It seems every casino must have a steak house and an Italian restaurant.\n\nContinuing the great Las Vegas tradition of uninventiveness and mediocrity, Marinelli's is the Italian eatery at the new M Resort. \n(By the way, the steak house is called Terzetto...which frankly sounds like another Italian restaurant to me.)\n\nIf last night's meal at Marinelli's is any indication, the M Resort is not much of a player in the intense competition for our gullets.\n\nTHE DECOR: Whoever designed the room should be sent to Guantanamo for unconscionable acts of aesthetic terrorism. It looks and feels like a buffet with too-small tables and a generically psychedelic carpet (all the better to hide the stains I guess). \n\nSpeaking of stains:  the bar at the front is odd. The counter was designed with a 4 inch slope on the outside edge. I guess cuz it looks nice. \nIt wasn't so nice, however,  when I watched a man put his glass of beer down, then a second later see it slide off and break on the floor.\n\nTHE FOOD: My steak was overcooked and had the consistency of a piece of choice-beef from Vons. My friend's Osso Bucco was cold and tasteless. My other friend didn't finish his risotto. \n\nI'm struggling to find something positive to say....hmmmm, let me think....Okay, okay I got it...the bread was pretty good. The rest of the experience was forgettable.\n\nTHE RESORT IN GENERAL: It's nice although it doesn't look like a billion dollars to me. It's rather Red Rockish in overall feel. \nThe bar upstairs at Veloce has a nice view...although they weren't equipped to make Absinthe in the proper way. \n\nMy favorite part of the complex was The Hostile Grape: a comfortable, stylish room with a very good selection of wines by the glass, including a Sine Qua Non that is almost NEVER available by the glass. Those of you who know wine, know what I mean.\nAlthough I must warn you, the SNQ is $49.50 an ounce.....or maybe I should say it's $49.50 an OUCH!\n\nI'm not a buffet guy but the buffet at M Resort looked interesting. The line-up was certainly long enough. \nIt's called Studio B and appears to combine the usual buffet experience with \"Show Kitchen\" entertainment where you see dishes being prepared. Perhaps I'll put a bag over my head and check it out one day.