Chef Nicole Brisson is returning to the Las Vegas suburbs in a major way.
Brisson — the chef behind Brezza, Bar Zazu and the food program at Eight Cigar Lounge inside Resorts World Las Vegas — has taken over the kitchen at Amari Italian Kitchen & Wine Shop in UnCommons, where she and her team have quietly spent the past several weeks revamping the menu and reshaping the restaurant’s direction.
The move marks Brisson’s first major off-Strip culinary role since Locale, the neighborhood Italian restaurant she opened after helping launch Eataly Las Vegas at Park MGM. And in some ways, the project brings her full circle.
Brisson was involved in the early conceptualization of Amari, although she exited the project before the restaurant opened its doors. She’s now getting to put some finishing touches on the place.
Having Fun
“We’ve spent the last five weeks just really changing the menu and having fun with food over here,” Brisson told the Food and Loathing podcast.
Brisson is partnering on the project with Director of Operations Kyle Johnson, formerly of Sparrow + Wolf. Together, they are repositioning Amari around a lighter, more seasonal style of Italian dining designed to reflect both the evolving UnCommons community and the surrounding southwest valley clientele.
“It’s just kind of a clean canvas to start fresh from,” Brisson said. “There’s a lot of great things happening at UnCommons right now.”
UnCommons Is Growing
That timing, she said, is part of the appeal.
When Amari first opened, UnCommons was still finding its footing. But over the past two years, the southwest valley development has evolved into a legitimate dining destination, with the addition of Wineaux, All’Antico Vinaio, Rare Society and General Admission, among others. And the Stix Asia food hall will soon replace the short-lived Sundry.
Brisson said she sees an opportunity not just to evolve Amari itself, but also to become part of a broader community of chefs now working within the development.
“It’s like this weird chef posse here,” Brisson said, referencing nearby chefs and longtime friends including Richard Camarota, Shawn McClain, Robert Villanueva and Zach Allen. “I think not only can we have a lot of fun with the food and the atmosphere and the culture here at Amari, [but] I think the community should be very excited that we can all collaborate and work together.”
The menu itself is already beginning to shift.
Lighten Up
Brisson said she has been focusing on lighter seasonal dishes built around fresh produce, handmade pastas and a more flexible neighborhood-style approach to Italian dining. While some of her signature dishes from Brezza may eventually appear in adapted form, the goal is not to duplicate her Strip restaurant in the suburbs.
“You’ll see some carryover from the Brezza menu for sure — some of the Nicole classics,” Brisson said. “But really, I’m just lightening up the food.”
That includes new lunch offerings designed for nearby office workers and residents, along with expanded happy-hour programming and seasonal menu changes closely tied to produce availability.
“What I’m noticing with the clientele is it’s a lot of very health-conscious [guests], a lot of women, a lot of families,” Brisson said. “So first thing I did was bring in a giant order of beautiful heirloom tomatoes and stone fruit and really just freshen and liven up the menu.”
At the same time, Brisson said several elements of Amari’s original identity — particularly its bread and pizza programs — will remain largely intact.
“The bones were here,” she said of the restaurant. “The focaccia was great. The pizza is great.”
Wine and Steaks To Go
In addition to the restaurant changes, Brisson said the team plans to expand Amari’s retail and wine offerings, including steaks prepared through the beef-aging expertise she became known for while overseeing Mario Batali’s former Las Vegas restaurant group.
Brisson said the restaurant eventually plans to offer take-home steak packages paired with wine and custom seasoning blends.
“If you’re looking for steaks, come to Amari,” she said. “We’ll have steaks at every level.”
Brisson will continue overseeing Brezza, Bar Zazu and Eight Cigar Lounge while taking on the expanded role at Amari.
You can hear Brisson discuss both Amari and the new comedy nights at Bar Zazu on the May 15 episode of the Food and Loathing podcast.
