By Bob Okon

JOLIET (March 16, 2006) - Harrah's Joliet Casino & Hotel on Thursday unveiled a new restaurant and bar, part of $19 million worth of redevelopment at the casino this year. The Mosaic restaurant and Sheer bar are the first of several new developments at the downtown Joliet casino this year. Coming next is a Starbucks coffee cafe in July. Harrah's is remodeling its Van Buren steak house and renaming it The Reserve. The casino gift shop also is moving.

Harrah's regularly changes its restaurant and bar format. It's part of a strategy of keeping the facility interesting for repeat customers, said General Manager Joe Domenico.

"Our customers sometimes come 50 times a year," Domenico said. "You have to give them something different."

Harrah's did take a different approach to creating Mosaic, a casual restaurant with a mix of cuisines to appeal to a variety of tastes.

The casino contracted with Restaurants-America, a Chicago-based company that consults on restaurant development and also owns 44 restaurants in 12 states, and Friedmutter Group, a Las Vegas-based design company, to create Mosaic.

Harrah's director of food and beverage John Santangelo worked on the project with the outside contractors, including Tony DeSalvo, vice president of Restaurants-America.

"This is not just an amenity to the casino," DeSalvo noted. "We want this to be a destination for people."

Unlike restaurants at many riverboat casinos, however, customers will have to pass through the casino turnstiles before getting to Mosaic.

DeSalvo said that restaurant is designed to create a casual atmosphere and menu with top-notch service from the wait staff.

Menu items range from "Chicago Style Sliders" at $6.95 on the appetizer list to Balsamic Glazed Halibut at $23.50 among the entree selections.

Executive Chef Lam Vongsakoun comes to Mosaic from Harrah's operation in Las Vegas.

The decor also features the most wide-open view of the Des Plaines River yet from a Harrah's restaurant or bar.

Casino operations typically don't offer much of a view from the facility to the world outside. But Mosaic features a wide window on the riverside wall bringing in light and offering a view of the Des Plaines.

Mosaic and Sheer replaces the former Winning Streaks sports bar and grill that closed last year, when Harrah's also moved its VIP Lounge, created new banquet space, and added an Aces diner right off the casino floor.

The Starbucks cafe is going into the former Sevens lounge that was located right off of the casino entrance.

Unlike a previous Starbucks counter at Harrah's years ago, this will be a regular Starbucks cafe, Domenico said. Harrah's Joliet will be the franchisee for Starbucks.

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