This weekly update covers noteworthy restaurant openings and closings, dining news, culinary events, and entertainment news on and off the Las Vegas Strip.
Events
Fogo de Chao — June 26
Fogo de Chão will host a four-course wine dinner featuring The Prisoner Wine Company wines.
Pairings are Chilled Gazpacho and Romaine Caesar Wedge Salad topped with avocado-lime dressing and polenta salmon croutons paired with Blindfold Blanc De Noir; Pan-Seared Sea Bass with buttered black pepper and creamy mashed potatoes matched with The Prisoner Pinot Noir; Churrasco cuts of Fraldinha and Picanha with crispy polenta and caramelized bananas paired with The Prisoner Red Blend; Indulgent Churrasco cuts of Wagyu Porterhouse and Lamb Picanha with roasted cauliflower and Parmesan crust matched with The Prisoner Cabernet Sauvignon; and Brazilian Passion Fruit Mousse topped with a crisp puff pastry served with coffee.
The dinner will begin at 7 p.m. and cost $89 per person. To purchase tickets, click here.
Eataly — June 27
Eataly at Park MGM will host its Summer Festa as a toast to the season from 1 to 3 p.m.
During the event, there will be a live DJ, a summer-themed selfie station, and a 40% discount on four or more bottles of Italian wine and spirits.
Guests can elevate their experience with a $35 food package featuring a curated selection of seasonal Italian dishes: Margherita Pizza al Padellino, Caprese with housemade mozzarella and heirloom tomatoes, Cocktail di Gamberi with wild-caught shrimp and lemon, Fettuccine ‘Alfredo’ Burro e Parmigiano Reggiano DOP from the wheel, Strawberry Rosé Sorbetto, a Via Carota Spritz, and a 50 ml bottle of Pallini to take home.
To purchase the food package in advance, go to Eataly.com.
Crab Corner Maryland Seafood House — July 10
Crab Corner Maryland Seafood House at 6485 South Rainbow will host a seafood beer pairing dinner featuring four courses of food and five beers from Silver Reef Brewing.
The dinner will include the Famous Annapolis Crab Dip over Bavarian Pretzel Bites, Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad, Fish ‘n Chips—amber beer-battered cod with house-made Boardwalk Fries—and homemade New York-style cheesecake with a special tropical drizzle.
Silver Reef beers will include Planet Utah IPA, Mas Fuego Smoked Lager, Silver Reef Hefeweizen, Little Foot Amber Red Ale, and Guavalu Wheat Ale.
The dinner will begin at 6 p.m. A two-for-one deal is offered for $65 (plus $8.04 fee). To purchase tickets, click here.
Pick of the Week: Nomikai
Nomikai (飲み会) is a Japanese term meaning “drinking gathering. ” It is a social event where people gather to eat and drink together in an informal setting. This new restaurant and bar within The Venetian Restaurant Row provides an ideal spot to do that.
Nomikai is two concepts: a small bar out front allowing for a quick bite or drink, and just beyond a host stand and door with a button to push for admittance in true speakeasy fashion. Inside is an elevated 13-table speakeasy with additional bar seating and a classy room adorned with wall paintings of cranes and a geisha, a life-size samurai warrior statue, and rich wood slat ceiling and flooring creating an ambience that will make you forget you’re in a casino.
The food menu is the handiwork of twin brothers Yongju An and Yongjun An, who have excellent products to work with, as fish is flown in daily. Highlights of the menu include Bluefin Tuna Pizza brightened with heirloom tomatoes, Chicken Truffle Dumplings with black truffle dipping sauce, A5 Wagyu Sando with caramelized onions, Spicy Tuna Chips with house-marinated Serrano pepper, daily selection of sashimi (salmon, hamachi, and otoro during my visit), and cut rolls of which my favorite was the Miso Black Cod.
The cocktail/beverage program is crafted by longtime industry veteran James Manos, co-founder and previous co-owner of Able Baker Brewing. The cocktails contain hand-crafted syrups he created specifically for those drinks, and garnishes sourced locally.
Prime examples are the Rice Washed Negroni, a “white” Negroni with gin and blanc vermouth designed to be a liquid interpretation of the Japanese flag, garnished with a custom-made red pineapple wheel representing the “rising sun” found on the flag. Toasted Sesame Old-Fashioned (their most popular cocktail) consists of toasted-sesame seed oil-washed Akashi Japanese whisky, dark sugar, and bitters stirred with toasted sesame seeds.
Yet another unique liquid offering is the easy-drinking and refreshing effervescent 4.6% ABV HUSH HUSH Sparkling Pear Ginger Cider, a collaboration between Manos, Mojave Brewing Head Brewer Andy Kohon, and Mojave Owner John “Griff” Griffith that is a custom ginger beer mixed with Mojave’s pear cider. It is the first and only packaged sparkling cider in Nevada and is available exclusively at Nomikai in both draft and cans.
For more info and to view the complete menu, click here.
Dining News
Scotch 80 Prime Time Wine & Dine
Scotch 80 Prime at the Palms Casino Resort is launching its Prime Time Wine & Dine promotion.
Offered every evening from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and priced at $95 per person, the four-course prix fixe experience includes a choice of Iberico Lumpia with garlic confit, Shrimp Toast with Hokkaido milk bread, Brie Fondue with bacon jam or Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail with Oishii shrimp; Tomato Burrata with Momotaro tomatoes or Caesar Salad with Sicilian anchovy; Allen Brothers 8 oz Filet Mignon, Duroc Pork Chop with garlic rice, Prawn Scampi with squid ink spaghetti or New Zealand King Salmon with crispy enoki; and Butterscotch Crème Brulee or seasonal cheesecake.
In addition, guests can receive 30% off select bottles of wine.
Ferraro’s “Summer in Italy” Special
Ferraro’s Italian Ristorante & Wine Bar again features its “Summer in Italy” special by Executive Chef Mimmo Ferraro.
Offered through Aug. 25, the four-course dinner is priced at $69 per person (plus tax and tip) and includes:
- Choice of Zucchini Blossoms with ricotta and light white wine, Chilled Roasted Veal with tuna sauce, Parma Prosciutto with seasonal melon, Burrata with blueberry compote, or Shrimp in lemon butter and white wine
- Homemade dumplings with cherry tomatoes and eggplant, homemade Spaghetti and Clams, homemade Spaghetti with fresh Pachino tomatoes, Fettuccine with zucchini and basil, or ravioli of the day
- Salmon with pistachio pesto risotto, Breaded Chicken Breast with bruschetta and Parmigiano Reggiano, Veal Scaloppine with artichoke hearts, Eggplant Parmigiano, 6-ounce Butcher’s Block Prime Filet Mignon with porcini mushroom sauce, or Osso Buco braised in red wine reduction with saffron risotto ($14 upcharge)
- Pistachio Passion with pistachio cream and cream cheese mousse, Cannoli with sweet and creamy pistachio filling, Tiramisu, or Gelato
Lemon Tree Café & Market Hosting Afternoon Tea
Lemon Tree Café & Market, 6111 S. Buffalo Dr., hosts Afternoon Tea, an authentic British tea experience featuring Harney & Sons Fine Teas.
Priced at $34.95 per person and held from 2 to 5 p.m. the third Saturday of the month, the experience includes Harney & Sons teas, an assortment of tea sandwiches, delicate mini pastries, and housemade scones crafted from a cherished century-old Scottish family recipe served with proper clotted cream.
The service is based on Lemon Tree Owner Patrick Littlejohn’s past experiences, including his role as General Manager of food and beverage at The Plaza in New York.
Reservations are required and can be made online HERE (scroll to the bottom of the page).
Entertainment News
Downtown Container Park’s ‘Movies on the Lawn’ Summer Series
Schools are out, and movies are at Downtown Container Park.
The open-air shopping center and entertainment venue at 707 Fremont Street, which features shops, restaurants, and bars in repurposed shipping containers and Xtreme cubes, is again hosting its family-friendly lineup of ‘Movies on The Lawn’ every Thursday through August 7.
Personal chairs and blankets are permitted. The movies begin when the sun goes down. During the film, attendees are encouraged to explore Downtown Container Park’s 39 shops, restaurants, and bars to discover various food and drink specials like $5 cheese pizza slices at Mob Pie, 15% off gummy candy at Sugar Shop, and Bin 702’s $40 charcuterie board and beer package.
The movie schedule is:
- June 26th – Big Hero 6
- July 3rd – Captain America: Brave New World
- July 10th – Avengers: Age of Ultron
- July 17th – Avengers: Infinity War
- July 24th – Avengers: Endgame
- July 31st – Guardians of the Galaxy
- August 7th – Toy Story
For more information about Downtown Container Park’s ‘Movies on The Lawn’ and other events, visit https://downtowncontainerpark.com.
Related: Hear Me on the Food and Loathing Las Vegas Podcast
Tune in to the most recent episode of the Food and Loathing Podcast. I joined Al Mancini and Rich Johnson at Holsteins Shakes & Buns as we interviewed Gen 3 Hospitality CEO Billy Richardson about his creation of Holsteins and its relocation from The Cosmo to Main Street. We also have a report from Gemini Stevens from the James Beard Foundation Awards, which she attended in Chicago.
I talked about two recent dinners I especially enjoyed, the newly opened Nudo by the Morton Group and Nomikai, a new Japanese speakeasy at The Venetian; and new breweries that opened earlier this year—Evolve Brewing and Nevadan Brewing—and three more set to open later this year.
To listen, click here.
