text: Items ExperiencednOlive and Rosemary FocaccianPera Bartlet Poached Pear Spiced Goat Cheese Endive Pecans Porto DressingnSicilian Meatballs San Marzano Tomatoes Sauce Pecorino RomanonMelenzana Breaded Eggplant Oven Roasted Tomatoes Smoked Mozzarella GuazzettonMargherita Roma Tomatoes Mozzarella Micro BasilnLa Pasta Cotta Nel Vaso Hand Cut Artichoke Pasta Cooked in a Jar Scallops Calamari Shrimp Tomatoes Basil Caciucco SaucenTortelloni Zucca e Manzo Homemade Tortollini Braised Short Rib Pumpkin Smoked Brown Butter Sage Winter TrufflenPaccheri Napoletani Napoleon Style Paccheri Pasta Hours Cooked Baby Pork Ribs Ragu Italian Sausage San Marzano TomatoesnTagliolini Ai Gamberi House Made Saffron Tagliolini Prawn Sea BeansnPollo Cacciatora Half Chicken Stew Cacciatora Style Roman Tomatoes Red Bell Pepper Organic Creamy PolentanPatate e Funghi Petite Potatoes Wild Mixed Mushrooms MarsalanCarota Rainbow Baby Carrots Black Olives PowdernApple Fig CrostadanMeyer Lemon ZeppolenAmaretto Tiramisu Crispy Basket of Hazelnut White Chocolate Espresso Gelato Orange Flavored Cotton CandynDouble Espresso and IcennVisited just weeks ago for brunch as a guest of the Four Seasons there was little doubt that a return to Veranda was in order and when the recently renovated restaurant decided to open its doors at off to any diner making a December reservation on Black Friday the deal proved too hard to resist the discount proving most fortuitous in the setting of a restaurant that has the gall to charge for two tiny eggplant rolls and for double espresso of lessthanideal Lavazza served alongside not over ice as if defying one to make a mess in trying to do it themselfnnAcknowledging the fact that the first experience at Veranda was coordinated by PR with superlative service from start to finish suffice it to say that a second meal booked under the name of two friends offered less impressive timing and having ordered substantially with requests for items to be sent out in a rather specific manner the start of the meal was almost inexplicably rushed the delicious and soft focaccia hitting the table before menus were even opened and both fourteen dollar meatballs and the aforementioned eggplant arriving before a few small bites of brilliantly balanced salad were fully consumednnTreated next to a pizza that featured a surprisingly buttery crust with little char and rather flavorless tomatoes that thankfully received an upgrade from thickly applied Mozzarella and light accents of basil it would not be long before an onslaught of primi arrived and with the fourtop table as well as meager sharing plates obviously overburdened despite our server personally suggesting he would space out the pastas two of the dishes were immediately sent back to the kitchen Chef Minichiello obviously taking the gesture seriously by not only coming out to personally apologize but also individually plating each subsequent course in tastingmenu fashionnnSpeaking specifically to the quality of the noodles aside from the signature jar with pasta that logically becomes a bit soft due to the cooking technique it can only be said that most of Minichiellos housemade creations are served with textbook consistency and with the two meaty courses more up front with the flavors of slowcooked proteins allowed to shine the flavors of the Pasta Cotta Nel Vaso and Tagliolini were far more restrained the first melding shellfish and herbs with light cream while the later was an aromatic masterpiece the saffron and sea beans each offering their unmistakable flavors in balance to sweet snappy prawnsnnPairing a halfchicken cooked Cacciatorastyle with far better results than that at Giada according to my two friends to two sides that were simple yet impeccably prepared to maximize the flavor of every ingredient it was at this point that each in our party noted that we were becoming quite full and yet with a halfoff dessert menu featuring no less than seven items I would have liked to try it was with some restraint that only three were ordered the doughnuts a but underwhelming when compared to the buttery seasonal Crostada but neither even in the same ballpark as the signature in terms of taste or presentation the cottoncandy topped pedestal featuring soft lady fingers and mascarpone soaked in Amaretto with boozy blueberries and three balls of ice cream making for one heck of a sundaennTipping on the prediscount total to the tune of just over for the table it must be said that considering the cost of the meal Veranda presented one of the best dining values on the Strip in this particular circumstance but taking into account the service gaffs and truly laughable coffee upcharge the question becomes whether yet another visit could be justified at double the price something I cannot say I am certain about at this point