Fine-dining trend isn't dead, just evolving

So here's some comfort food of a different kind: While we have no knowledge of the latter -- and we at Taste make it a policy not to speculate -- it appears that foodies can take heart because there's no evidence of the former. But things may be shifting slightly.

"I don't think fine dining is done," said David Robins, managing partner, operations, for the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining in Las Vegas. That said, "I think Las Vegas has an overabundance of high-end and not enough of what we consider casual dining on a high level."

Robins said his company saw the trend coming about a year and a half ago and made changes to Postrio at the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian to blend more casual dining with its fine-dining element. And he said the trend influenced their newest restaurant, Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria & Cucina in Crystals at CityCenter.