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"Since 1988 I've considered Paymon’s Mediterranean Cafe & Lounge a local Las Vegas staple for Italian, Greek, and Middle Eastern dishes; founder Paymon Raouf opened the original on Maryland Parkway as the Middle Eastern Bazaar before renaming it to reflect a broader Mediterranean menu. A second location opened on Sahara Avenue by 2004, and the newest spot at 8955 S. Eastern Ave. adds a pizza oven—management says it has been a hit with Greek pizzas—plus a bar with a garage door that opens to the patio and a lounge that features hookahs. The menu highlights saganaki, moussaka, fesenjan and the cult-favorite Athens Fries, and the business also packages and sells a line of spices and its Racy Red hot sauce through its Spice Bazaar. Hours are daily 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. and the phone is 702-333-4622." - Susan Stapleton