TOP NEW VEGAS HOT SPOT FOR 2011

Ali Baba Restaurant

8826 S. Eastern Avenue, Las Vegas 

Lebanese food has always been a principle attraction in Lebanon, the Middle East and Mediterranean countries. Now, these authentic and very healthy recipes have crossed over the borders to become extremely popular in the West. Lebanese cuisine, now considered a "Health Food", is mostly based on a large and varied assortment of fresh vegetables, wheat and dairy products, extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic and a unique blend of traditional herbs and spices. Ali Baba presents these traditional recipes prepared by master Lebanese chefs using only the finest and the freshest ingredients, select cuts of meats, freshly baked breads and delectable pastries.  Come for a quiet lunch, when the only sounds are soft Arabic-language music videos playing on one of the restaurant's plasma-screens, or join them for a  more rousing evening thanks to a live band that performs nightly, plus actual belly dancers. 

PREVIOUS TOP HOT SPOT

Marrakech Restaurant

3900 Paradise Road, Las Vegas

It would be easy to dismiss this diamond in the rough at first glance: Marrakech sits in an unassuming commercial strip mall, one of seemingly thousands in the Las Vegas Valley, about a mile or so east of the Las Vegas Strip on Paradise Road. But don't let the outward appearances fool you: inside you will find a very comfortable, intimate, Moroccan-themed restaurant, featuring plush red couches and carved wood tables that sit close to the floor, accented by tapestries and colorful wall coverings. Highlights of the six-course, prix-fixe menu (meals are eaten without utensils) are Cornish hen and lamb kabobs, but don't discount the pickled vegetable salad platter served with hummus. Oh, and each meal comes served with entertainment by an exotic belly dancer.