This weekly update covers noteworthy restaurant openings and closings, dining news, culinary events, and entertainment news
Events
Bouchon — December 24-25
Thomas Keller’s Bouchon at The Venetian will serve a prix fixe dinner on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Priced at $140 per person with an optional wine pairing for $75, the courses are:
- Choice of Butternut Squash Soup with toasted pumpkin seeds and crème fraiche, Pan-Seared Foie Gras with citrus-braised endive and sauce bigarade, or Jumbo Lump Crab with shrimp sabayon and pain de campagne paired with a choice of Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris, Grand Cru Rangen de Thann Clos-Saint-Urbain, Alsace, France 2022 or Robert Mondavi Reserve, To Kalon Vineyard, Fumé Blanc, Napa Valley, CA 2022.
- Sautéed Snapper with monkfish, prawns, clams, and Bouchot mussels, Roasted Chicken with Yukon Gold potato purée and crispy bacon, Braised Beef Short Rib with pommes fondant and sauce bordelaise, or Ricotta and Parmesan Dumplings with Périgord truffles and Parmesan mousse matched with a choice of Olivier Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc, Burgundy, France 2022 or Vieux Télégraphe “Télégramme,” Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France 2022.
- Chocolate Caramel Mousse with salted caramel and dark chocolate cake, Hazelnut and Coffee Bûche de Noël with hazelnut biscuit and coffee buttercream, or Crème Brûlée with vanilla bean custard paired with Château Andoyse du Hayot Sauternes, Bordeaux 2016 or Fonseca 20-Year-Old Tawny Port, Portugal.
Holiday hours are Christmas Eve 5 to 10 p.m. and Christmas Day 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 to 10 p.m. To reserve, click here.
Lucky Penny — December 25
Lucky Penny at the Red Rock Resort will offer a special two-course Christmas menu served from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Priced at $21.99 per person, the special features include Honey-Glazed Ham with Gruyère and Parmesan scalloped potatoes and roasted Brussels sprouts with balsamic and pomegranate arils, and Peppermint Cheesecake with crushed candy canes and whipped cream.
Also available will be Prime Rib English Cut ($28.99), Queen Cut ($31.99), and King Cut ($38.99) paired with baked or mashed potatoes, green beans amandine, and creamy horseradish.
High Steaks — December 31
High Steaks offers not only the creative offerings of talented Chef-Owner James Trees and Executive Chef Joe Swan, but also one of the best views in the city from its perch 50 floors high atop the Rio.
On New Year’s Eve from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., the newly opened steakhouse will offer a prix fixe dinner priced at $165 per person that includes Bread & Butter Service, Champagne, and Chef’s Selected Canapes; choice of Esther’s Caesar Salad, Lobster Chowder, Dungeness Crab Cakes, Chopped Wedge Salad, or Prawn Cocktail; 16-ounce Smoked Prime Rib, 8-ounce Filet Mignon, Tandoori Chilean Seabass, Boneless Ribeye, or Venison Backstrap; sides for the table of Crispy Brussels Sprouts and Macaroni and Cheese; and Chocolate Hazelnut Paris Brest and Basque Cheesecake.
Also available is an elevated experience for $300 per person beginning at 10 p.m. that includes tray-passed signature cocktails, a pour of Telmont Champagne, an array of elevated sweet and savory bites throughout the night including a cold seafood display, immersive moments with a roaming magician, and access to the open-air rooftop patio which will have one of the best views of the Strip and fireworks show at midnight. The VIP experience is priced at $500 per person, including all of the above, plus a Louis XIII tasting and access an hour earlier at 9 p.m.
To purchase tickets, click here.
Grape Vine Café, Wine Bar & Cellar — December 31
Grape Vine Café, Wine Bar & Cellar will help you ring in the New Year with a party featuring great food and wine, hats, horns, party favors, confetti, live music, and dancing.
The dinner menu includes Crab Cakes with house-made dill scallion remoulade paired with Daou Chardonnay Reserve; Rustic Beet Salad with goat cheese and strawberries matched with Belle Glos Las Alturas Pinot Noir; Prime New York Steak and Butter Poached Lobster Tail paired with Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley; and Creme Brulee with glazed berries matched with Taittinger La Francaise Brut Champagne.
