LAS VEGAS, NV--(Marketwire - February 20, 2008) - The Light Group, Las Vegas' premier restaurant and nightlife organization, raises its culinary portfolio once again with the addition of Yellowtail Sushi Restaurant & Bar. Scheduled to open this summer at Bellagio Resort & Casino, just steps away from The Light Group's chic Caramel Bar & Lounge, FIX Restaurant & Bar and sophisticated nightclub The Bank, Yellowtail will offer an extensive Japanese menu of fresh, ingredient-driven cuisine for both the sushi novice and connoisseur in a sumptuous and highly stylized surrounding.

Overlooking Bellagio's iconic lake in which fountains perform a magnificent aquatic ballet choreographed to music and lights, Yellowtail's stunning and sleek ambiance will set the stage for award-winning chef Akira Back's menu of authentic traditional and modern Japanese cuisine dishes. Seasonal fish and ingredients flown in daily from the finest markets and purveyors around the world will be showcased in sushi, sashimi, tempura and hand rolls. A multi-course Omakase menu, which translates to "entrust," will afford the opportunity to sample Back's best culinary creations composed of small dishes. Combining world-class cuisine and an inventive chic dining experience, Yellowtail will be Las Vegas' go-to Japanese dining hot spot.

Designed by the world-renowned Rockwell Group of New York City, Yellowtail's elegant wood and stone decor will foster a vibrant atmosphere and its intimate size will exude exclusivity. The restaurant's signature design element, a 25-by-13-foot, wall-mounted installation at the entrance, will be created using bronze metal scales that resemble the dorsal side of the eponymous fish. The dining room will offer a cozy setting with screens composed of woven twigs set inside antique brass frames. Diners seeking the quintessential Las Vegas experience will enjoy the excitement of The Strip from a patio overlooking Bellagio's famed fountain show.

The design of Yellowtail's menu will encourage sharing and mimics Chef Back's culinary philosophy "to bring happiness to my guests by creating a memorable experience through food." Accessible and fun shared plates will include Toro Sashimi with caviar and microgreens; Yellowtail with Serrano peppers, cilantro and yuzu-kosho, a condiment made from the zest of yuzu blended with chili peppers and salt.

Warm shared plates include farm-raised, grain-fed Jidori Chicken, popular with Japanese chefs, prepared with sweet Japanese garlic, potato puree, baby root vegetables and teriyaki; and Grilled Walu, Hawaiian Butterfish with shiitake mushrooms, pearl onions and tosa sauce, a bonito-flavored vinegar and soy sauce mixture.

In addition to traditional raw fish preparations, Chef Back will create a selection of innovative dishes inspired by his global travels as a professional snowboarder and experiences working with industry greats, such as Nobu and Morimoto. These dishes include Big Eye Tuna Pizza with shiso, an aromatic mint-like herb popular in Japan; and Maine Lobster Carpaccio with sweet onion and cilantro. Washu beef, a domestic breed of Kobe, will be featured on Yellowtail's menu in three different preparations, while Japanese Kobe beef and Washugyu beef will be offered in tenderloin or rib-eye cuts, seared in hot oil, marinated in balsamic teriyaki, or cooked using the traditional tataki method.

Yellowtail will offer a hand-selected extensive sake collection, encompassing several different types from the classic to the avant-garde representing many prefectures from across Japan. Large bottles of sake and souchu also will be displayed at the 18-seat bar where illuminated rice paper and colorful photos of Japanese flowers will offer a warm glow. A selection of wine, beer and signature cocktails, including the exotic yuzu-infused Peridot or the light and refreshing Asian Pear will complement the menu.

Yellowtail will offer a 180-seat dining room, 30-seat intimate lounge, and 30-seat private dining room. Yellowtail Sushi Restaurant & Bar will be open 7 days a week for lunch from noon to 3 p.m.; dinner will be available 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday - Thursday, and 5 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. For more information, please visit www.lightgroup.com.

About The Light Group

The Light Group is one of the nation's leading nightlife, restaurant, hospitality and lifestyle development organizations. Founded by Andrew Sasson and his partner, Andy Masi, The Light Group's properties include The Bank Nightclub, FIX Restaurant & Bar and Caramel Bar & Lounge at Bellagio; JET Nightclub, STACK Restaurant & Bar and Bare Pool Lounge at The Mirage; Mist at Treasure Island, and Diablo's Cantina, a south-of-the-border eatery located at Monte Carlo. As operators of The Harmon Hotel, Spa & Residences (a high-end boutique hotel under construction at CityCenter), The Light Group is the first lifestyle company to fully embrace green practices setting the bar for responsible building, design and living. In May 2008, The Light Group will open BRAND Steakhouse, a contemporary American steakhouse at Monte Carlo. For additional information, please visit www.lightgroup.com.