IT'S NO coincidence that Emeril Lagasse has never done business in such no-brainer locales as Philly, Boston or New York.

In a recent phone chat, the man who pretty much midwifed the modern era of cable-TV-borne superstar chefs said he had always shied away from the Northeast because of its hyperintense culinary competition and the general hustle-bustle of its largest cities.

But that was before a top executive of Las Vegas Sands Corp. made him an offer he couldn't refuse. The result is Emeril's Chop House, the nongaming keystone of the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem.

"I was a little surprised when they first approached me," he recalled of the initial outreach from LV Sands muckety-muck (and Delaware Valley native) Rob Goldstein. "He said, 'Don't make a judgment. Why don't you check it out?' "

Because Lagasse had already enjoyed a successful partnership with the company in its Las Vegas properties, Venetian and Palazzo, he paid a courtesy call to the beleaguered erstwhile steelmaking capital about 65 miles north of Philadelphia.

"When I did go - once, twice, three times - I really did like the area," he said. "The story of the town is an incredible story. And [the former Bethlehem Steel complex that houses the casino complex] is a landmark for the world."

Also helping convince Lagasse to bring his brand of kitchen magic to the Sands was "the scope of the full project" and the fact that Robert DeSalvio is the casino's president. "I have tremendous respect for Bob," he said.

That Bethlehem was a town trying to pick itself up off the mat also fueled his enthusiasm. "I'm always up for the [underdog]," he offered.

What Lagasse and his minions ultimately brought forth is a clean, modern, 220-seat dining salon offering views of the flashing lights and kinetic energy of the Sands' casino floor.

The interior is dominated by a huge, circular, glass-enclosed wine rack that makes the deceptively large space seem intimate by breaking it up into separate areas.

In addition to the tables, the Chop House also boasts a bar (on the left as you enter) and a sushi counter on the right that affords views of the kitchen.

According to Lagasse, who worked in the kitchen of the old Sheraton Hotel on JFK Boulevard in the 1970s, the menu is a combination of signature dishes and locally inspired concoctions.

"I have my own style and some signature dishes," he said, referring to the fried calamari and barbecue shrimp. "But our restaurants are not cookie cutters. We don't stamp them out. We can't duplicate in Bethlehem what we do in Miami."

As such, he continued, the Chop House staff has some degree of autonomy, especially when indigenous foods are involved. "I don't have their wrists tied," he said about Chef de Cuisine Michael Blydenstein and his crew. "They can find a local potato and do something creative with it."

The menu - presented by servers who identify themselves as "ministers of deliciousness" - is high end, but not on a scale found in Vegas and other locations. Appetizers range from the $6 French onion soup au gratin to $9 for both the barbecued shrimp and charbroiled oyster dishes.

Salads are $6 to $10, with entrées clocking in between $23 for salmon and chicken to $42 for the 22-ounce bone-in rib-eye. Portions are generous all around.

For casino chief DeSalvio, having Lagasse set up shop at the Sands was a natural. "Because he doesn't have restaurants in the Northeastern United States, it was a way of putting a culinary spin on the property," said DeSalvio, who for years was a marketing exec at the old Sands in Atlantic City.

So far, the decision to partner with Lagasse has proved to be a sound one. "In the first couple of months of operation, we were second in terms of revenue [among all of Lagasse's restaurants], only behind [the Venetian's] Delmonico," he bragged. "And on weekends, it is just packed from the minute we open at 5 p.m."

Business has been so good that on Nov. 22, Lagasse will open Burgers & More, his first casual food concept.

Although Lagasse professed a deep and abiding love for the city and its cuisine, he said he doesn't foresee opening an eatery in Philly any time soon. But that won't keep him from returning as often as possible to sample its delicacies.

"The Italian places are great," he enthused, "and I like the street food Philly has to offer - and not just the cheesesteaks."

Chuck Darrow has covered Atlantic City and casinos for more than 20 years. Read his blog http://go.philly.com/casinotes.

E-mail him at darrowc@phillynews.com.

And listen to his Atlantic City report Saturdays at 1:25 a.m. with Steve Trevelise on WIP (610-AM).

Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem, 77 Sands Blvd., 5-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday and Sunday, 877-726-3777, www.pasands.com.