This weekly update covers noteworthy restaurant openings and closings, dining news, culinary events, and entertainment news
Events
Bourbon Steak — February 19
Bourbon Steak Executive Chef Josh Smith will create a multi-course menu for a whiskey dinner featuring WhistlePig.
Courses are:
- Smoked Salmon Flatbread with creamed leeks, Oscietra Caviar, and crème fraiche paired with a flight of WhistlePig 10yr Rye, 10yr Bourbon, and 12yr Rye
- Canapes: Rockefeller Vol au Vent, Shrimp Cocktail, and A5 Wagyu Tartare
- “Smoke Show” Tomahawk with hay smoked & mesquite grilled Imperial American Wagyu served with fondant potatoes and chimichurri; Shrimp de Jonghe with sherry cream and parmigiano Reggiano, and herbed bread crumbs; and Creamed Spinach Pop Tart with comté cheese matched with WhistlePig 15yr Rye and 18yr Rye
- Maple Sticky Toffee Pudding with WhistlePig maple syrup and butter-pecan ice cream paired with WhistlePig 6yr Rye Sazarec
The dinner will begin at 7 p.m., and the cost is $175 per person (plus tax and tip). To purchase tickets, click here.
Eataly — February 20
Eataly at Park MGM will let you get your hands messy during its Tiramisù-making class.
Guests will learn about the traditions and culture of the dessert with espresso-soaked ladyfingers layered with sweet mascarpone cream and dusted with cocoa powder, observe as Eataly’s La Scuola cooking school chef teaches the group how to assemble Tiramisù by hand from prepared ingredients, and enjoy Venchi chocolates, a wine pairing, and their own finished Tiramisù.
The class will begin at 5 p.m. in the La Scuola open-kitchen area, and the cost is $54.99 (including fee). For more info and to purchase tickets, click here.
Grape Vine Café — February 22
Grape Vine Café will host a wine dinner featuring Linne Calodo Winery out of Paso Robles with Winemaker Matt Trevisan.
Courses are:
- Chilled Citrus Shrimp Salad with field greens, shrimp, orange, toasted almonds, and citrus vinaigrette paired with Slacker Self Esteem White
- Herb-Roasted Chicken Thigh with thyme, rosemary, and garlic over creamy Wild Mushroom Risotto matched with Slacker Wanna Be Red
- Slow-cooked, tender Braised Short Rib in a rich, savory red wine sauce with roasted vegetables paired with Linne Calodo Rising Tides and Linne Calodo Problem Child
- Chocolate Cream Cheese Mousse
The dinner will begin at 6 p.m., and the cost is $125 per person (plus tax and tip). To reserve, call 702-228-9463.
Pub 365 — February 27
Pub 365 at Tuscany Suites & Casino will host a beer pairing dinner featuring the local Big Dog’s Brewing Company.
The menu will include:
- Welcome Beer of What the Puck Hazy IPA
- Chicken Croquettes with potato puree, chicken confit, Manchego cheese, and bechamel paired with Las Vegas American-Style Craft Lager
- Micro Green Burrata Salad with garlic pesto sauce, heirloom tomato, and focaccia triangles matched with Tailwagger Wheat
- Bourbon Glazed Short Ribs with honey garlic bourbon sauce, seasonal vegetables, and polenta paired with Tripel Dog Dare Belgian Tripel
- Chocolate Porter Cake with Espresso Butter Cream matched with Red Hydrant Brown Ale.
The dinner will begin at 6 p.m., and the cost is $78.35 (all inclusive). To purchase tickets, click here.
Pick of the Week
Chaska Offering a Tour of Indian Cuisine
Chaska Indian Restaurant is named for the Hindi word meaning essence of a passionate craving or addiction to something irresistibly delicious, which is exactly what this restaurant is doing.
