Overview & Ambiance

Imagine you’ve just stepped off the plane in Nice, wandered into a bustling outdoor café in Antibes, and the maître d’ is handing you a chilled white wine. That’s sort of the vibe you get at LMP Restaurant & Bar, except you’re still in Las Vegas, perched above the Strip on Level 3 of The Cosmopolitan.

There’s something instantly transportive about this place. Maybe it’s the airy layout or the curated mishmash of art that flirts with surrealism. You’ll spot hand-painted murals, abstract sculpture, and whimsical nods to Jean Cocteau (LMP’s muse, naturally). A sun-drenched patio looks out over Las Vegas Boulevard, while inside, a central wine station hums with quiet activity and promises of what’s to come.

About the (former) Chef

Executive Chef Ravikanth Avaduta is a culinary globetrotter with a soft spot for the French Riviera. He spent over a decade with LPM in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, helping shape the menu that now graces the Vegas location. His cooking is rooted in simplicity, pure ingredients, confident seasoning, and letting the sun-kissed flavors of Southern Europe do most of the heavy lifting.

Chef Ravi isn’t just copying and pasting a concept, he brings a deep understanding of LPM’s vision. There’s clarity in his dishes, a kind of serene self-assuredness. If this is your first experience at an LPM, you’re in for a treat. If you’ve been to others, expect this one to stand independently.

What We Ate

Our evening started with a do-it-yourself appetizer: a bright red tomato and a sunny lemon sitting in the middle of the table, waiting for you to slice and dress with olive oil, salt, and pepper. It’s an eccentric and charming ritual, and honestly? It works. The olive oil is rich, the tomato is ripe, and it’s enough to wake up your palate without overthinking things.

We opted for the full tasting menu because, well, we always do.  So here we go…

Amuse Bouche – Crab Royal

King crab legs with cocktail sauce, the kind of thing that sounds basic until you realize the crab is impeccably sweet and briny, and the cocktail sauce has just enough horseradish zip to make your taste buds do a happy dance. You can also opt to level up with Oscietra caviar.

Starters

Here’s where things start to sing.

• Yellowtail Carpaccio: Silky, tender fish draped over citrus-dressed guacamole. It’s colorful and zippy, and the guacamole is a surprisingly perfect pairing.
  
• Warm Prawns: Bathed in olive oil and lemon juice, they’re bright and tender and feel like something you’d eat while staring at a turquoise sea.
  
• Escargots: Ah, butter and garlic, our old friends. These snails are plump and satisfying, nestled in their own little hot tubs of flavor.
  
• Burrata et Tomates: Burrata that’s so creamy it should come with a warning. Paired with cherry tomatoes and basil, this is a dish that whispers summer in every bite.
  

Main Courses

The pacing was flawless, the plating gorgeous, and the flavors? Let’s just say we were glowing by the time the entrées arrived.

• Black Truffle Rigatoni: Rich, earthy, and a little bit decadent. The sauce clings to the ridges of the pasta like it knows it belongs there.
  
• Grilled Chilean Bass: With chili and lemon confit, this dish has a beautiful balance of heat and brightness. It’s flakey, tender, and surprisingly light.
  
• Lamb Cutlets: Marinated to the moon and back. With olive, aubergine caviar, and pine nuts, this was our table’s sleeper hit. The lamb is perfectly pink, juicy, and melts in your mouth.
  

Sides

Potato gratin with cream and nutmeg is comfort food wrapped in silk sheets. The broccolini, touched with chili and ginger, offers a subtle kick and some much-needed crunch.

Desserts

• Vanilla Cheesecake with berry compote was clean, smooth, and fruit-forward without being cloying.
  
• Warm Chocolate Mousse with malt ice cream and a chocolate tuile was every bit as indulgent as it sounds. The tuile adds crunch, and the mousse has just the right level of gooey.
  

Tasting Menu with Wine Pairing

Let’s hear it for Carla, our level 2 sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers. She nailed it. Each pour was thoughtful, generous (but not tipsy-dangerous), and well-calibrated to highlight the dishes without overpowering them.

Highlights include:

• Legras & Haas Champagne Brut NV “Intuition”: A perfect aperitif, with peach and citrus playing beautifully against the briny crab. Light, bubbly, and dangerously easy to drink.
  
• Villa Sparina Monterotondo Gavi di Gavi (2021): Crisp and elegant, with tangy minerality and salinity that made the seafood courses pop. This was a standout white that danced with the starters like they were old friends.
  
• Domaine Faiveley Mercurey Clos Rochette (Chardonnay): Round, textured, with whispers of white flower and spice. The pairing with the Chilean bass was a dreamy match.
  
• 2015 Domaine Matrot Auxey-Duresses (Pinot Noir): This was the highlight of the pairings. Soft tannins, layered red fruit, and just enough earthiness to complement the lamb without drowning it. If we could’ve taken Carla home with us and had her pair our breakfast cereal, we would have.
  

A very good pairing. All the wines were in the $50 retail range, the pours were nice, and the pairings were well done. Shout out to our somm Carla for a very nice job on these pairings.

Corkage Fee

LMP charges $50 per bottle (a great price for a restaurant of this caliber) with a maximum of two bottles. The bottles must not be on their list and need to be vintage-specific.  So, if their list includes 2012, 2013, and 2017 Opus One, and you bring in a 2016, you’re good to go.  

Conclusion

LMP Restaurant & Bar is a gem, equal parts art gallery, Mediterranean bistro, and cosmopolitan escape. It walks the fine line between approachable luxury and artistic expression, managing to feel elevated without being pretentious. Whether you’re in for a romantic dinner, a special celebration (it was our anniversary), or simply want to eat some really excellent food while pretending you’re in Cannes, this spot delivers.

Chef Ravikanth Avaduta’s tasting menu is a good choice, and the service, thanks to our servers Angel and Gianni, is warm and attentive without being overbearing.

Give it a shot next time you are in town.