This weekly update covers noteworthy restaurant openings and closings, dining news, culinary events, and entertainment news
Events
Via Brasil Steakhouse — June 26
Viva Brasil Steakhouse (1225 S Fort Apache) will host Murder at the Steakhouse, an interactive murder mystery dinner show (guests may become part of the show) featuring suspense, laughter, and mischief.
The show will begin at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. General Admission tickets are $30 (plus fee) and include entry and first-come, first-served seating for the Murder Mystery. Dining and bar/beverage menu items will be available for separate purchases before, during, and after the show. To purchase tickets, click here.
Braseria by EDO — June 28
Two of Las Vegas’ most distinctive culinary voices will come together for a one-night-only collaboration dinner at Braseria by EDO (3900 Paradise Rd).
Titled The French Connection, the six-course experience pairs Chef Tyler Vorce of Lilli with Braseria by EDO’s Chef Tayden Poha-Ellamar for an evening exploring the influence of French technique through two markedly different perspectives.
The menu will include:
- Braseria—Canapés: Kohlrabi Taco, Snowcrab, Melon, Apple, and Yuzu Gel
- Lilli—Sungold Tomatoes with melon and shiso
- Lilli—Cured Albacore Tuna with mission figs, tarragon, and black pepper mignonette
- Braseria—Seared Scallop with Kaluga Caviar, crispy rice cake, buttered leek, and red bell pepper sauce
- Lilli—California Rockfish with stewed eggplant, roasted garlic, and bouillabaisse sauce
- Braseria—Braised Beef Cheek with potato purée, horseradish espuma, confit vegetables, and mushroom kataifi
- Braseria—Gâteau Glacée Au Whisky with almond and coconut cake, whisky soak, coconut gelato, and gooseberry gastrique; and Lilli—Poached Nectarines with mascarpone and mint
The dinner will be offered in seatings at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and is priced at $125 per person (plus tax and tip). An optional wine pairing is available for $60. Reservations are required at braseriabyedo.com.
All’Antico Vinaio — July 2
All’Antico Vinaio, the renowned Italian sandwich shop at UnCommons, is bringing a taste of Tuscany to Las Vegas with a hands-on schiacciata bread-making class.
Titled the All’Antico Vinaio Apericena Experience and held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., participants will learn the secrets of preparing the famous Tuscan schiacciata in this hands-on schiacciata bread-making class.
The cost is $90.25 per person (including fees). Included are a spritz, choice of a white or red wine, a curated board of Italian meats and cheeses, tastes of select All’Antico Vinaio’s signature sandwiches, and your freshly baked schiacciata loaf to take home.
Guests must be 21+, and reservations can be made here.
Drink Las Vegas — September 24-27
The inaugural Drink Las Vegas, a culinary and cocktail festival, will include approximately 50 events at more than 30 venues across four MGM Resorts International properties: ARIA, Bellagio, The Cosmopolitan, and Park MGM.
The experiences will include an opening party, food and cocktail tastings, themed lunches and dinners, after-parties, and educational seminars. The beverage lineup features noted mixologists, sommeliers, and spirits experts representing bars, restaurants, and beverage brands from across the US, such as Tony Abou-Ganim (Libertine Social), Jonathon Alder (Shinji’s), and Lynette Marrero (Speed Rack, Milly’s Neighborhood Bar). Several well-known chefs from all over will be participating, including several owners of Las Vegas restaurants: Roy Choi (Best Friend, The Chef Truck), Tom Colicchio (Craftsteak), Mary Sue Miliken (BBQ Mexicana, Border Grill), Michael Mina (Bardot Brasserie, Bourbon Steak, Michael Mina Bellagio, Orla), Masaharu Morimoto (Morimoto), Wolfgang Puck (Carama, CUT, Spago, Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill), and Jean-Georges Vongerichten (Jean Georges Steakhouse, Prime Steakhouse).
Prices vary, with educational seminars and tastings starting under $100 and exclusive dining experiences costing hundreds, like the Opening Night hosted by Jean-Georges Vongerichten on September 24 priced at $325. Tickets are on sale now, and a portion of the proceeds from the events will benefit Keep Memory Alive, which supports research, treatment, and care for brain disorders through Cleveland Clinic Nevada.
For more info and the complete schedule of events, visit drinklasvegas.com.
Want more events? Check out our new Food Events Calendar at foodandloathing.vegas/calendar-of-events. It’s quite extensive, with one or more listings for virtually every day.
Pick of the Week: The Irish Spot
The Irish Spot Debuts as Authentic Irish Pub
If you’re a longtime Las Vegas resident like this native Las Vegan, you’ll likely remember the Crown & Anchor, an iconic English pub at Tropicana and Maryland open since 1994, and felt sad when it closed nearly two years ago. Well, after visiting its replacement, The Irish Spot, I’m happy to report the spirit of the neighborhood pub is thriving, even if it has transitioned from an English version to an “Irish Spot.”
