Dragonfly
This is a hip, vibrant take on an izakaya, or Japanese pub. Creations include fried shishito peppers, braised short ribs in sake and banana-leaf salmon, non-traditional handrolls, seaweed salad laced with sesame oil and chicken meatballs that you’ll find on every street corner in Osaka. 3900 Paradise Road. 699-9633. Open daily, 11 a.m.-2 a.m.
Artem
Artem, formerly Eliseevsky, is the only Russian restaurant in town. Grilled dishes and appetizers stand out at this charming room, which resembles a woodsman’s hut. Try pelmeni, Russian ravioli, or shashlik, skewered pork. 4825 W. Flamingo Road. 247-8766. Dinner only, 5 p.m.-1 a.m. Tue.-Sun
The Restaurant at Platinum
Chef Breton Hammer is tweaking the envelope here. Good products such as Nueske bacon highlight breakfast, and there are some terrific sandwiches for lunch. At dinner, new-style Tasmanian pad Thai demonstrates that a lot of shaking is going on. 211 E. Flamingo Road. 365-5000. Breakfast, 6-11 a.m.; lunch 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; dinner 5-10:30 p.m. daily.