AquaKnox   

Celebrated chefs are nothing new to Vegas' famed restaurant row -- in fact, the trend has been to see some of the biggest names in the culinary arts dabble in one restaurant after the next. By combining the notoriety of Chef Tom Moloney's creative flair with the current raw-bar trend, AquaKnox is destined to quickly become one of Vegas' prime seafood destinations. Moloney's creatively "aqua"-bent menu offers fish and shellfish hand-selected and flown in from all parts of the globe. In addition to the ever-changing litany of fresh daily catches, AquaKnox's house specials include uniquely garnished caviars, a pan-seared filet mignon served with truffle aioli, and a slab of lobster lightly grilled and ready to douse in drawn butter. Seasonal specialties -- in fall, for example, hearty butternut squash and duck confit soup -- ensure a fresh rotation of options. The restaurant's slickly hip interior is awash in obvious aqua themes, from the enormous wine cellar encased in a wall of water, to the chilled tones of icy blue accenting the otherwise sleek black bar, and the smooth, rounded steel dowels separating the bar from the main dining room. While this new hot-spot will undoubtedly host more than its fair share of romantic dates and attract a trendy happy hour cult, it's also billing itself to accommodate private parties and special events.