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Tao Group Hospitality has left its luxurious stamp on too many concepts to count. The Tao touch is evident in all the little details: lush decor; intimate, if not outright sexy atmosphere; the unspoken expectation that you’re here to dine, but in a few hours you’ll be ready to dance. Beauty & Essex, Lavo, Stanton Social Prime—they all have those details. The company’s newest Italian concept, Caramella at Planet Hollywood, undoubtedly does too.
The shoe-shuffling sounds of Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish” pouring steadily out of Caramella’s speakers should have been the first sign. That exquisite taste in ’70s funk and soul—the very kind that put B.T. Express’ “Do It (‘Til You’re Satisfied)” on the map and on this playlist—matches the character of Caramella as a whole. Underneath a flattering, tangerine-hued glow, it embodies all the swagger of a Tuscan trattoria in its 1970s groove era.
A few fixtures stand out right away: the wall sconces that feature primates studiously reading books, the curious cheetah statues guarding areas around the room, the outdoor terrace overlooking the north end of the Strip, and the Italian candy shop at the front, concealing a hidden lounge straight out of Saturday Night Fever. And we haven’t even gotten to the food yet.
First things first: Don’t skip the apps. Caramella’s herby and fragrant veal meatballs ($21) come packed full of ricotta and mozzarella, and they’re so tasty it’s tough to share, so order multiples. Then there’s the crispy porchetta ($26), a fatty pork dish that might not be for everyone, but the way this version is served—topped with a pungent kick of jalapeño and chimichurri—makes it a knockout.
It’s easy to feel the same about Caramella’s Duroc pork tenderloin ($43), a marbled pork with an earthy sweetness from the marsala sauce and wild mushrooms. Trust us, it’s fantastic.
Before your pasta course, cleanse the palate with some cocktails. For a freshen-up, try the Crimson & Clover ($22), a mix of vodka, ginger beer, blood orange and lemon; or if you want something a little more daring, order the Dirty Caramella ($22), which pairs vermouth and pickle brine with vodka and basil.
You can opt to add shaved truffles to just about anything on the menu, but it’s a real flavor magnifier with the rigatoni alla gricia ($35). This dish features savory bits of guanciale (pork cheek) and crumbly Pecorino in a white wine sauce and pleasantly al dente pasta. The only thing that would make this dish better is if it were bottomless. Yet it might have met its match with the hearty cavatelli Bolognese ($39). Never has a bowl of pasta tasted so silky, so creamy, so flavorful, and Caramella makes the cavatelli in-house.
Grilled and fire-roasted seafood and steaks all make the cut of greatness, too. There’s filet mignon ($68), a two-pound lobster Arrabiata ($75), a 14-ounce New York strip ($72) you can order with bone marrow, and much more. The Wagyu steak fries ($18) is a side dish that belongs with any of them, potatoes deep-fried in beef tallow. If that weren’t indulgent enough, Caramella serves a foot-long slice of cheesecake ($25), assuming you’ve saved room for dessert.
Like any great ’70s song, Caramella has found its groove. Let’s hope it keeps this dance up forever.
CARAMELLA Planet Hollywood, 702-785-5551, taogroup.com. Daily, 4-10 p.m.
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