The cost is $185 per person (plus tax and tip), and the party will begin at 6:30 p.m. Seating is limited (to make room for the dance floor). To reserve, call 702-228-9463.
Stubborn Seed — December 31
Stubborn Seed by Jeremy Ford at Resorts World will serve a multi-course prix fixe dinner on NYE.
Priced at $169 per person, the meal includes Chef Selection Amuse Bouche; Togarashi Salmon Crudo with amazu ponzu, avocado, jalapeno, and allium; Char-Grilled Octopus with popcorn polenta, piquillo shishito succotash, and chili miso; Pappardelle with black trumpet mushroom, chicken oysters, chestnut cream, and bottarga; Chilean Seabass with ginger lemongrass brodo, shiso pistou, maitake, and rutabega; Kalbi Jjim Westholme Short Rib with daikon emulsion and kimchi brussel; and Citrus Bubbly with almond sponge, Champagne gelee, vanilla mousse, and blood orange cranberry sorbet.
Supplements include Truffle ($40), Kaluga Caviar ($48), and Jamón Iberico ($18).
To reserve, visit rwlasvegas.com/dining/stubborn-seed.
Balla Italian Soul — December 31
Balla Italian Soul at Sahara Las Vegas will serve a five-course prix fixe menu in celebration of New Year’s Eve.
Priced at $150 per person, the dinner includes:
- Salted Milk Brioche Canapé with whipped sesame butter
- choice of Blue Fin Tuna Crudo with preserved lemon, Gorgonzola Wedge with crispy pancetta, or Beets and Ricotta with pistachio
- Ricotta Gnudi with black truffle, Braised Lamb Agnolotti with black garlic jus, or Seafood Cannelloni with Meyer lemon.
- Black Bass Brodetto with squid, Wagyu Eye of Rib with Barolo jus, or Roast Chicken with salsa verde
- Petite Tiramisu
To reserve, click here.
Pick of the Week: Brezza
Brezza (Italian for “breeze”) at Resorts World is showcasing the talents of Nicole Brisson, one of Las Vegas’ most popular and revered chefs, who holds more honors than any other local female chef and whose resume of accolades would fill several pages.
Chef Nicole, a graduate of the renowned culinary school Johnson & Wales University, was the first chef appointed to the board of directors of the Southern Nevada Health District, received a James Beard nomination, was the first female to become executive chef of an Eataly in the US, and competed on several popular reality TV shows, including Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay.
As you enter the restaurant, you’ll be met with an open and inviting ambience with white stone walls, Italian mosaic tile flooring, floor-to-ceiling windows, an open kitchen, and a 110-seat patio overlooking the Vegas Strip. The 60-70-year-old olive trees in the patio are historic; they once thrived on the site of the old Stardust (now Resorts World) and were salvaged just before it was imploded in 2007, then kept in a nursery until Resorts World was built.
Chef Brisson is celebrated for her background in aging and butchering a variety of prime cuts of beef, lamb, and pork, and the menu here reflects her expertise. Cooked under broilers set to 800°, succulent meats appear in several menu items, including Lumache Bolognese with veal, beef, and pork ragu; Heritage Pork T-Bone with arugula and red pepper mostarda; and Braised Short Rib with horseradish gnudi and gremolata. In keeping with Chef’s background in aging beef, a quintet of cuts is served, including 120-day dry-aged 45-oz Tomahawk Ribeye, 130-day dry-aged 42-oz Porterhouse, 100-day dry-aged 22-oz Bone-In NY Strip, 16-oz Grass Fed Cape Grim NY Strip, and 8-oz Piedmontese Filet Mignon.
Balancing the meaty proteins on the menu are antipasti (like Heirloom Caprese with buffalo mozzarella and basil pesto), handmade pastas (such as Heritage Squash Agnolotti with trumpet mushroom, walnut, sage, and brown butter) and selections of sustainable fish (e.g. Whole Branzino with eggplant caponata; and Skuna Bay Salmon di Zucca with delicate squash, pomegranate, and pepitas).
