Living Las Vegas

Real Life in the Shadow of the Strip

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Lavo: At Last

I’ve never been one of the cool kids. Trends and fashions arrive and leave without making any impression on me. My hair style and color are pretty much what they were in my twenties. My clothing styles have changed only to accommodate variations in my day jobs, as well as a body that has graced this earth for nearly 50 years and has never once been treated like a temple.

In short, I am not a member of the clubbing set.

So it should be no surprise that I don’t exactly hang out where the beautiful people are found. For example, Tao Las Vegas, which would certainly be considered the premier restaurant and nightclub in Las Vegas, if not the world, hasn’t seen much of me, nor I of it. Certainly not while the place has been open, anyway — and definitely not during clubbing hours, which occur well after my bedtime.

However, that day job of mine, as a lawyer for a prominent Las Vegas firm, sometimes puts me in contact with people who do inhabit locations where the rich and famous are found. And so it happens that I have had the privilege of witnessing the creation of what will undoubtedly be the next big thing in the Vegas culinary and clubbing scene: Lavo – a restaurant, lounge and nightclub.

As I’ve watched Lavo take shape, I’ve seen just how much planning and meticulous attention to detail is involved in creating the places where the rich and famous choose to spend their time. This kind of success does not come through chance.

I have watched the construction as a cavernous shell in the Palazzo was transformed into a space where Old World opulence combines subtly with sleek modern elements. Dark woods and leathers lend depth to spaces lightened by glistening glazed tiles. A glass bridge lined with sink-shaped fountains overlooks a dance floor topped by a domed ceiling. There are mirrored tile niches and plenty of cushy leather banquettes for lounging. Patio seating overlooks the Strip.

Lavo is the most recent offering from the group of talented folks who brought the world Tao Las Vegas, Tao Beach and Tao New York. Marc Packer, who owns a host of other restaurants including the Harley-Davidson Café on the Strip (which is slightly closer to my personal style), heads this group. He justly prides himself on his ability to bring together just the right group of people to bring about the desired results.

Marc’s partner Rich Wolf is the genius behind the atmosphere of Lavo. This latest club is intended to call to mind a sumptuous Mediterranean bathhouse, but Wolf did not rely on reproductions to create that effect. Instead, he traveled to Morocco to personally choose the artifacts and design elements that make Lavo unique. Huge clay pots create a waterfall at the foot of the entry stairs, and richly detailed goatskin tiles decorate the walls. Tiny glass tiles gleam from the nightclub walls, and rows of Turkish water basins flank a catwalk overlooking the lounge. Everywhere you look there are beautiful details, and Wolf oversaw each choice himself.

You might think that food would take a back seat at places where people go to see and be seen, but that is definitely not true here. As our clients constantly reminded us, Lavo is first and foremost a restaurant. In fact, Lavo’s chef, Ludo Lefebvre, came on board long before the space was ready for opening, and the team spent dozens of evenings having tastings of menu candidates before making the final selections. The result is an imaginative menu likely to impress even the snobbiest of foodies. The menu is intended to encourage sharing among friends and, given the choices, you’ll want to try everything. Where else can you get the “Ultimate Pizza,” with toppings that include lobster and truffles? Could you resist the charred octopus salad? Or how about lamb shank quesadillas?

And then there’s the wine list. As a teetotaler (yet another reason why I am uncool, you see), I am not in a position to judge, but those more knowledgeable than I approve heartily.

Two other VIPs in the creation of Lavo are nightlife impresarios Jason Strauss and Noah Tepperberg. The wunderkind of event planning, Strauss and Tepperberg have made careers out of packing places with celebrities. My legal duties didn’t garner me much insight into the sort of magic performed by these two gentlemen, but their attention to detail clearly yields brilliant results. Lavo will certainly be the newest playing field for celebrities and celebrity spotters.

During the months of construction, I occasionally walked the site to see the progress, but these were just tantalizing glimpses. So when Lavo had its “soft” opening in late August, I jumped at the chance to attend a party there. Here was my opportunity to finally see what my clients had wrought. The first indication of success came in the Palazzo parking garage. Never before had I had any difficulty finding a parking spot. But on this night, it took some effort. Score one for Lavo.

Once inside the Palazzo’s lobby, I headed for the velvet ropes, passing the area set aside for celebrity photos. Once it was confirmed that I was on “the list,” I was permitted to see Lavo in all its glory. There were a few surprises. Had I ever heard about the richly colored murals? I’m not sure, but they quickly became my favorite aspect of the design. And while I knew that beautiful women would be dancing or lounging on the marble-tiled plinths, my mental images hadn’t conjured up the full reality – perhaps because my vague imaginings hadn’t included the feathery fan wielded by a small, turbaned man.

By the time you read this, Lavo will have been open to the public for a week, with a suitably splashy grand opening planned for September 13. It’s been fun having a VIP seat to watch the creation of the next “place to be.” But now that the Lavo is finally here, I’ll yield my spot to the beautiful people. Hordes of them.

Expect long lines.

Living in Las Vegas -- what's it really like? Ten local writers share news & views from Southern Nevada.