Upon passing through the Via Bellagio shopping promenade at the Bellagio hotel, you'll notice at once the smattering of luxury retailers. What will tantalize you even more, however, is the facade of Todd English's Olives, which is visible through the open elliptical pattern on a filigreed screen. Situated between Bottega Veneta and Hermes in this power shoppers' paradise Olives' distinctive entryway provides passersby with the smells, sounds and virtual tastes of Todd English's inspired Mediterranean cuisine. A semicircular flat canopy decorates the filigreed patterned doors, which are flanked on either side by large urns filled with green plants; the doors themselves are an open invitation to join in the Olives experience. If you happen to miss the restaurant because you're sidetracked by high-end retailers, don't worry: Right after the first doorway is another large open filigreed screen, through which you might be lucky enough to catch a view or whiff of the magnificent creations being served by Chef Isaac Carter beneath the commanding high ceilings in the dining room inside. The tantalizing flavor fragrances will cause even the most avid shopper to stop and take a look.

To the right as you enter the restaurant you'll note a long, beautiful bar. Made of marble in rich caramel hues on a textured wood base, it seats more than a dozen people comfortably. And when we say "comfortably," we mean it; the burnt umber chairs, which are made of leather and wood, have a curvilinear back and feature a beautiful leaf-like beige pattern. Behind the bar is a screen of golden colored glass that features the same filigreed pattern as the screen at the entryway. This glass separates the bar from the partially visible kitchen. Above the bar is a curvilinear soft wall treatment, made of undulating hand-cast faux bronze. The dropped ceiling features spot lighting for the bar and is framed in dark wood; it acts as a repository for a single item, too: a rooster. The story has it that before he was a superstar chef, Todd English saw a painting of a rooster eating olives. Because the olive fruit, which the rooster was eating, tied obviously into Olives the restaurant, a rooster now sits proudly at every Olives location.