Charlie Trotter's Restaurant Charlie and Bar Charlie in Las Vegas are closed.  Having had family in Nevada, it was exciting to walk around and get a glimpse of the burgeoning restaurant scene over the past ten years.   While it was great to see Chicago chefs making their stamp on other cities throughout the country, I sometimes worried that quality in the flagship restaurant would decline.

Moreover, these stories, while unfortunate, should be no surprise, given the implosion of the gaming industry and real estate market in Las Vegas.  Known at one time for cheap steak and prime rib specials, the "trading up" of Las Vegas Strip casinos in general led to a number of restaurants opened by well-known chefs ready to serve visitors on holiday.  Please don't close Trotter's to Go…please.