Here is the latest roundup of restaurant news from around the Las Vegas valley.
1. National Pistachio Day is Feb. 26 and Bok Bok Chicken is celebrating the nutty holiday with a free pistachio-themed dessert with purchase of entree. Enjoy a complimentary order of Baklava (layers of filo pastry and pistachio nuts soaked in rosewater syrup) or Ashta (shredded filo dough with sweet cream, rosewater drizzle and a sprinkle of pistachio nuts); limited one per person. 3 locations.
2. The city’s only fondue restaurant, Melting Pot, will end its 16-year run on Feb. 28. The restaurant is inviting diners to help them say farewell by enjoying creamy cheeses, indulgent chocolates and hand-crafted cocktails before they close. Cheeses come with breads, fruits and vegetables. Entrees include sirloin, shrimp, pork and herb-crusted chicken that diners can cook at the table.
3. Slater’s 50/50 has introduced several new menu items including bun-less burger bowls and diet-friendly items like sweet & spicy cauliflower, power bowls, turkey bowls, and a cheeseburger bowl made with Black Canyon Angus beef topped with caramelized onions, cheddar cheese and bacon jam over mixed greens with roasted red peppers, charred corn, scallions, crispy fried onions and horseradish aioli.
4. Tom’s Urban has introduced Social Hour featuring shareable alcoholic beverages. The Vintage Mule Punch Bowl (serves 6-10) is made with new Amsterdam Vodka, ginger brew, fresh mint and choice of flavor. The Spiked Shake is made with flavors such as Bacardi coconut chocolate and Fireball cinnamon whiskey. Social Hour takes place 2 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 p.m. to close Sunday through Thursday.
5. Whiskey in the Wilderness is happening again on March 3 at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park. Participating chefs include John Courtney, The Cosmopolitan; Nina Manchev, Forte Tapas; and Oscar Amador, EDO Tapas & Wine. Mixologists include Bryant Jane and Lyle Cervenka from Starboard Tack, Anthony Jamison from the Sand Dollar and Andrew Smith from The Kitchen at Atomic, $135 per person.
6. After nearly 13 years in the midwest, Big Whiskey’s American Restaurant & Bar is now open at Town Square. Menu highlights include buffalo chicken wontons, the Big Whisky BBQ craft burger, Sriracha steak street tacos, Impossible Bolognese, Not Your Grandma’s Pecan Pie, Fleury Float and Banana Whiskey Foster.
7. The next Winemaker’s Table Dinner on March 7 at Estiatorio Milos at The Cosmopolitan will feature grapes originating from one of the country’s most celebrated wine regions—the Peloponnese. Courses include salmon sashimi, calamari, Greek salad, Madagascar shrimp, filet mignon and Galaktoboureko. $79 per person. Guests can reserve their spots by calling 702.698.7930.
8. MGM Grand will host an exclusive dining experience honoring the late chef Joel Robuchon on March 7 at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon. Prepared by Lisnard, along with Culinary Director Eric Bouchenoire, Corporate Chef Tomonori Danzaki and Joël Robuchon Restaurant Executive Chef Christophe De Lellis, the menu will be available for $250 per person with an optional wine pairing of French selections, curated by Joël Robuchon Restaurant Director of Wine Michael Rone. Dishes include pan-fried sea bass, crispy langoustine fritters, and chateaubriand and foie gras prepared Rossini style. Limited reservations are available for this exclusive, one-night-only event. To secure a reservation, call the restaurant directly at 702-891-7351.
9. MB Steak at Hard Rock Hotel is ready for spring with new seasonal selections. Created by Executive Chef Patrick Munster, new dishes include salt-crusted seabass, prepared with extra virgin olive oil, charred lemon and capers, cracked tableside and served for two, market price; bourbon-brined double cut pork chop with braised collard greens, heritage beans and charred ramps, priced at $38; and roasted beet salad with green garlic and dill yogurt, bresaola and pumpernickel croutons, priced at $18. MB Steak has also introduced a new cocktail, “It’s A Gem,” made with Empress Gin, fresh lemon sour and muddled blueberries and lemon, priced at $15.
10. The new Blume fusion (French and Italian) restaurant in Henderson features menu items including chicken drumettes, a bao bun with pork how, crab cakes, squid ink linguini with prawns, Korean short ribs, a 40-day dry-aged tomahawk, roasted cauliflower steak and more. Unique features of the restaurant include a virtual-reality aquarium and a wall made from 17,000 gold silk roses and hydrangeas.
11. The Stove and its chefs Antonio Nunez and Scott Cummings have introduced the newest boozy brunch known as The Mimosa Garden. Menu highlights include crab spinach artichoke dip, meatballs, petit fours, chocolate-covered strawberries, house bubbles, French champagne on request, and a champagne-meets-bong challenge. The coveted Chambong experience is priced at $10 each or $17 for two. Bottomless champagne is priced at $17 per person, or $7 per glass with house-made flavors including blackberry, orange, pineapple, peach, hibiscus or cranberry. For larger parties, bottles of bubbles and champagne start at only $29.
12. Chef Natalie Young has opened Old Soul at the World Market Center. The restaurant is decorated with items she found in local antique stores. Menu highlights include New York steak, pork chops, braised short ribs, whole grilled branzino, liver and onions, meatloaf, chopped beef, collard greens and artichoke dip, chicken liver pate and more.
13. The Tekka Bar is now open inside the Block 16 Urban Food Hall at The Cosmopolitan hotel-casino. The unique name is derived from the old-age term “tekka ba” meaning “old gambling establishment” during the Endo period in Japan. During the intense rounds of gaming, handrolls were served as a convenient meal that only required one hand, allowing gamblers to continue to play cards without interruption. The Tekka Spicy Tuna Roll is the signature roll and the crisp seaweed wrap is accompanied by warm sushi rice.
If you would like to submit an item to 13 Tastes, send an email and photos to joyce.lupiani@ktnv.com.
