Chef Emeril Lagasse has expanded his culinary footprint in Southern Nevada with the opening of Meril at M Resort Spa Casino.

Named after his daughter, the casual neighbourhood concept is the largest restaurant footprint within M Resort. Offering a contemporary American style, the venue represents a dramatic departure from traditional, enclosed casino dining.

The 220-seat main dining room is fully wrapped in dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the venue with natural light. Guests can also step outside onto a large, wraparound terrace offering premium outdoor balcony seating. The terrace provides diners with spectacular, sweeping views of the desert sky and the world-famous Las Vegas Boulevard.

The design pairs modern coastal sophistication with upscale desert living. The light-filled interior blends cool coastal tones with intricate, custom mosaic tile flooring that weaves throughout the venue. Anchoring the lively lounge space is a show-stopping, custom-built centrepiece bar, offering the perfect, energetic atmosphere to enjoy a handcrafted cocktail before or after dining.

Paying homage to the concept’s roots and its namesake, the walls of Meril feature a curated collection of vibrant artwork inspired by the soul of New Orleans. Adding an intimate, personal touch to the design are two hand-drawn pieces by Meril.

Transitioning daytime dining into a true destination, the morning menu features andouille sausage potato hash with a poached egg and house-made Worcestershire, Bananas Foster French toast with candied pecans and classic New Orleans beignets served fresh in a bag with confectioners’ sugar.

Elsewhere, and rooted in New Orleans flair and global inspirations, the main menu highlights dynamic, shareable small plates. Signature snacks include pineapple upside-down cornbread with bacon marmalade and house boudin balls with pepper jack and Creole mustard. Standout small plates feature Gulf yellowfin tuna bundles with a jalapeño truffle ponzu and classic barbecued shrimp.

For a more robust meal, guests can enjoy artisanal flatbreads such as the Wise Guy, with Italian sausage, piquillo peppers and chilli, a rich shrimp and andouille gumbo, blue crab linguine or a lavish seasonal seafood boil overflowing with shrimp, mussels, clams and andouille sausage.

Complementing the versatile all-day menu is an extensive beverage lineup. Guests can sip on creative cocktails such as The Lushie, a seasonally influenced frozen concoction, the Indigo French 75 with Empress Gin, lemon and sparkling wine and Hi-Thymes in NOLA, made up of Dos Hombres mezcal, strawberry purée and hibiscus thyme syrup. There’s also a curated fine wine list and a selection of draft and bottled craft beers.

To cap off the dining experience, Meril’s dedicated dessert menu showcases decadent treats such as Emeril’s legendary banana cream pie with caramel sauce and chocolate shavings, Rocky Road bread pudding and Grand Marnier tiramisu. Specialised nightcaps include Carondelet Carajillo and Meril’s Irish Channel Coffee.