Authenticity is evident, as Co-Owner Ryan Whelan is Irish and his father hails from the Emerald Isle. The pub has been updated with more TVs (now 16) and better acoustics, airing Irish sports, including Hurling, Gaelic Football (a sort of combination of rugby and soccer), and European Handball. The walls are adorned with framed photos of Ryan and Co-Owner Kelcie Alder’s world travels, and if you did not already get that beer is taken seriously here, evidenced by its 28 beer taps, you’ll have another reminder when you enter the men’s room and encounter urinals fashioned from beer kegs. Interestingly, customers have responded positively to the elimination of an odd odor that was prevalent at Crown & Anchor after a new roof and the refurbishment of the plumbing, electrical, and air conditioning systems, which now gives the bar a pleasant smell. It being non-smoking throughout certainly helps as well. Like the couple’s other restaurant, The Spot, there is much love for local sports teams, and the upstairs area with a Rebel Red pool table and red couches is a shrine to UNLV basketball and football, and the Las Vegas Aces.
Steps have been taken to make this more of a pub where guests can interact and enjoy conversations. While it’s still a gaming bar, the number of machines has been reduced to 15. Beyond the bar, the pub is family-friendly, and the outdoor patio is a welcome space for your dogs.
As for the food, Ryan related that the kitchen is a scratch kitchen and even makes its own ground sausage. Be sure to ask for some of the potato chips (called crisps overseas) on the secret menu, which are also made from scratch. Another must-have is the beer-battered Fish and Chips, fried in beef tallow, with your choice of cod or haddock, paired with skin-on, hand-cut fries and mushy peas. Ryan shared it’s important that they are break-your-teeth crispy, and unlike some establishments, the portion size of the fish here is quite generous. The sausage rolls, made with seasoned pork, are essential and served with spicy mustard and HP sauce, which is the most popular steak sauce in Ireland. Save room for the Sticky Toffee Pudding, somewhat like a marble cake with dates, toffee glaze, and walnuts (to add crunch), served with vanilla ice cream. The classic dessert is so good it will give Gordon Ramsay a run for his money.
Naturally, a good selection of Irish beers is offered, including Guinness and Harp—essential ingredients for a perfect Half & Half—as well as Kilkenny and Smithwicks. Just like at The Spot, local beers are given their due, with a handful of local pours including Able Baker Atomic Duck IPA, Beer Zombies Blood Orange Boomstick Blonde and Duck Hunter IPA, and Tenaya Creek Big Dam Brown.
Unlike the Crown & Anchor, which served only beer and wine, The Irish Spot has a full liquor license, so now you can enjoy a range of Irish whiskies, Irish coffee, and even the unique Irlande Tequila Blanco made in Jalisco, Mexico, with Blue Weber agave and imported sacred Irish well water that has been blessed. A range of cocktails is now offered, such as the Old Irish with Tullamore Dew, Amarena Syrup, bitters, sugar, orange slice, and Amarena cherry; and Irish Maiden with Bushmills Irish Whiskey, St-Germain, lemon, and cucumber.
Happy Hour is offered Monday-Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and includes $2 off all draft beer, wine, and well liquor; $13 Beef Burger; $12 Chicken Burger; $12 Shepherds Fries; $12 Battered Sausage; and $1.50 Chicken Wings (minimum 6).
Plans for the coming weeks and months include instituting a dart league and regularly hosting live music. In the meantime, show up, and you just might make some new friends from across the Pond, as the pub is gradually developing a group of Irish customers as well as some of its wait staff sporting authentic Irish accents.
The Irish Spot is open Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to midnight. For more info, visit theirishspot.com or follow on social media at @the.irish.spot.
Dining News
High Steaks Vegas America250 Fireworks Viewing
High Steaks Vegas, Chef James Trees’ steakhouse on the 50th floor of the Rio, is hosting viewing parties every Saturday evening from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. through June and July during the America250 fireworks celebrations on the Vegas Strip.
The restaurant’s open patio offers panoramic views of the Las Vegas skyline and is a premier vantage point to view the fireworks displays at 9 p.m. The patio cocktail program is developed in collaboration with renowned Las Vegas Mixologist Adam Rains, and the menu features spirits from the Rémy Cointreau and Cinzano Vermouth portfolios, including Mount Gay Rum, Mount Gay Black Barrel, Mount Gay XO, The Botanist Gin, and Cinzano Vermouth. During the evening, there is also live music by local musicians.
Entrance is complimentary, but reservations are required for dining and can be made here.
Las Vegas Brewing Company Revives 1890s “Boilermaker” Tradition
Dating back to the 1890s, the “boilermaker” was popularized by industrial laborers who ordered a quick shot and a beer to take the edge off after a grueling shift. As a nod to that hardworking history, Las Vegas Brewing Company has curated five distinct craft beer and spirits pairings.
