A power lunch is like boxing. You try to control the action, lead the conversation, dodge comments and perform a combination of skills. It requires timing, finesse, integrity and credibility. Make a wrong move and you can kiss the deal goodbye. You must control the meeting from the opening bell to the finish.
What separates a business meal from a power lunch? Must a power lunch include a martini and a merger, be served by tuxedoed waiters and cost more than an economy car? It can, but not necessarily. Today’s power lunch is shared by both men and women in a myriad of environments and for a multitude of reasons. Business people are constantly looking for an edge in both negotiations and celebrations – location and ambiance can provide a strategic advantage.
We surveyed several CEOs and top executives throughout Nevada to find their choices for the best places to power-lunch, and have listed them here in alphabetical order. Whether it’s your first match (impressing a potential client) or third go-around (sealing the deal), the following restaurants are sure knockouts. Local country clubs ranked high as well, but since they are not open to the general public, they were omitted from this list. As Nevada’s well-known boxing referee Mills Lane would say, “Let’s get it on!”
ADELE’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE
1112 N. Carson St., Carson City
A Carson City fixture since 1978, Adele’s is located in a historic Comstock-era house built in 1864. Adele’s offers one of Northern Nevada’s most elegant dining experiences. Its cuisine has been described as “creative Continental” with varied menu items and several daily specials. Specialties include Lobster Jeremiah, baked crab in a crust and Moroccan lamb. The restaurant boasts an outstanding wine cellar that has garnered the Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine. There’s also a 30-seat outdoor veranda to enjoy the sights and sounds of Carson City.
BRICKS RESTAURANT & WINE BAR
1695 S. Virginia St., Reno
Anyone who complains about a lack of culture or sophistication in Reno’s restaurants obviously hasn’t arranged a business meeting at Bricks. Bricks Restaurant and Wine Bar south of downtown Reno is casual fine dining at its best. The outer façade has a long, graceful awning that gives way to French doors laden with etched glass. Inside, the atmosphere is refined and relaxed. The eclectic menu is contemporary Continental and showcases an abundance of fresh seafood, pasta and meats. Bricks also offers a great selection of affordably priced wines, as well as a scotch and martini bar.
CILI FINE DINING
5160 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas
Step off the Strip into the magical environment of Cili Restaurant, located on the Bali Hai golf course. Named for the Balinese word for “prosperity, good health and great fortune,” Cili is a dining experience that transports you to a peaceful island paradise with magnificent views of the golf course, water features and mountains. The menu features contemporary American cuisine and a blend of Thai and Chinese flavors. The varied lunch menu includes items such as the unique Cili club sandwich with turkey, bacon, fried egg and French fries, the Thai chicken salad with fun noodles, mint and ginger vinaigrette, and a lobster Cobb salad. There is also an extensive wine list featuring wines from all over the world.
THE GRILL AT QUAIL CORNERS
6520 S. McCarran Blvd., Reno
The Grill at Quail Corners is a fun, modern American Grill specializing in both traditional and Italian dishes. Both elegant and casual, the dining room has a laid-back, hip feel to it. The lunch counter overlooks the open kitchen where you can watch chefs prepare your meal. Start off with grilled mozzarella, mushroom ravioli or polenta gorgonzola. Entrées include Quail Corners Cobb salad, pan-seared spring chicken, grilled Pacific salmon or a 20-oz. porterhouse steak. And when the weather’s too nice to eat inside, try the outside patio with enough seating for 40 people.
HARRAH’S STEAK HOUSE
210 N. Center St., Reno
Tucked away in a secluded area on the lower level of Harrah’s Reno hotel, the Steak House is furnished in fine wood paneling and rich upholstery. The menu boasts a variety of specialties, including steak Diane and rack of lamb with a fresh herb crust and Madeira-mint sauce. There’s also an extensive selection of delectable desserts. The wine menu features more than 100 selections. Harrah’s Steak House is considered one of the best restaurants on the West Coast, and has the awards and citations to prove it. It is the only Reno restaurant to receive the Four-Diamond rating by the American Automobile Association (AAA) and the prestigious Distinguished Restaurants of North America award.
LA CHANDELE
75 MonteLago Blvd., Henderson
If you want to take your client away from the hustle and bustle of the Strip, try La Chandele at Lake Las Vegas. A 30-minute drive from downtown Las Vegas, La Chandele offers power lunchers a gourmet meal with a view. The elegant ambience, exquisite interior and lakeside settings of this club provide a perfect venue for any upcoming meeting. Enjoy perfectly prepared dishes as you overlook the shimmering waters of the 32-acre lake from inside the elegant Reflection Bay Golf & Beach Club. The menu features a mix of Mediterranean and California cuisine, including Maine lobster club sandwich and quesadilla carnitas.
McCORMICK & SCHMICK’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
335 Hughes Center Dr., Las Vegas
The tables are set for the deal with crisp white tablecloths at this Northwest-themed seafood house, located off the Strip in the busy Hughes Center. Elegantly decorated with traditional dark wood paneling, stained glass, handcrafted chandeliers, mosaic-tiled floors and a large mahogany bar, this restaurant will impress any client. McCormick & Schmick’s is classic – from the food presentation to the service. The daily menu features fresh, quality seafood flown in daily from the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. There’s also an extensive offering of wine, spirits and beer.
PALM RESTAURANT
3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas
Located in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, the Palm is often cited as one of the best places to power lunch because of its fine food, casual setting and accommodating service. This high-end steak institution is known for having some of the best lunch deals in Las Vegas. Seafood is just as good as the prime steaks, and both keep regulars coming back. When you walk into the Palm, it’s as if you are joining a party. You are welcomed with a smile, and before you know it, you’re raising your glass, swept up and away by the spirit of the place. The Palm is a natural – fresh ingredients, big portions and great service. And the view is an added bonus – it may be the best people-watching venue on the Strip.
RAPSCALLION SEAFOOD HOUSE & BAR
1555 S. Wells Ave., Reno
When you walk into the Rapscallion Seafood House & Bar, it feels unique and different. It has an atmosphere reminiscent of turn-of-the-century San Francisco, with antique gas lamps, colorful stained glass and whiskey boxes. Staff expertly serve diners using old-fashioned attention to detail. Voted Reno’s favorite seafood restaurant and gathering place for locals, the Rapscallion has a fresh fish list offering 20 to 30 choices – each prepared with a style that showcases the special flavors of the season.
RUTH’S CHRIS STEAKHOUSE
3900 Paradise Rd. and 4561 W. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas.
Sizzle. Sizzle. Sizzle. It’s the sound that says your steak is on its way to your table. This sizzling signature is the finishing touch to the Ruth’s Chris dining experience. Savor that sizzle with a complement of the finest wines available. Ruth’s Chris has perfected the art of bringing New Orleans food to the world. Of course, there are the familiar filet, ribeye and New York strip, but you’ll also find sizzling crab cakes, Louisiana seafood gumbo and shrimp remoulade. It’s this New Orleans heritage that seeps into every Ruth’s Chris dish that makes the establishment different from every other steakhouse. With two locations in Las Vegas, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse repeatedly ranks high in food quality, menu variety, value, service and atmosphere.
On any given weekday, these restaurants are overflowing at lunchtime with movers and shakers getting their midday sustenance while making contacts and deals. After dining at any one of these establishments, you may feel like a winner and demand a re-match.