The restaurant, which opened in 2023, is located at 7686 Las Vegas Blvd at Robindale between Warm Springs and Blue Diamond/Windmill, about a mile south of Town Square. The kitchen is helmed by Chef Vijay Deokar, who brings more than 20 years of experience, having cooked for Bollywood legends and global figures and worked at Mumbai’s Hotel Oberoi Towers and Royal Caribbean Cruises and consulted for various restaurants. He is joined by Chef Ram Singh, who also has more than 20 years of experience in Indian cuisine across Liberia, Malaysia, South Africa, Germany, Spain, France, Singapore, and Portugal; and has managed culinary teams in some of India’s most prestigious hotels like Taj Blue Diamond and Mayfair Banquets in Pune.
The two-level restaurant’s décor includes hanging greenery, a wall of roses, overflow and private dining rooms upstairs, avocado-green banquettes, and burnt-orange walls with Bollywood movie dialogues in neon lights.
The nods to Bollywood continue: movies are shown in the dining room and on the menu, with Indian dishes paired with Bollywood movie titles.
The menu draws on the rich, diverse Indian cuisine, featuring authentic staples that offer a culinary journey through the regions of India.
One of the most popular dishes is Pav Bhaji, a fast-food favorite from Mumbai, consisting of minced vegetables cooked in a rich spice mix and served with buttered soft bread. Mumbai Golden Vada Pav lets you experience the essence of Mumbai street food: a deep-fried potato burger in a soft bun with mint and tamarind chutney, resulting in a blend of spicy, tangy, and savory flavors.
For seafood lovers, there’s Curry Leaf Chili Garlic Shrimp, large shrimp tossed with red chili paste, garlic, and curry leaves in butter and topped with cilantro that is both spicy and aromatic; and Tava Fried Fish, seasonal fish fillets marinated with chili, turmeric, and lemon juice and then coated with semolina and rice flour before being grilled.
A staple of Indian cuisine is Butter Chicken. At Chaska, this dish is prepared with shredded chicken in a rich tomato-cashew gravy with cream and butter, resulting in a creamy, buttery dish that pairs well with naan or rice.
South Indian dishes are well represented with Medu Vada, a classic with savory black gram doughnut that is crisp on the outside and soft inside.
Vegetarians and vegans will find ample choices, with 11 vegetarian curries such as Vegetable Jalfrezi, fresh vegetables stir-fried in a tangy, spiced sauce; and vegan Spicy Eggplant simmered with onions, peanuts, sesame, coconut, and tamarind. There’s also Chole Bhature, a hearty, popular North Indian dish featuring slow-cooked garbanzo beans in a spicy masala, served with fried vegan bread.
Perhaps you didn’t expect to go for pizza at an Indian restaurant, but here there are two. Both are made with fresh naan baked in a clay oven, topped with a signature sauce, seasonal garnish, and cheese. The Paneer Tikka Naan Pizza is layered with paneer tikka, and the Chicken Tikka Naan Pizza is topped with chicken tikka.
If you’ve been looking for menus featuring goat meat, look no further. On the menu are several dishes such as Chettinad Goat Curry—bone-in goat slow-cooked with yogurt, curry leaves, coconut, and South Indian spices; Bhuna Gosht—slow-roasted goat with onions, tomatoes, and thick masala gravy; and Mutton Biriyani—bone-in goat slow-cooked with saffron rice and signature masala simmered in a signature blend of aromatic spices.
More flavors of India are available in the beverage program. The offerings include Rampur, a 90-proof Indian single malt whiskey distilled using traditional Scottish methods, and Kingfisher, India’s top-selling internationally recognized premium lager with subtle malt and citrus notes.
Your tour of India is even more enjoyable, as everything is made to order, ensuring everything comes out fresh, portions are generous, and most items on the menu are priced at around $20.
Chaska is open daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and 5 to 10 p.m. for dinner. For more info and to view the complete menu, visit chaskalv.com.
Dining News
Evel Pie Fiery Reaper Challenge
Evel Pie, the Evel Knievel-themed pizzeria at 508 Fremont St, is turning up the heat with its Reaper Challenge, available through February 23.
Those accepting the challenge must eat three full slices of the “Don’t Fear the Reaper” pizza in 10 minutes to receive a Reaper Challenge T-shirt, earn a spot on Evel Pie’s Wall of Flame, and be featured on social media. Participants must sign a liability waiver before attempting the challenge and may drink water, soda, or alcoholic beverages during the challenge, but ranch dressing and milk are not permitted.
