The Venetian Restaurant is not to be confused with The Venetian Hotel. The Restaurant traces its' roots back to the '50s and feeding the Rat Pack on late night binges and it is located off of West Sahara. It runs on a 24 x 7 schedule, so if you have a late-night or Very Early morning hankering for Italian cuisine, they’re ready and offer both breakfast food and $3.99 specials from 11 PM though 3 PM (if memory serves). This reporter recently went to The Venetian at late on a Sunday evening for eats after Bruce Springstein.

Your fun begins with valet parking. Why valet at 11:30 PM on a Sunday night? I don’t know, but it’s there. Inside, we were quickly seated and studied the menu. I selected spaghetti with sausage while my dining companion ordered one of the $3.99 late shift specials, choosing to sate a craving for lasagna. The price includes bread, a soft drink, salad, and one of 8 Italian entrees. If your stomach is more into the breakfast mode, there’s a choice of pancakes, French toast, and (I think) eggs.

Bread quickly arrived, followed by salad. The bread wasn’t rah-rah hot, but they put out real dairy butter. One of the treats here is the house dressing, a tangy red-wine vinaigrette. The salad is not a fou-fou visual masterpiece, but it includes artichoke, olives, and a spicy pepper on the side. Combine with the house dressing, it’s a notch above any other greens you’ll likely to find at that hour of the morning.

Entrees were frankly a mixed lot. My spaghetti and sausage was just there, a mild stock sausage that might have been boiled a little too much and pasta that lacked some freshness. At $8, it was OK, but not reminiscent of the glories of my previous two visits during "normal" eating hours. On the other hand, the $3.99 lasagna was marvelous, a rich blend of sauces, cheeses, and fresh noodles. Total bill with tip for the evening was under $20 for two people. Likely moral to this story is "Take the Special" between 11 PM and 3 PM.