A couple of sides I highly recommend are the Brussels Sprouts with pecan, cranberry, and pancetta, which I consider the best rendition of this dish I’ve ever encountered, and Beans and Greens, featuring gigante beans, escarole, and Bloomsdale spinach.
The wine list features 200 wines (mainly from Italy, France, and the US), including Mazzei Ser Lapo Chianti Classico Riserva, Tuscany, 2018, and Clos Du Val Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, 2021. In addition to the stellar wine list, you can pair your meal with several Italian craft beers, including Birrificio Del Ducato Verdi Imperial Stout, Baladin L’IPA, Isaac Witbier, and Menabrea Ambrata Amber Lager and Bionda Blonde Lager; and a varied whiskey list, including the 123.6 proof Frey Ranch (from Fallon, Nevada) “Brezza Single Barrel Selection” made exclusively for Brezza.
Desserts that are a treat for your eyes as well as your taste buds are the Lemon Olio Verde Tart, layered with lemon curd, Nepitella, and olive oil meringue forming a large letter B, and the New York Cheesecake: a mélange of colors, as it’s topped with fresh blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, and mint leaves.
Some good deals can be found in the daily happy hour served in the bar and lounge from 3 to 6 p.m. Beer, wines by the glass, and specialty cocktails are 40% off. The food menu includes Marinated Italian Olives with fennel and orange ($10), Peppadew Peppers with herbed goat cheese ($14), Crispy Pork Skin with citrus and espelette ($9), Rigatoni Alla Grappa with Calabrian Chili ($18), and Brezza Burger with caramelized onion and fontina ($23). You can also save on parking, as Resorts World continues to offer complimentary self-parking to locals indefinitely.
For more info and to view the complete menus, click here.
Dining News
SUSHISAMBA Offering Festive Taste of Samba
SUSHISAMBA at the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian is closing out the year with its five-course Festive Taste of Samba menu.
Available through December 31, the five-course, globally inspired experience blends flavors from Japan, Brazil, and Peru. Priced at $160 per person (two-guest minimum) and an optional wine pairing for $80, the menu includes Edamame with sea salt and lime; Samba Crisps with plantain, purple potato, and sweet potato; Ocean Trout Tiradito with cranberry yuzu gel; Crispy Hokkaido Scallop with sesame aioli; King Crab Robata with aji amarillo; Ribeye Tobanyaki with shaved black truffle; Coconut Rice; Crispy Rice Trio with salmon, yellowtail, and A5 kobe; Bluefin Tuna Tasting with akami, chutoro, and otoro nigiri; Samba Split with caramelized banana, popped corn, and dulce de leche ice cream; and Honey Toast with toasted butter brioche, poached apples, and shio koji ice cream.
To reserve, click here.
Las Vegas Distillery Announces Vegas Valley Distribution
Shortly after celebrating its first anniversary, Las Vegas Distillery announced its expansion into distribution to the Vegas Valley and throughout Nevada.
This milestone makes Las Vegas Distillery’s 100% locally produced premium spirits available to bars, restaurants, and retail outlets throughout the state. The product lineup includes Vodka (40% ABV), White Rum (40% ABV), Coffee Liqueur (27.1% ABV), Gin (47% ABV), and Bourbon (47% ABV).
Some of the Las Vegas establishments now offering the Distillery’s spirits include Khoury’s Fine Wine & Spirits, Lee’s Discount Liquor (multiple locations), Capital One Lounge at Harry Reid International Airport, Main St. Provisions, The Cask, Frankie’s Tiki Room, Gaetano’s, Esther’s Kitchen, Golden Tiki, Jive Turkey, Double Zero Pie & Pub, and Wally’s inside Resorts World.
Guests can also continue visiting the distillery and tasting room in the Henderson Booze District to enjoy their handcrafted cocktails and distillery-exclusive releases. For more info and to book a tour, visit lasvegasdistillery.com.
