Whenever a casino replaces anything with an Italian restaurant, an angel gets its wings.
Planet Hollywood is getting just that, an Italian restaurant and “swanky lounge” called Caramella, moving into the shuttered Koi Restaurant and Lounge on the Mezzanine level of the resort, next to the Criss Angel Theater.
If you are reading this, Criss Angel, we are happy to have dinner again. This time, our treat. Long, awkward story.
Underreported was a juicy nugget buried in the Caramella announcement: Caesars Palace is opening Omnia Dayclub in 2025. Zero details, but still, that’s one to watch and a peculiar way to let people know about it. We’re pretty sure Omnia Dayclub will feature attractive women doing bottle presentations for about the same cost as Banksy’s “Love is in the Bin” (“Girl with Balloon” before it was partially shredded).
Caramella is scheduled to open this winter. You can tell when it’s winter in Las Vegas because even Canadians and Minnesotans won’t use the pools.
The new concept comes from Tao Group Hospitality, the folks behind Tao. This isn’t rocket science.
The Tao Group also boasts Hakkasan, Omnia and Marquee. Yes, it’s weird that the same company operates competing nightlife venues.
In case you missed it, Tao Group Hospitality acquired Hakkasan Group in 2021. Yes, we broke the story months before it was officially announced. Don’t make us blush by always bringing up how awesome we are, thanks.
Tao sort of has the restaurant thing down, with popular brands like Lavo Italian Restaurant, Beauty & Essex, Cathedrale, Luchini and Stanton Social Prime. We’d tell you where all these restaurants are, but it’s more fun to think of this as a Google scavenger hunt.
We really need to get to Luchini at MGM Grand. There, we gave you one.
Details are scant about Caramella, but the Las Vegas Review-Journal got its hands on some renderings submitted to the Clark County Building Department back in May 2024. The placeholder name for the venue was Macelleria Disco (we updated it in the rendering above using our def Photoshop skilz, assuming people still spell “skills” with a “z”).
The Review-Journal said the renderings submitted for Caramella may not be final, so we are once again forced to have A.I. give it a try.
“Caramella” means “candy” in Italian. Yes, we speak 243 languages fluently. Is there anything Google can’t do?
Why “candy” as a name? Well, similar to Beauty & Essex at Cosmopolitan having a working pawn shop, Caramella will have a candy shop.
Here’s more: “With decor and design inspired by 1970s Italy, Caramella will feature stunning views overlooking the Las Vegas Strip and an adjacent candy shop offering a wide selection of sweet treats.”
Crap. We probably should’ve mention to A.I. the whole “1970s Italy” thing.
What the hell, let’s see if A.I. can help come up with a “sneak preview” of the menu, too.
Our fellow youths sometimes ask, “How can I, too, be a wildly popular blog and make ungodly amounts of money goofing off in Las Vegas?” Our answer is: 1) spend a decade growing an audience, 2) built a network of sources who tell you things first, and 3) spend six hours mocking up a fake restaurant menu for no real reason just because you enjoy A.I. and it’s more fun than talking about layoffs at Fontainebleau or how much paper straws suck.
Anyhoo, Italian is our culinary sweet spot (pun intended), so we’re looking forward to seeing what’s in store at Caramella at Planet Hollywood this winter.
Please note: A.I. suggested sea bass (“Branzino al Sale”), but we swapped it out with chicken parm. Some things are non-negotiable.
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