<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">This month, Central Michel Richard at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas debuts, offering meeting planners a winning option for their next private, small-group event. Central, now offering the first-ever 24-hour dining experience helmed by a James Beard Award-winning chef, is available for private events, offering flexible interior space and a spacious outdoor patio.<br />
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Pronounced sen-TRAHL, the restaurant’s most extraordinary element is its menu. Crafted to be not only delicious, but also—in Richard’s own words—“unpretentious and fun,” breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night menus feature all the dishes he known for at Central in Washington, D.C., plus a substantial number of new dishes created especially for the Caesars Palace location. Executive Chef Todd Harrington and his team offer a variety of menus specially designed for group receptions and events, or will be happy to create a completely customized experience if a group so desires. Savory favorites from Richard’s existing repertoire include charcuterie and cheese selections such as “faux” gras terrine with country pate and a cheese plate featuring daily selections of three and five cheeses; sandwiches including the grilled mushroom and cheese sandwich and lobster burger; appetizers and the goat cheese Caesar sal ad. Main courses include Richard’s famous fried chicken, short rib pappardelle and syrah sauce and rotisserie chicken with roasted potatoes. Mouthwatering sides on offer include Brussels sprouts with bacon and creamy polenta, while Central’s dessert menu is highlighted by delectable items such Napoleons and chocolate lava cake. <br />
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As for the space—the 9,600-square-foot restaurant boasts a capacity of 300 total—220 seats inside and 80 outside on the restaurant’s picturesque French café-themed terrace that will officially open by late September, just when Las Vegas’ weather is at its best. Framed by large, potted cypress trees, the terrace will overflow into the historic Caesars Palace's Roman Plaza. Oversized windows and French doors will lead guests from the restaurant’s interior to the terrace and will remain open, weather permitting.<br />
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Even its location inside the world-renowned Caesars Palace is ideal; Central is situated inside the heart of the hotel’s bustling main lobby. Upon check in, guests immediately see Central’s 75-foot-long onyx bar where cocktails, like the cuisine, are served around the clock.<br />
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Central's colors reflect Richard's preferred palate of burgundy and green, which is evident not only throughout his collection of restaurants, but also in his cookbooks including “Happy in the Kitchen” and “Sweet Magic.” The floor is terrazzo with splashes of wood. Upon entry, a 10-foot-high screen with ever-changing imagery greets guests. Images include seasonal ingredients, as well as artistic renderings of Richard.<br />
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Amber-seeded, textured, colored glass lend itself to creating a bright, cheery space, reflective of Richard’s buoyant persona. This element accents areas throughout the restaurant including the bottle racks at the bar.<br />
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Because chicken occupies such a prominent position among Richard's signature dishes, it’s fitting the restaurant showcases an oversized rotisserie designed to simultaneously roast 40 chickens. As they slowly turn on their spits, the chickens emit savory aroma the restaurant’s patrons and passersby are sure to find irresistible.<br />
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Central also have a white wine room, located to the left of the main entrance and a red wine room positioned deeper into the restaurant; both rooms have 13-foot-high ceilings. The freestanding red room have a rotunda-like design, a burgundy floor and encased on three sides by glass, allowing guests to peer in from the main dining area. <br />
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Richard is fond of circular motifs, so artistic interpretations of dishes figure prominently into Central’s design scheme. One of the primary focal points is an 8-foot-high sculpture composed of stacks of white porcelain dishes appearing to topple. Additionally, dishes suspended from mobiles dangle from the ceiling intermittently throughout the restaurant. Of all locations in the world, Caesars Palace’s proliferation of circular and other rounded architectural motifs is among the many reasons Richard was aesthetically drawn to the property.<br />
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To incentivize meeting planners, Central is also offering a special rate of $65 per person for those who book holiday events and parties Nov. 15, 2011. With advance notice of at least 14 days, Central is also available for buyouts between the hours of 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. For more information, as well as for complete details and restrictions on the special rate for early holiday bookings, please call (702) 650-5921.<br />
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“For Central in Las Vegas, we are in a perfect location, being in Caesars Palace’s main lobby. Even the bar is incredible and a first for us,” beams Richard. “This is a dream come true. And trust me—this is going to be fun!”<br />
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For more information, go to </span><a href="http://www.centralLV.com"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">www.centralLV.com</span></a><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">. Find Michel Richard on Facebook at </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/centralLV"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">www.facebook.com/centralLV</span></a><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> or Twitter at </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/CentralLV.com"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">www.twitter.com/CentralLV.com</span></a><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> (handle: </span><a href="http://@centralLV"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">@centralLV</span></a><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">).<br />
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