Here is a roundup of the latest restaurant news from around the valley:
1. URBANeats Market, a bodega-style market catering to people on the go looking for fresh food, has opened at Allure Las Vegas, 200 Sahara Ave. There will be a grand opening celebration Jan. 10 with ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. and festivities lasting until 5:30 p.m. The grand opening will feature prizes and gifts throughout the day and the first 50 people to check in via Facebook will receive a complimentary tote bag.
2. Blue Ribbon Brasserie at The Cosmopolitan is offering Bubbles and Bites through Feb. 15. The special, carefully-crafted menu is perfectly paired with Champaign from world-renowned Moet & Chandon. Menu highlights include cheese fondue, New York strip steak and tiger prawns, steak tartare and bone marrow. Prices start at $24.
3. ameriCAN Beer & Cocktails invites beer enthusiasts to test their taste buds with the Mystery Beer of the Month program, served daily from open to close. Delivered in a brown paper bag to maintain its mystery, beer lovers can expand their palate while sipping on a wide array of classic brews and rare ales, ranging from 12 oz. cans to 16 oz. cans, for just $5.
4. Women of Wine is happening again at Morels Steakhouse & Bistro on Jan. 19. Meet Helen Keplinger, co-owner of Keplinger Wines and Vermillion Wine. $30 at the door.
5. Top of the World at the Stratosphere has remodeled its dining room. The modern décor joins a new menu by Johnny Church, Golden Entertainment, Inc.’s corporate executive chef, and Pawan Pinisetti, executive chef of Top of the World. There are new tables, candle holders, place settings, chairs and a redesigned lobby. The menu now offers steaks and seafood omplemented by fresh, seasonal ingredients. Some of standout menu selections include: a 14-ounce Wagyu ribeye from Tajima Ranch, a 2 ½ pound Maine Lobster and Ora King salmon fillet.
6. The Factory Kitchen with 152 seats is now open inside The Venetian. The original trattoria, serving traditional Italian recipes, opened its doors on Oct. 24, 2013, in The Arts District, Downtown Los Angeles. Menu highlights include Casonzei, pork sausage and veal ravioli with pork belly, sage brown butter and Reggiano Parmigiano cheese and Modenesi, 18-month aged Prosciutto di Parma tortellini. A carefully-crafted cocktail list includes modern, approachable takes libations, including the If I Can Dream – Redemption rye, Valet angostura, lemon and demerara. New cocktails only in Las Vegas include The Pilgrim – Plymouth gin, lemon, simple syrup, caper brine, pepper and thyme, and the Yosemite Sam – Redemption rye, buffalo trace, California Fernet, luxardo, dry vermouth and besk. The “Factory Standards” section features some of The Factory Kitchen Los Angeles’ favorites, including the Factory 1923 – St. George “terroir” gin and homemade tonic.
7. Red Lobster has introduced the Weekday Win Menu. The specials, which cost $15 each, are only available 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. They include endless shrimp on Monday, a fish fry with shrimp, scallops, claim strips and wild caught flounder on Tuesday, the four-course feast on Wednesday and Thursday, and jumbo coconut shrimp on Friday.
8. Slater’s 50/50 is now offering a full weekend Wake N’ Bacon brunch menu with bottomless mimosas. The menu features unique breakfast items such as a pork belly benedict with crispy seared pork belly and poached eggs smothered in chipotles, hollandaise on freshly baked buttermilk biscuits, with tater tot country potatoes; a breakfast flatbread topped with mozzarella, egg whites, arugula and cherry tomatoes; fried chicken and bacon pancakes with two fluffy pancakes made with chunks of bacon topped with fried chicken, gravy and a sunny side-up egg; and a 50/50 omelet stuffed with classic or spicy 50/50 blend, avocado, cheddar cheese and pico de gallo served with tater tot country potatoes.
