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NIGHT+DAY Ins and Outs (IOs)

Whether you are keeping a dogeared Night+Day guide as your bible to exploring a city, or just relying on NightandDayGuides.com, you’re in the right place for the latest and greatest happenings. Herewith are hotels, restaurants, nightlife, and attractions that have been open long enough to be tested and earn our recommendation.

April’s Top 5 New Openings

LAS VEGAS • MANDARIN SPA • Spa
Let’s face it: Most Vegas spas have fairly plush wet areas, and the 27,000-square-foot, bi-level spa at the Mandarin Oriental is no exception. There are experiential showers with settings like Rainforest and Arctic Mist, vitality pools with contoured beds that erupt into a burst of bubbles at the push of a button, and perfectly balmy steam rooms. But what really sets this spa apart from the pack is its menu of Asian-inspired treatments. If money is no object, opt for the Qi Balancing Journey, a three-and-a-half-hour treatment that involves a foot cleanse, exfoliation, and mud wrap, followed by an acupressure head and body massage. If you’re short on time (and cash), try the Revitalize Foot Spa, a scrub and rub that will put the spring back in your step. Daily 9am–9pm.
$$$$ 3752 Las VegasBlvd. S. (Rue de Monte Carlo), 702-590-8886
mandarinoriental.com/lasvegas

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LOS ANGELES • LAZY OX • Gastropub
Lazy Ox is everything that downtown LA could be—a dynamic, multicultural melting pot that’s edgy, affordable, and fun. Crammed into the ground floor of a new Little Tokyo condo complex, it’s deliberately unmarked, but recognizable by its breezy sidewalk terrace. Co-owner Michael Cardenas (of Sushi Roku fame) may greet you at the door, but this chef- driven gastropub revolves around Josef Centeno’s globe-trotting menu (fried pig ears, ham hock collard greens, lamb cheeks) that reads like a season of Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations. The under-$25 menu features an amazing burger, but his famous bäco (pork-belly flatbread sandwich), listed on the chalkboard specials menu, has the foodie blogosphere buzzing. Daily 11am–3pm and 5pm–midnight.
$$ 241 S. San Pedro St. (E. Second St.), 213-626-5299
lazyoxcanteen.com

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NEW ORLEANS • COQUETTE • American
No two visits to this contemporary bistro are ever the same. Mike Stoltzfus, the ambitious young chef and a true believer in seasonality, rewrites his menu every night. The descriptions are deceptively simple: “rabbit with grits, carrots, and bacon” or “scallops, calves’ livers, and sherry vinegar.” What appears on the plates is far more complex. With its exposed brick and 19th-century charm, the elegant, carefully restored corner space matches the grace of the surrounding Garden District mansions. The long bar—tended by one of the city’s most cre-ative mixologists, Cole Newton—stretches the length of the dining room. It’s become a favorite perch for the well-heeled neighbors, who return frequently to sample the chef’s latest creations.
Mon–Tue 5:30–10pm, Wed–Sat 11:30am–3pm and 5:30–10pm.
$$ 2800 Magazine St. (Washington Ave.), 504-265-0421
coquette-nola.com

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NEW YORK • COLICCHIO & SONS • American
Top Chef star Tom Colicchio has shuttered Craftsteak and unveiled this cheery new restaurant in its place. Here he features a lighter, more casual take on the famous New American dishes that he launched at Gramercy Tavern. Creative dishes feature local produce, including farm chicken with black truffles and roasted cod with cider butter. The space has been tweaked to reflect the more relaxed menu: While the ceilings are still high and vaulted, a wood-burning stove now adds farmhouse-style warmth. The main dining room offers a three-course prix fixe menu, while the front Tap Room offers a simpler menu of small bites along with a superb array of beers and wines.
Sun–Thu 5:30–10pm, Fri–Sat 5:30–11pm.
$$ 85 Tenth Ave. (15th St.), 212-400-6699
colicchioandsons.com

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SAN FRANCISCO • FRANCES • Californian
Local celeb chef Melissa Perello (of Charles Nob Hill fame) has gone downscale-artisanal at Frances, the best restaurant in the Castro, the San Francisco neighborhood most in need of a culinary revitalization. The small menu (only four entrées) is seasonal and very local, and includes food from purveyors such as County Line Harvest (chicories) and Iacopi Farms (Brussels sprouts). The long, narrow dining room is lined with tables on both sides, but is so gracious that it somehow doesn’t feel crowded. Paul Einbund, formerly a sommelier at Coi, heads up an innovative wine program.
Tue–Thu 5–10pm, Fri–Sat 5–10:30pm.
$$ 3870 17th St. (Pond St.), 415-621-3870
frances-sf.com