Here is the latest roundup of restaurant news from around the Las Vegas valley:
1. Smoked Burgers & BBQ at The Forum Shops at Caesars will be the first restaurant to offer all-you-can-eat BBQ on the Las Vegas Strip beginning May 1. The menu includes beef sliders, smoked chicken wings, Louisiana hot link sausage, BBQ pork, BBQ chicken, St. Louis Ribs, mesquite fries, sweet potato fries, truffle mac 'n' cheese, potato salad, cole slaw and baked beans. Cost is $49 person and it will be available every day starting at 11:30 a.m.
2. Veranda at Four Seasons is hosting a beer-pairing dinner featuring Las Vegas-based Able Baker Brewing Company on May 3. The evening begins with a patio reception at 6 p.m. The five-course menu will feature Hawaiian big eye tuna sashimi, stout-braised mushroom pie, jumbo lump crab and artichoke fritter, 12-hour braised pork belly and Mandarin parfait. Beers include Test Site Saison, Chris Kael Impale'd Ale, Swimming with Debre, PRESS IPA and A119 Imperial Stout. Cost is $65 per person.
3. It's soft-shell crab season and Zuma Las Vegas at The Cosmopolitan hotel-casino is showcasing the uniqueness and versatility of the seafood delicacy with their Age Watarigani (fried softshell crab). The halved crab is presented claws up with wasabi mayonnaise and a dash of peppery mizuna. All parts of a cooked soft-shell crab — from legs to claw — are edible and delicious. Use a fork and knife, or better yet, your hands, to dig in. Cost is $19.
4. Lagasse's Stadium at The Venetian is hosting a special beer dinner featuring Henderson-based Joseph James Brewing Company on May 6. Enjoy a five-course dinner featuring Asian marinated shrimp, BBQ ribs with homemade creole mustard potato salad, a petite pepper crusted filet, and double chocolate Grand Marnier infused cake with vanilla ice creams. Beers include the Weize Guy, Lemongrass berliner Weiss, Citra Rye, HOP Raider and HOP Box. Cost is $65 per person.
5. Vegas Uncork'd by Bon Appetit returns May 9-12. Events include Behind the Scenes with Master Chefs of France; Sip & Savor: An Evening with CATCH and GQ; Mott 32 Dim Sum Brunch; Think Italian; Grand Tasting; Picnic at The Park; Gordon Ramsay's Favorite Things; Behind the Bar; and a brunch at Chica with Chef Lorena Garcia.
6. Elephant Bar Restaurant in The District at Green Valley Ranch is now offering brunch. The menu highlights include Avocado Supreme Toast made with Cotija cheese, mango, roasted corn, red onion, tomatoes and jalapeno, Skinny Crunch French Toast made with cinnamon corn flake crust, low fat cream cheese, strawberries and maple syrup. Other menu items include Carnitas Benedict, Overnight Oats and a Breakfast Skillet; as well as signature brunch cocktails like the Mimosa Your Way, a bottle of Wycliff Sparkling Wine served with a choice of three juices including peach, orange, roasted bell pepper, watermelon, or grapefruit among them. Served 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
7. Vegas Unstripped is returning to the downtown area on May 11. The event features more than 17 local chefs offering unique dishes. Participating chefs include Brian Howard (Sparrow + Wolf), Chris Decker (Metro Pizza), James Trees (Esther's Kitchen), Justin Kingsley Hall (Main St. Provisions), Jamie Tran (The Black Sheep), and Sheridan Shu (Flock & Fowl and Fat Choy). Beverages by Velveteen Rabbit, The Golden Tikki, Starboard Tack, Vesta Coffee and others.
8. Scott Conant's seasonal brunch returns to Masso Osteria at Red Rock Resort on May 12. Conant is putting an Italian twist on the classic brunch with bottomless drinks. Items include a roasted veggie sandwich, lemon ricotta pancakes, eggs benedict, Masso's signature burger topped with a fried egg, oysters on the half shell, kale parmesan salad, soft serve ice cream for two and more. Bottomless Bloody Marys, white, peach or passion fruit Bellinios and fresh orange or aranciata rosa Mimosas will be available for $25 per person. Brunch will be offered 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
9. The Las Vegas Epicurean Affair returns May 16 to Red Rock Resort. Participating restaurants include 8 Noodle Bar, b.B.d.’s beers burgers desserts, Beauty & Essex, Boathouse Asian Eatery, Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill, Carmine’s, EDGE Steakhouse, El Dorado Cantina, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse, Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse, Hank’s Fine Steaks & Martinis, Hash House A Go Go, Hearthstone Kitchen & Cellar, Il Mulino New York, Lavo Italian Restaurant, Mumfresh Asian Eats, Mint Indian Bistro, The Palm Restaurant, Scarpetta, Scotch 80 Prime, Shake Shack, Strip House Steakhouse, Rose Rabbit Lie, TAO Las Vegas, T-bones Chophouse & Lounge, Therapy, The Capital Grille, Turmeric Flavors of India, Virgil’s Real Barbeque, Zuma, and more. Proceeds will benefit the Nevada Restaurant Association's educational and scholarship programs. General administration is $100 and VIP admission starts at $120.
10. Cipriani Las Vegas has added a three-course lunch menu for $29 per person. Menu choices include mozzarella di Bufala, pasta e fagioli, carpaccio, homemade spinach and ricotta ravioli, chicken spezzatino, grilled lamb chops, Chilean sea bass, Cipirani cake or sorbet. Served 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day.
11. Rock & Reilly's has introduced daily specials. Nevada residents receive 50% off on Mondays with ID; 2-for-1 pricing on all well drinks, domestic drafts and shared bites from midnight to noon on Tuesdays; 50% off bottles of wine and champagne, draft ciders and flatbreads on Wednesdays; and Ladies Night on Thursdays. There's also live music on Wednesdays.
12. Mabel's BBQ at The Palms is now offering a Bluegrass Brunch featuring an all-you-can-drink package every Sunday. Guests can choose from the All-You-Can-Eat option for $29, the All-You-Can-Drink option for $29 or the All-You-Can-Eat & Drink package for $49 for up to 2 hours. The menu includes Symon’s signature Cleveland BBQ specialties like Pork Spare Ribs and Pastrami Spiced Pork Belly alongside brunch classics like Spicy Kielbasa Benedict served on cheddar scallion biscuits, Brioche French Toast with caramelized bananas, toasted hazelnuts and Nutella, and Pork Belly Hash with crispy potatoes, red peppers, caramelized onion, cheddar sauce and salsa verde and topped with poached eggs. Specialty cocktails include Jungle Punch, Mable's House-Made Bloody Mary or the Golden Goblet.
13. Fergusons Downtown continues its unique monthly beverage experience, Pour in the Alley, with a night under the stars on May 16. This month's focus will be on Mezcal. Guests will take in every detail of the mysterious and misunderstood spirit. Tickets are $34 and up. On June 29, it's all about rum.
If you would like to submit information for a future 13 Tastes list, send an email to joyce.lupiani@ktnv.com.