To participate in the challenge, participants must purchase a whole pie for $49.99. Chef Richard Verhagen explains that the higher price is due to the Reaper’s production: preparing some required items and executing the recipe. Different utensils and separate stations are used so as not to accidentally injure somebody with the reaper powder being used, the finished product is set on fire when brought to the table, and Evel Pie’s whole pizzas, which are all 20″, are considerably larger than most anything else out there.
Park on Fremont Launches Two New Weekend Brunch Experiences
Park on Fremont, the whimsical garden bar and restaurant at 506 Fremont St., has launched two new brunch experiences.
On Saturdays, Rosé All Day offers $25 bottomless rosé or mimosas, $30 bottomless Aperol Spritz, and a $40-per-person family-style brunch menu featuring Kale Caesar Salad, Truffle Fries, Avocado Toast, and New York-style Vanilla Cheesecake with raspberry sauce.
On Sundays, the Bottomless Burgers & Bloodys has $25 bottomless mimosas, micheladas or bloody marys; and two towers designed to feed two to six people: Wing Tower with wings and tenders served with fries for $38, and Slider Tower with Beef Sliders and Hot Chicken Sliders served with fries for $46.
Both brunch experiences are available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Golden Tiki Extends Happy Hour Menu
The Golden Tiki has expanded its happy hour offerings with an extended menu of cocktails, beer, and spirits, available daily from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Highlights from the $9 happy hour specialty cocktail lineup include the Tiki Mule with American vodka, galangal root, ginger, velvet falernum, fresh lime, and an absinthe rain; Devil’s Concubine featuring rum, brandy, guava, spices, and coconut cream; and the Banana Batilda crafted with cachaça, banana liqueur, coconut cream, pineapple juice, and Dole soft serve mix.
New food offerings include Rangoon Dip with pita chips, Breaded Shrimp with dipping sauces, Jersey Rippers on a Hawaiian roll, and Curried Cashews.
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.
This week, Al and Gemini are at Ellis Island, the longtime locally-owned value-forward casino, hotel, and restaurant complex just east of The Strip. Owner Christina Ellis shows off the new rooftop deck—known for a few more days as “Cupid’s Deck.” We also talk to Barbara Valle about the new tiki bar at Excalibur, get the lowdown on the new burgers offered by Naked City Pizza, and preview two big Lunar New Year events at Hakkasan and China Poblano. Plus lots of other restaurant reports, and as usual, a happy hour report from Happy Hour Vegas’ Andrew Morgan.
To listen, click here.
Entertainment News
International Fireworks Championship — February 21
Who says you have to wait till the Fourth of July or New Year’s Eve to enjoy fireworks? It turns out you don’t, for if you enjoy being wowed by pyrotechnics exploding in the sky (otherwise known as fireworks) and experiencing some of the best the world has to offer, the International Fireworks Championship is where you should be on Feb. 21.
Held at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with unobstructed views of the desert sky, four nations will compete for the championship as this one-of-a-kind event brings together elite firework designers and cutting-edge technology.
The four international teams—Germany, Japan, UK, and US—have designed 12-15 minute displays which will be synchronized to music and judged by industry expert judges to award an overall champion. There will also be a People’s Choice Award to be determined by the spectators.
During the event, Spanish fireworks icon Ricardo Caballer (Ricasa) will attempt a world record for the Largest Daytime Fireworks Display, or a mascletà. Cabeller will integrate drone elements to set a record, which must be longer than 5 minutes and include the successful detonation of 8,500 shells.
There is a full slate of events, with gates opening at 2:30 p.m., live music from Vegas Country Band Desert Heat at 3 p.m., the World Record Attempt at 5 p.m., Main Championship Competition at 6 p.m., Awards Ceremony at 8 p.m., and Closing Finale at 8:10 p.m.
Ticket prices start at $59. For more info and to purchase tickets, visit fireworkschampionship.com.
