restaurants do you turn to when you’re not working?
When I am not cooking at home I like to go out and eat at Cleo restaurant in the SLS. Their Brussels sprouts and pita with chicken liver are amazing, as well as the beet salad. I love the laid-back scene that Cleo has to offer. It's so LA. The wait staff's untied ties are great! The food is a tapas-style menu so they just keep the great dishes flowing. It's really great dinner spot.
Soyo Korean Barstaurant. I love Korean food like no other. I often find myself eating at Soyo. The food is delicious especially for the price and it is open rather late which helps out in our line of work. While we are there we usually order the Tteokbokki. It's a thick spicy broth with vegetables and rice cakes.
And last but not least I can not live without dirty street tacos at Tacos El Gordo. Hope that is not too grimy to be in a food article about myself but it is what it is. The tacos el pastor are juicy and delicious and I can't get enough of them.