9. Esther’s Kitchen in downtown Las Vegas has launched a new brunch for the new year. Menu highlights include smoked ocean trout toast and avocado toast; a proper breakfast with eggs, sausage and bacon, kale Calabrian potatoes and sourdough toast; chorizo toast with soft scrambled eggs, caramelized onions and ricotta; porchetta with poached eggs, pepperonata, hollandaise and toast; bread pudding French toast; ricotta pancakes; rigatoni carbonara; meatball sando; and more. Served 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
10. Hong Kong’s Mott 32is now open at The Palazzo. Named after the famed convenience store on 32 Mott Street in New York, the restaurant captures the dynamism of NYC’s vibrant Chinatown and the bravery of its immigrants. Menu highlights include the 42 Days Peking Duck; a variety of steamed, baked and fried dim sum; crispy squid; jasmine-smoked pork ribs; crispy Szechuan chicken; bird’s nest soup; wok-fried Maine lobster; fresh whole crab; crab legs; smoked black cod; wok-fried sliced scallops; Japanese Kobe beef; crispy triple-cooked Wagyu beef short ribs; General Tso’schicken; clay pots; Alaskan crabmeat fried rice; crispy egg noodles; braised eggplant and tofu; sweetened beancurd cream and soy ice cream.
11. Beaumont’s Southern Kitchen, inspired by the Fertitta family’s Texas roots, is now open at Texas Station. The all-new restaurant brings the perfect blend of Southern-inspired fare to North Las Vegas, serving up an array of BBQ, beer and bourbon. The menu features an extensive selection of smoked meats as well as innovative styles of sandwiches, burgers, appetizers, salads, sides, and desserts, all inspired by the culinary team’s family-style recipes. The restaurant pays homage to the regional styles of barbeque from top Southern-based regions such as Carolina, Memphis, St. Louis and Texas, as well as down-home comfort foods found throughout the United States. The restaurant’s pit master Michael Ross who hails from Alabama and has worked as chef at Sonny’s BBQ, Smokey Bones, and The Shed BBQ, in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Beaumont features a ranch-inspired décor and pays tribute to the Lone Star State with an array of photographs and art pieces of scenic, open landscapes, and integrates various natural materials including timber, blackened steel, and tumbled brick.
12. The 21st annual Lutefisk Dinner hosted by the Vegas Viking Lodge of the Sons of Noway is happening Jan. 26 at Boulder City Elks Lodge. Tickets must be purchased by Jan. 18 — none will be sold at the door. Cost is $22 for adults, $10 for children 10 and under. On the menu: Lutefisk with melted butter or white sauce, roasted pork, boiled potatoes, peas and carrots, lefse, coffee and iced tea, and Norwegian and other cookies. Aquavit, called the “water of life,” will be available at an open bar. Packets of lefse also will be sold to take home. Anyone wishing to purchase tickets should send a check, made out to the Sons of Norway, to Gwen Knighton, 2156 Marstons Mills Ct., Henderson, NV 89044. Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope and a note indicating the names of those attending, whether they are going at 3 or 6 p.m., and a telephone number. For information, call (702) 869-5775. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are not available at the door.
13. Diablo’s Cantina has opened at the Luxor. The robust menu, created by Executive Chef Saul Ortiz, boasts vibrant Mexican fare deeply rooted in the culture and traditions of Mexico City, the country’s capital. From starters to sides, each dish balances rich flavors with modern cooking techniques and detailed presentations to provide guests time-honored, south of the border favorites in an approachable way. Menu highlights include Agua Chile Shrimp Ceviche, the Enchilada Trio, sizzling fajitas, the Fried Platano Split and Churro Funnel Cake a la Mode. To complement the flavorful bites, guests can choose from a collection of premium tequilas and handcrafted margaritas such as The Vixen, made with blanco tequila, fresh-squeezed lime juice, hibiscus and mint; or El Gordo, a classic margarita served frozen in a souvenir cup.
If you would like to submit a news item, send an email with details to joyce.lupiani@ktnv.com.