Available through the end of June and priced at $11 each, the pairings are:
- Old School: Vegas Light Lager + Jack Daniel’s
- Barrel Whip: Chantilly Vanilla Cream Ale + Bourbon
- Paddy Whacked: Penny O’Reilly Irish Red Ale + Paddy’s Irish Whiskey
- Bitter Bandito: West Coast Junkie IPA + Blanco Tequila
- Hazy Vacay: Retro Glow Hazy IPA + Malibu Rum
The boilermaker specials are available at both LVBC locations (Northwest & DTLV Arts District).
Durango Social Club New Residency
Durango Social Club at Durango and Twain is now hosting Chef Crystina Nguyen and This Mama’s House as its new Chef-In-Residence.
Chef Crystina is a longtime hospitality professional who has been at District One, Le Pho, and other projects in Las Vegas in the past years. She’s bringing a fresh take on modern Vietnamese cuisine with comfort food favorites such as Chả Giò Vietnamese Egg Rolls, Bánh Bột Lọc Tapioca Dumplings, Gỏi Gà Chicken Salad, Surf & Turf Vermicelli Bowls with ribeye and shrimp, Bánh Mì Fried Mortadella Sandwich, and Vietnamese Egg Coffee Pie.
This Mama’s House will be serving Wednesday through Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. through the end of fall. Guests are welcome to walk in or make a reservation by emailing reservations@durangosocial.com or calling 725-205-9846.
View Lounge Late-Night Offerings
View Lounge at The STRAT has introduced several new value-priced late-night offerings.
Available 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and midnight to 6 a.m. Friday and Saturday, dishes include a King-Size Cinnamon Roll with sweet dough, cinnamon sugar filling, and cream cheese frosting ($4.99); Double Smashburger with American cheese, bread-and-butter pickles, burger sauce, and fries ($6.99, with bacon for an additional $2); Carne Asada Fries with chipotle cheese sauce, pico de gallo, and crema ($8.99); and 16-ounce Bone-In Ham Steak and Eggs Platter with potato wedges ($9.99).
Diamond Spur Butcher Shop & Deli Now Open
Las Vegas hospitality veterans Chef Marc Marrone and Todd Lunger have opened Diamond Spur Butcher Shop & Deli.
Located at 8241 S Fort Apache, south of Wigwam, the shop is both a full-service butcher and a quick-service restaurant inspired by the classic markets and delis of NYC’s Arthur Avenue, where Marrone grew up.
On the butcher side, Diamond Spur is the exclusive retail entity for Diamond Spur Provisions. Built on a regenerative ranching model, the company sources organic, pasture-raised, and grass-fed products directly from its portfolio of ranches in Arizona, Missouri, and South Dakota with ranch beef and beef products; responsibly raised pork, chicken, and eggs; and dry goods. All meats and proteins are sourced, processed, and overseen directly by the Diamond Spur team, ensuring quality and transparency throughout the entire process.
On the deli side, the menu includes a classic chicken parm sandwich, an in-house ground quarter-pound cheeseburger, rotisserie chicken, steak frites (with beef tallow fries), sandwiches (Chicken Parm, Meatball, and Italian Hot Beef Pie), and soft-serve ice cream swirled in a vintage-style deli machine.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. For more info, follow on Instagram.
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.
Beard! Paging a… James Beard. We ask because it’s been a while since we’ve seen evidence of the late, great gourmand in Sin City. But our long shutout streak is over! Sarah Thompson, executive chef of Casa Playa at Wynn Las Vegas, won for Best Chef: Southwest. Gemini was there and talked to Thompson. She also covered a conversation with fellow Best Chef nominee Brian Howard of Sparrow + Wolf. Rich Johnson checks in from Seattle, where the grip of World Cup Fever is tightening. This show is dropping just a few hours before the US takes on Australia. And Rich sets the sad scene outside the stadium, where unlicensed hot dog stands have set up—often just feet away from a legit vendor. Al left us a Happy Hour Report with Happy Hour Vegas’ Andrew Morgan recorded before flying to Italy. And Rich and Gem scrape up a few interesting foodie events coming up soon.
To listen, click here.
Entertainment News
Little River Band — July 25
The Little River Band is continuing their 50th Anniversary Tour with a performance at the Veil Pavilion at the Silverton Casino Lodge.
The group is under the direction of lead vocalist and bass player Wayne Nelson, a 44-year band veteran who has contributed his talents on 24 of Little River Band’s albums/CDs.
Little River Band garnered huge chart success with multi-platinum albums and chart-topping hits in the 70s and 80s. With over 350 million records sold worldwide and chart-toppers like “Reminiscing” and “Lady,” their music continues to draw old and new fans.
Showtime is 8 p.m., and doors open at 7 p.m. Seating is general admission, first come, first served. Tickets are $50 (including tax and fees) and can be purchased at silvertoncasino.com/event/little-river-band.