Recently, on the Food and Loathing Podcast
Be sure to check out Food and Loathing this week (and every week). The podcast features veteran food writer Al Mancini, along with co-host Samantha Gemini Stevens and producer Rich Johnson, as they give the lowdown on what’s new, hot, and delicious in America’s most glamorous city, as they talk with chefs, bartenders, journalists, and other experts on where to go and what to order when you get there.
Just in time for Christmas Eve, we’re talking Feast of the Seven Fishes. We share interviews with Chefs Nicholas Beesley of Triple George Grill near The Downtown Grand, Nicole Brisson of Brezza in Resorts World, and Mimmo Ferraro of Ferraro’s about their versions of the Italian tradition. We also have a tour of Yurt by Dan Coughlin, Shuchi Patel explains Henderson’s Taste of Gujarat, Cory Harwell tells us about Butcher and Thief, and Rob Baker explains the changes at Circa’s Project BBQ. Also, restaurant reports, news, and of course, a happy hour report from Happy Hour Vegas’ Andrew Morgan from The Arts District.
To listen, click here.
Entertainment News
NYE Fireworks
Las Vegas is known for having one of the largest fireworks displays in the world on New Year’s Eve. This year a record 340,000 expected to be in Las Vegas, quite a few of which will be ringing in the New Year on the Vegas Strip as part of “America’s Party 2026.”
Presented by Fireworks by Grucci, the eight-minute pyrotechnic show will include a first-ever synchronized drone show to complement the fireworks and will be congregated in the tourist corridor on and near the Strip. Ten resorts will launch fireworks at midnight from their rooftops: Aria, Caesars Palace, MGM Grand, Palms, Planet Hollywood, The Strat, Treasure Island, The Venetian, Resorts World, and Fontainebleau. So, anywhere near these resorts or on the Strip (closed to traffic from Tropicana to Spring Mountain) will offer great views.
In addition, venues around the Vegas Valley providing views of beautiful sights include:
The Plaza
A fireworks show begins at midnight, and viewing spots include on Main Street (which will be closed to vehicles), in front of the Plaza’s Carousel Bar, and Oscar’s Steakhouse under the glass dome. plazahotelcasino.com
Oasis Ice Rink at Fontainebleau
The over 7,500-square-foot real ice rink on the resort’s third floor will host a fireworks viewing party from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. featuring late-night ice skating, VIP fire pits, and cabana seating. Tickets, including entry, skate rentals, and two drink tickets, are $50 per person (plus taxes and fees). For tickets, click here.
BrewDog
BrewDog boasts one of the best views on the Strip from its rooftop above the Showcase Mall. Its NYE party from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. priced at $230 per person ($295 per person including tax and tip) includes an Open Bar all night long, elevated buffet featuring more than a dozen chef-driven favorites (such as Beer Braised Short Rib, Chicken Wing Bar, Chilled Seafood, Crab Dip Flatbread, and Lobster Spring Roll), and a live DJ. To purchase tickets and to view the complete menu, click here.
Rose Rooftop at Resorts World
The rooftop celebration under the stars will feature music, a full bar, and sweeping views of the Las Vegas skyline. It will be a premier fireworks-viewing destination from 10:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Admission is $20, but guests who dine at participating property outlets offering a New Year’s Eve Gala menu will receive complimentary entry. rwlasvegas.com/nye
Getting Around on the Monorail:
The Las Vegas Monorail will operate continuously from 7 a.m. Dec. 31 until 2 a.m. Jan 2, for a total of 43 straight hours, offering the only motorized method of transportation along the Strip. Locals can purchase $1 single-ride tickets at customer service booths, and out-of-town guests pay $6 for a single ride. The monorail also offers an e-ticket discount on unlimited-ride passes, starting at $13.45 for a 24-hour pass, available for purchase online.
For those who don’t want to stay out late:
Lake Las Vegas
A fireworks display for an East Coast countdown will launch over the water at 9 p.m. Great views should be in the Village at Lake Las Vegas. lakelasvegas.com/events
Glittering Lights
The drive-through holiday attraction at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be open from 5 to 10 p.m., and a fireworks show will be presented at 9 p.m. Vehicle tickets are $39. glitteringlightslasvegas.com
