FIT FOR A KING
Triple George provides a culinary shot in the arm to downtown
BY JARRET KEENE

Since arriving in Las Vegas, I have always characterized the Lady Luck on Third Street and Ogden Avenue as one of those grungy casinos that I'd banish my worst enemy. After all, the place had boasted the spiritually enervating charm of a Boulder Highway grind joint - and I don't mean "grind" in the bodacious ta-ta sense of the word. I'm talking an infinite armada of oxygen-tanked yet somehow still chain-smoking Midwestern grandmas leashed to riotous slot machines by virtue of nest egg-nullifying "players cards." The horror.

That's about to change, of course, now that Lady Luck Chief Executive Officer Andrew Donner closed the property for remodeling. In the year-long interim, the company that owns the Lady Luck, the Henry Brent Co., has smartly invested in a restaurant and three bars across the street: the Triple George Grill, the Sidebar, Hogs & Heifers, and Celebrity. These are great places to grab a drink after work, but the food at the Triple George will give you an uptown reason to take a stroll through downtown Vegas.

Triple George is a long way from the Timbers chain of lumberjack-themed bars, which Henry Brent also owns. Here, the interior and seafood-focused menu are based on the Tadich Grill, San Francisco's oldest restaurant. With its dark mahogany wood and recessed seating, this is the perfect spot to enjoy a power lunch, a love affair or both. There's a mirror in each high-walled booth, for self-grooming, teeth-checking, or to sneak a peek at your date's profile. Don't worry, sports fans; there are flat-screen TVs at the bar for you to gaze longingly at should you be flying solo or hanging out with your fellow dude-bros.

The sourdough bread and pickled vegetable platter are plenty, sure. But the appetizers are terrific, from the Bruschetta ($6.95), which is chock-full of red onions and garlic, to the cold and refreshing Oysters on the Half Shell ($11.95), which go down nicely with an on-tap S.F. beer like Anchor Steam ($5). Indeed, the oysters, which come with cocktail sauce and pungent red onion dressing, possess a hint of salty brine to make you feel like you're on the waterfront. I'm from the South, so I put oysters on Saltines soda crackers (which you have to ask for).

Before the Pacific starts lapping at your toes, try any of the salads: George's Chopped ($9.95), the Wedge ($7.95), an iceberg chunk (that comes with the appropriate amount of blue cheese and bacon), or the light, crisp Broiled Salmon Caesar ($13.95). Heck, even the Shrimp Louie ($13.95) is out of sight, and it's a seafood salad I don't normally go for, save the fresh version offered at this establishment and a few other top joints in the Bay Area.

For soup, I had the special, a bowl of melt-in-your-mouth Lobster Bisque ($9.95). I also hear the New England Clam Chowder ($6.95) is spot-on. Ditto the Charbroiled Swordfish ($23.95) and the Scallops ($18.95), served with a vegetable of the day and a choice of baked, mash, or Long Branch potatoes.

"George's Favorites," meanwhile, is a list of lunch-worthy items I can't get enough of. The Corned Beef Hash ($8.95) with eggs, spinach and boiled potatoes fueled me for an entire day, and the Hamburger Steak ($10.95), a tasty sirloin served with sautéed onions and mushrooms is - for me, hands down - the best steak sandwich in town, even if it doesn't come with fries. Many people who have dined at the Triple George highly recommend the Chicken Pot Pie ($13.95); I find it too buttery, but perhaps it was just a little off the day I sampled it.

Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist and fellow libertarian Vin Suprynowicz famously bitched about the parking situation at the Triple George, but it's easy to figure out: the curbside valet is complimentary. The piano bar, where you can suck on a stogie while getting your shoes shined, is heavy on the '80s, which isn't a problem for many people. Still, if you'd rather avoid an instrumental medley of Billy Joel hits, then slip into the elegant, classy Sidebar, which connects to the Triple George, for some high-end drinks with an Uptown Girl (or Boy). The Triple George Grill is located at 201 North Third Street and is open Sunday through Thursday, 7 a.m. until 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday until 

11 p.m. Call 702-384-2761 for more info. LW