The first new eatery to open at the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas in five years, AGO Restaurant held a lavish grand opening on March 3rd. Hosted by executive chef and restaurant namesake, Agostino Sciandri and his famous partner, actor Robert De Niro, AGO welcomed a star-studded guest list.
Recognized for popularizing the Northern Italian style of cooking in L.A., while attracting a loyal celebrity clientele, AGO is celebrating its tenth anniversary in the City of Angels. The opening of their new location marks De Niro and Sciandri’s first venture in Las Vegas, with plans for a New York opening as well. “This is such an exciting time for Las Vegas dining and I’m happy to have the opportunity to be a part of it,” said Agostino Sciandri, executive chef and partner.
Guests in attendance of the grand affair included action sports star Carey Hart (who will open his own club at the Hard Rock, called Wasted Space), chef Nobu Matsuhisa (whose world famous restaurant Nobu is located directly across from AGO), boxer Mike Tyson, comedian Bob Saget, magician Nathan Burton, Mary Wilson of the Supremes and Siegfried of Siegfried and
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Prior to opening the first AGO, Agostino Sciandri was co-owner and executive chef of Toscana in Brentwood, CA. In 1998, along with De Niro, Bob and Harvey Weinstein and Tony and Ridley Scott, Sciandri opened the first AGO in West Hollywood”Diners in our Las Vegas restaur
ant will get what they come to expect from all of our AGO restaurants – Good food in a good environment, it’s as simple as that. For the past ten years we’ve mastered our straightforward Tuscan-style Italian food.”
AGO’s Las Vegas location was designed by Ralph Gentile and includes a sleek, welcoming lounge, an intimate dining area, an open show kitchen and “Cava” room, which was designed as an underground wine cave. Sergio Santoro will serve as executive chef and Emilio Marchionne will act as AGO’s sommelier.
Other celebrities who have enjoyed all that AGO restaurants have to offer include nightlife mainstay, Amy Sacco, baseball player, Jason Giambi, Vince Neil of Motley Crue, Bon Jovi’s Richie Sambora, musician John Mayer and rocker Lenny Kravitz.
“AGO has already become a must-see for visiting celebrities and we’ve hosted a number of exclusive events during the short time we’ve been previewing the restaurant,” said VP of Marketing, Phil Shalala. “Hard Rock Hotel & Casino has always been a trendsetting property in Las Vegas. The addition of AGO really continues that tradition, offering people another great experience that we’re known for.”
The 300 plus attendees enjoyed AGO’s one-of-a-kind cocktails and signature dishes including Risotto Funghi, Gnocchi with Pesto, Rigatoni with Wild Boar Sauce, Sliced Filet Mignon and Wild Salmon with Caper sauce.
AGO is located at 4455 Paradise Road at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
