[Off the shelf] The little boutique that could (and did) With a trifecta of boutique fashion, unique selection and prices that make a party girl giddy, Patty’s Closet is much more than a local success story — now it’s becoming a national success story. Patty’s Closet opened its first out-of-state franchise store in the fashionable Nob Hill area of Portland, Ore.

By day, they’re cops, lawyers, mothers and fathers. But when the weekend comes, they’re warriors and nobles.

She greets diners, serves food, cleans tables — and sings. Oh, how she sings It’s a busy Monday afternoon at Namaste Indian Cuisine — the tables are packed, the buffet line is buzzing.

How does Todd’s Unique Dining survive? With a few secrets. (Psst! They’re not secrets!) Like any great and successful neighborhood restaurant, the crew at Todd’s Unique Dining in Henderson relies heavily on repeat customers.

Q: What’s the best crosstown shortcut from north to south? A: In a town where construction is ubiquitous and seemingly planned by sociopathic scientists engaged in a rats/maze experiment, finding shortcuts is essential. Whether it’s darting through a neighborhood to avoid a long light, getting off a freeway at just the right time to avoid construction, or learning to drive at times other people don’t, if you live in Las Vegas, you need shortcuts.

Hoi Nam Chicken at Big Wong Eating at Big Wong, one of the newer holes-in-the-wall in our expansive Chinatown neighborhood, is like eating at the house of some longtime family friends — no frills, just simple, great food. Hoi Nam Chicken is the epitome of that vibe, a huge plate of tender, juicy, stewed chicken (complete with skin and other odd but delicious parts) served with a pile of white rice and soy and ginger-chili sauces for a dipping extravaganza.

At this iconic import, there’s no muss, no fuss — but lots of superb steak You’ve got to love what they’re doing with food at Caesars Palace. The place has become a gold mine of iconic, imported, super-old dining destinations: the Forum Shops has Joe’s Stone Crab (of South Beach) and P.