Located on 67 acres between the Bellagio and Monte Carlo resorts is the $8.5 billion CityCenter, one of the largest sustainable developments in the world and a recipient of the U.S. Green Building Council's Gold LEED Certification, which is the highest LEED achievement by any hotel. Within CityCenter is ARIA Resort & Casino, a 61-story, 4,004-room gaming resort that's home to more than a dozen different restaurants, including Masayoshi Takayama's first Las Vegas venture, barMASA, a modern Japanese restaurant that focuses on sustainability and simple elegance. Upon arrival at ARIA, you'll note the Pelli Clarke Pelli touches that are evident in the dramatic grandeur of the building. Depending which entrance you choose, you'll be greeted by dramatic water displays that were designed by WET, the creators of the Fountains of Bellagio and the Mirage Volcano; at the South entrance, for instance -- the closest to the restaurant -- is Lumia, a reflective pool featuring arcs of dancing water, as well as Focus, a 270-foot curved water wall that envelopes the entrance and serves as the perfect backdrop for Lumia's twisting arcs of dancing water.

Upon entering ARIA's three-story Arrival Lobby you'll be greeted by dramatic ceilings, one-of-a-kind artwork and natural light that accentuates the floor-to-ceiling glass wall and its view of the "Park" between ARIA and Crystals. Above the reception desk hangs New York-based artist Maya Lin's "Silver River," which is built entirely from reclaimed silver and is therefore yet another nod to sustainability. Lin's first Las Vegas art piece, an 84-foot silver cast of the Colorado River that weighs 3,700 pounds, memorializes Nevada's standing as "The Silver State." Once you walk past the main registration toward the back, through the tree-lined lobby and past the View Bar, you'll see a trio of restaurants: Bar Masa and Shaboo are in the middle of the trio, between Sage and Julian Serrano. During the day, the two restaurants lie behind two teak-framed doors with thin slats that offer a teaser of what lies within. By evening, the Richard Bloch-designed restaurant comes alive when the illuminated hostess station is opened, featuring a sunset-colored screen with circular lights that proclaim "BAR MASA" to the left and "Shaboo" to the right. Although a large horticultural arrangement sits behind the hostess station's desk, what you'll notice most is what looks like a staircase to heaven, illuminated in the middle and rising from behind the screen, emphasizing the sheer vastness of the room while accentuating its simple elegance.