Anima by EDO

EDO Hospitality and Chef Oscar Amador helped show Las Vegas just how serious off-Strip dining can be. So local foodies were thrilled when their joint creation, Anima, was recognized on a national level as a Michelin-recommended restaurant in the guidebook company’s inaugural Southwest edition.

Located just outside of Summerlin South, within the Gramercy complex on Russell Road, Anima combines Mediterranean and Italian influences. The dining room has a bright, open feel with a charcuterie station near the front door and a roaming gin-and-tonic cart. Prices are more than fair, and an especially strong value with food of this caliber.

Dishes like a deconstructed Eggplant Parmigiana, made with Parmigiano espuma, tomato powder and a basil crisp, pay tribute to the time Amador spent in the kitchen of Spain’s El Bulli, the birthplace of Spanish avant-garde cuisine. But sophisticated technique and unexpected flavor profiles never supersede the respect given to extraordinary ingredients.

Perennial favorites include thin Bikini Sandwiches, layered Patatas Bravas, Catalan bread with assorted toppings and delicate eggshells filled with caviar, trout roe, egg yolk and espuma. But the menu is constantly updated to keep things interesting. And the $85 tasting menu is one of the valley’s best bargains.