Innovative French restaurant LPM adds intrigue and whimsy to the Strip

Jean Cocteau was known for surrealism, wit and avant-garde experimentation, so it’s no surprise the French artist and playwright was adopted as the muse and inspiration for LPM Restaurant & Bar, a culinary concept that resists confinement to one single category. The brand was founded on the flavors of the French Riviera, but touches on elements of Italian, Greek, American and even Japanese cuisine, funneled through a focused vision that celebrates simplicity in taste and texture.

LPM, a global presence with nine locations throughout the world, now serves dinner in Las Vegas at the space formerly home to Estiatorio Milos at the Cosmopolitan. The bright, open dining room charms with a centralized wine station, raw bar prep counter and outdoor patio overlooking the Strip. Art is everywhere, from hand-drawn murals to framed paintings and a lone statuette that keeps the bartenders company. At times, it’s like walking through a gallery.

As always, art is a form of expression and diners are invited to show off their own creativity at the beginning of a meal by picking up a knife and slicing away at the tomato and lemon at the center of each table. With a dash of salt, pepper and olive oil, the do-it-yourself appetizer is one of those things that can’t go wrong, thanks to the quality of ingredients. The rest of your meal, however, is in the hands of the professionals.

Executive chef Ravi Avaduta knows the menu well, working at LPM for 13 years in Dubai and Abu Dhabi before coming to Las Vegas. He always recommends the escargot ($30), served in the shell with butter and garlic. Extra bread is offered on the side to soak it all up. Seafood is well represented with warm Nigerian tiger prawns, gently broiled with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, as well as the Japanese yellowtail carpaccio ($29), thinly sliced with guacamole and a splash of orange citrus dressing. The branzino ($59), drenched in olive oil, honey, red chili and garlic, is grilled to give the skin a subtle crunch, then finished off in the oven.

Yet the lamb ($68) is the restaurant’s true standout dish. Avaduta cooks marinated Australian cutlets inside a Josper oven, which locks in the smokiness and preserves the steak-like tenderness of the meat. The result pairs nicely with a plate of potato gnocchi, brought to life with just a drizzle of cherry tomato sauce.

Save room for cheesecake, the most requested LPM dessert. The cream cheese batter is cooked at a low temperature, bringing out a light, irresistibly creamy bite that contrasts nicely against a hazelnut crust.

Cocteau’s presence dominates the cocktail menu with his life story documented among a series of aperitif-based recipes. It’s almost like reading a novelette. The most talked about drink is the Tomatini ($17)—a combination of vodka, muddled tomatoes, white balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and a hint of simple syrup that’s strained over a martini glass. You have the option to add fresh cracked pepper from a large grinder that towers above your server’s head. For all its nuance and charm, the restaurant isn’t afraid to have fun with a kitschy spectacle. Just say when.

LPM (a name that evolved from an initial relationship with La Petite Maison in Nice) is off to a fine start in Las Vegas as one of the most intriguing new restaurants of 2023. Menus are in the works for lunch and brunch, further making the operation one to watch in the weeks and months ahead.

LPM RESTAURANT & BAR Cosmopolitan, 702-698-1889, lpmrestaurants.com. Daily, 5:30-10 p.m.

For photos and more details visit LasVegasWeekly.com