That didn't happen. Kriss and I were greeted with friendly smiles by Sasha, the hostess, and John, the manager. We were impressed also by the subdued elegance of the interior, which featured lots of stained wood and tasteful tropical artwork. American pop music played unobtrusively in the background. This was a surprise; I could have done with some Sista Robi or Kapono Beamer.

Shown to our booth, we were promptly attended to by our server, Carolyn. She didn't hesitate when we asked for drink recommendations. Kriss had a Hawaiian martini, which he found delightful. It had a shot of vodka, a shot of rum and it was tempered in a pineapple for five hours to sweeten it up. It is one of Roy's secret house drinks, but they wouldn't give up the recipe, so we will have to come back for more research (spy).

I had a classic mai tai, which tasted just right. My only stress of the evening resulted from the slight tilt of the tall glass on the padded tabletop. I wouldn't want anything that tasty to spill.

Appetizers? Well ... okay. Kriss had Misoyaki butterfish with tangy ginger-soy lemon butter, while my Teppanyaki seared shrimp sticks, served chilled, got a nice hot little kick from the accompanying wasabi cocktail sauce. They now grow wasabi in the clear streams of Oregon, the only place outside of Japan for the unusal horseradish. After that, I tried a baby greens salad, whose basil cream peppercorn dressing had a perfect mix of sweet and spicy flavors. While eagerly anticipating my main course, I was beginning to wonder where I would put it.

Owner/chef Roy Yamaguchi started the first Roy's in Honolulu in 1988. His culinary style - "Hawaiian Fusion" - is a blend of Pacific Rim cuisine fused with European techniques. There are now some twenty locations in the continental U.S., from Seattle to Miami. Las Vegas is home to two Roy's Restaurants, the other one is located on East Flamingo, near Swenson Street. Dan Shrum, Las Vegas managing partner, explained to us that Roy's daily-changing menu and use of the freshest available ingredients means that each restaurant will likely have somewhat different offerings, even in the same city. In 1999, Yamaguchi formed a joint venture with Outback Steakhouse, Inc. to oversee new Roy's locations under his supervision. Don't worry - I didn't see any 'bloomin' onions" on our menu. More information on the restaurant, including standard menu items, can be found at www.roysrestaurant.com.

Yamaguchi holds the distinct honor of being Hawaii's first recipient of the prestigious James Beard Award. His first restaurant in East Honolulu was dubbed the "crown jewel of Hawaii's east-west eateries" by Food & Wine, and has been the subject matter of cover stories for both Bon Appetit and Forbes (a rare appearance for a chef) magazines. Among many other distinguished accolades Roy's has been named to the "Top 50" in Conde Nast Traveler, the "Gault-Millau Top 40" in Forbes FYI, and "Fine Dining Hall of Fame" and "Golden Chain" by Nation's Restaurant News.

Here they come... Roy's menu is divided into the standard fare on one side, and daily specials on the other. Our entrée choices - both from tonight's "specials" side, were examples of Roy's emphasis: seafood.

My jumbo sea scallops, served medium-well, were encrusted in crushed macadamia nuts and perfectly cooked. When ordering, I had mistaken the "Maui onion jalapeno mash" for a sauce, but Carolyn set me straight. It was a tasty serving of mashed potatoes, and the delicate flavor of the scallops was safe from the spicy kick of the peppers - which, by the way, did great things for the potatoes. Kriss had wasabi ginger-basted Opah, a firm fish and cousin of the mahi mahi, also perfectly prepared and attractively served.

Kriss asked Carolyn more about the Opah, including what the fish itself looked like. Our unflappable server pulled out a card and showed him a picture of it. Should I have tried harder to stump her on something? Our general impression all evening was that the staff at this restaurant was right on top of things. I'm not overly picky about serving technique, but I do have one pet peeve: when food or drinks are brought to the table, I shouldn't have to be asked which item was mine. This frequently happens in restaurants when someone other than the server brings the items, but it didn't occur at Roy's. As I said, everyone we dealt with seemed very much on top of his or her game.

People with small appetites shouldn't do restaurant features, should they? Bring on dessert and a shoehorn! Kriss, braver than I, went for the chocolate soufflé, which was as rich as they come. Being a big crème Brulée fan, I couldn't resist trying the mocha chocolate Brulée and greatly enjoyed its creamy coffee flavor. I couldn't quite finish it, but I refused to waste the fresh berries served on top.

My only regret from tonight's dinner was in not trying out a recommended wine with my food. Roy's has won accolades, not just for its cuisine, but also for its pairing of selected wines to compliment the flavors in their meals. In some cases, specific wine recommendations are listed next to individual menu items. However, we've all heard it's unwise to mix wine with liquor (a mai tai, in my case). Also, I had to drive. I could have called a cab and tried a recommended wine with my appetizer, my salad, my entrée, and perhaps even my dessert; however, my impressions wouldn't show up here because I wouldn't have remembered them. I had Kona coffee with dessert, instead.

Roy's also introduces the first junmai daiginjo styles of saki - that is, ultra-premium quality sakis finished without additional distilled spirits - ever produced in the United States, bottled under his own Y Saki label. Daiginjos are traditionally the purest, freshest and smoothest of sakis, and they are always served well-chilled.

Roy's is open nightly, reservations are welcomed by calling 702/691-2053. Dinner is served seven days a week from 5 until 10 p.m. on Sunday and from 5 until 11:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Valet parking service is available.

I can heartily recommend Roy's in Summerlin for a very pleasant, upscale but casual dining experience. When you go there, feel free to test the knowledge of the friendly staff - just leave a nice tip, 'cause they know their stuff and will take good care of you.

— By Robert LaGrone, Las Vegas Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent.