This weekly update covers noteworthy restaurant openings and closings, dining news, culinary events, and entertainment news
Events
Ferraro’s Ristorante — April 5
Ferraro’s Ristorante will present a three-course, springtime dinner on Easter Sunday, prepared by Executive Chef Mimmo Ferraro, incorporating classic Italian flavors and seasonal ingredients.
Served from 4 to 10 p.m. and priced at $75 per person, the menu includes:
- choice of Burrata with blueberry compote, pistachio, and prosciutto; thinly sliced Roasted Veal with tuna sauce and capers; Caprese with bufala mozzarella, seasonal tomatoes, and aged balsamic; Arancini Black Pepper and Pecorino Fried Rice Balls with truffle cream and seasonal fresh black truffle; Toasted Crostini with whipped ricotta, peas, asparagus, and mint; or Shrimp with white wine, spinach, and cherry tomatoes
- Crispy Pork Belly with potato purée and rosemary reduction; Herb-Crusted Lamb Loin with lamb mint reduction, asparagus, and potato purée; Asparagus Risotto with lemon zest and seared scallop; 8-oz Filet Mignon with porcini mushroom sauce, spinach, and potato purée; Branzino Mediterranean Sea Bass with zucchini, white wine, sautéed spinach, and roasted potatoes; or Homemade Tagliatelle Ribbon Pasta with zucchini flower, pecorino, and jumbo lump crab
- Custard-Filled Pie with pine nuts and lemon zest; Pistachio Passion—layered pistachio mousse, cream cheese custard, and walnut crust; or Cannoli with sweetened ricotta filling and cinnamon dusted with pistachios
A children’s menu (for guests 12 and under) will be available for $18 per person and includes a choice of cheese pizza, spaghetti and meatballs, or rigatoni and a scoop of gelato for dessert.
To reserve, call 702-364-5300.
Bouchon — April 5
Thomas Keller’s Bouchon at The Venetian will offer a three-course specialty brunch menu on Easter Sunday.
Served from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and priced at $80 per person, it includes:
- choice of Smoked Salmon with Everything Bagel Tart with crème fraîche and caper dill vinaigrette; Vanilla Scented Greek Yogurt with granola, fresh fruit, and lemon scone; Salade Lyonnaise with escarole, frisée, bacon lardons, poached egg, Palladin croutons, and bacon vinaigrette; or San Marzano Tomato Soup with garlic crouton and Comté cheese
- Jumbo Lump Crab with English muffin, two poached eggs, English peas, roasted mushrooms, and sauce Hollandaise; Pan-Seared Shrimp with Anson Mills grits, sauce Thermidor, and chow chow relish; Roasted Chicken with bacon-chive waffle, Crown maple syrup, and sauce Chasseur; or Grilled New York Steak with two eggs any style, crispy hash browns, sauce Bearnaise, and toasted pain de campagne
- Dessert Mignardises
Also offered is a children’s menu priced at $19 per person. For more info and to reserve, click here.
Trattoria 57 — April 5
Trattoria 57 at Aliante Casino + Hotel + Spa will serve a three-course prix fixe dinner from 4 to 9 p.m. on Easter Sunday.
Priced at $55 per person, it includes a choice of Garmugia Soup (traditional spring vegetable soup) or Italian Spring Salad; Grilled Lamb Chops with mint butter or Sea Bass with risotto and lemon butter sauce, both served with herb roasted potatoes; and Limoncello Panna Cotta with house-made custard and limoncello liqueur.
To reserve, click here.
UnCommons — April 11
UnCommons, the mixed-use development in southwest Las Vegas, will host The Art of Cake, a community gathering for cake and dessert lovers, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The outdoor event will invite hundreds of local bakers to showcase their favorite recipes as guests may participate by bringing a cake they are proud to share, whether homemade or sourced from a favorite local bakery. Each registered guest will bring one cake to display and exchange slices with fellow bakers during the event.
The garden party–inspired gathering will feature live music as participants display their cakes along Rozita Lee Avenue before taking part in a timed cake exchange during which guests will fill takeaway boxes with slices from a variety of cakes prepared by fellow bakers.
In addition to the community cake exchange, several local bakeries and dessert partners will join the event, including Salt & Straw, Whiskful Thinking Cakes, Las Vegas Custom Cakes, Caked Las Vegas, and Haus of Vegas Event Co., offering complimentary cake slices while supplies last.
The Art of Cake is free to attend for those who RSVP by March 31. Children younger than 12 may participate with a registered adult and are not required to bring their own cake.
For more info or to reserve a spot, visit UnCommons.com/Cake.
Nth 2026 Ultimate Whisky and Spirits Experience — April 22-24
The Nth 2026 Ultimate Whisky and Spirits Experience, one of the top whisky tastings in the world, will again be held at Wynn Las Vegas and Encore.
Events include whisky pairing dinners; super pours of the world’s most premium whisky and spirits; an opportunity to meet whiskey distillers, master blenders, and experts; and the Main Tasting on April 24 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. with more than 200 of the world’s finest premium whiskies from top-tier brands as well as wine, spirits, and Champagne from all regions of the world and gourmet hors d’oeuvres. Three ticket packages are available. For more info, the complete schedule, and to purchase tickets, visit universalwhiskyexperience.com/las-vegas.
Pick of the Week
Hayworth Is Personal to Chef Alex Reznik
Hayworth opened last month and is the newest concept from Chef Alex Reznik, a Top Chef Season 7 alum and Beat Bobby Flay champion who has helmed acclaimed kitchens in Los Angeles, New York, and Las Vegas. He is joined by Director of Operations Gene Samuel, a longtime food and beverage specialist with a proven track record of excellence in the industry, having ample experience as a GM and most recently opened SMKD BBQ with Chef Alex.
This new quasi-fine dining restaurant is showing how versatile and creative the uber-talented chef is. I use the word quasi, because while the menu is certainly at a refined level, the feel of the place is anything but stuffy, and servers dressed in jeans contribute to a relaxed ambience.
Situated in the former 138° space on the NW corner of Stephanie and Horizon Ridge, the classy décor features a hardwood floor, tan and brown wicker-backed chairs, plush banquettes, a mix of round and rectangular tables, hanging globe lights, arched windows, and a lighted curio cabinet with cookbooks and whimsical figurines (e.g., a gorilla and peacock). There’s also a romantic vibe via a dimly lit dining room (reminiscent of Old Vegas), and music played at a comfortable level covering a variety of genres.
This restaurant is personal to Chef Alex. Hayworth is the name of the L.A. street where he and his family lived when his first child was born, and “Established 1976” printed on the sign, logo, and menu represents the year the chef was born. The menu is also personal, featuring multiple elevated expressions of his Eastern European and Jewish heritage.
Rarely have I encountered sides and appetizers as good and satisfying as the entrees; I would have left happy if I had dined only on them, but such is the case here. They include Charred Cabbage, a remarkable achievement to make cabbage into a steak form through the addition of cultured yogurt, tahini, and butter that has a delightful spicy kick; Sunchoke Veloute Soup with Jerusalem artichokes, Granny Smith apples, and sumac with richness that reminded me a bit of lobster bisque; Roasted Beets with wild honey cream, pistachios, farmers cheese, and fennel, raising beets to a new level; Swiss Chard, a delectable side with sunflower butter, raisins, walnuts, and sherry vinaigrette; and Beef Tongue Agnolotti with créme fraiché, chicken jus, braised Calabrian chili crisp, and duck fat crumble (Chef Alex pointed out that beef tongue is an underused meat not usually enjoyed by the upper class).
As for the entrees, there is a good range of high-quality Prime steaks simply seasoned and cooked over a live fire in huge portion sizes including 20-ounce Prime NY, 18-ounce Wagyu NY, 20-ounce 60-day dry aged Prime Ribeye, and 34-ounce 14-day dry aged Prime Cowboy Ribeye. The steaks can be finished with house-made sauces: Red + Green Shug, Bone Marrow Jus, Hayworth Signature Steak Sauce, and OMFG Sauce.
If you came here and only indulged in a steak, you would certainly find it enjoyable, but would also be missing out, as there are several more unique items on the menu. It starts with the bread service, traditional challah knot bread topped with poppy seeds made daily, sweet and pillowy, served with schmaltz (chicken fat) butter. The Sablefish (also known as Black Cod) glazed in apple honey with tahini, parsnip, trout roe, and beurre blanc was such a tender rendition that it melted in my mouth (akin to Chilean sea bass). Simply called The Chicken, the dish is a Hungarian paprikash-style sweet paprika-infused half chicken with duck fat potatoes and dill crème. I am a big fan of risotto, but I’ve never had Farro “Risotto,” and this dish with grana padano and lemon basil is another example of Chef Alex’s use of unexpected ingredients.
The beverage program is also unique, with drinks not found elsewhere, like Delirium Red, a Belgian ale made with cherry and elderberry; the Strawberry Clover Club cocktail with fin, lemon, raspberry, Chambrizet, and egg white; and the Banana Cable Car with spiced rum, banana liqueur, Orange Curaçao, and lemon with a cinnamon/sugar rim.
The dessert program, by acclaimed pastry chef Miloš Babić, features dishes such as Honey & Olive Oil Cake with halva (Mediterranean fudge), a pistachio cookie, raspberry sauce, EVOO dust, and goat milk ice cream; and the Warm Stick Plum Pudding with Eastern European plums, plum brandy sauce, vanilla bean ice cream, and sauteed half plum.
In describing Hayworth, Chef Alex said, “It’s a community restaurant built for our families and a love story through food.” Before leaving, he and his wife Laurie told us we are now family. With food like this, I am happy to have been adopted and welcomed into the fold.
Hayworth is open for dinner from 4 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday, and till 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. To view the complete menu, visit hayworthlv.com.
Dining News
A.Y.C.E. Buffet Monthly Theme Nights
The A.Y.C.E. Buffet at the Palms Casino Resort, known for its chef-driven approach with nine made-to-order cooking stations and menus inspired by cuisines from around the world, is stepping up its game by offering monthly Theme Nights that will extend throughout 2026.
Held on the last Saturday of each month, upcoming themed nights include:
- April 25–Blast from the Past with music from the 60s, 70s, and 80s accompanying nostalgic classic comfort dishes including steak Diane, salmon Wellington, fried fish, meatloaf, liver and onions, chicken pot pie, lobster à la king, prime rib, tuna casserole, and Salisbury steak
- June 27–Latin Night featuring menudo, ceviche bar, agua fresca bar, street taco station, cochinita pibil, Cuban sandwiches, arroz congri, and pupusas
- July 25–Creole & Southern Comfort Night with Southern favorites including pepper steak, blackened pork chops, fried chicken, char-grilled oysters, gumbo, crawfish boil, Cajun prime rib, shrimp po’boys, chicken and waffles, grilled cheddar jalapeño sausage, and catfish
- August 29–Italian Night with Italian classics including calamari, braised lamb pappardelle, chicken Marsala, and risotto stations
All Theme Nights begin at 5 p.m., are priced at $52.99 for adults and $35.99 for children ages 3 through 11 and include live entertainment. For more info, visit palms.com/dining/ayce-buffet.
Underground Speakeasy at the Mob Museum History-Inspired Menu
The Mob Museum has a refreshed menu featuring cocktails and shareable bites inspired by the foods commonly served in early speakeasies and immigrant-owned cafes during the Prohibition era.
The new shareable bites include Garlic Knots with marinara and garlic aioli, which became popular in the US in the 1920s courtesy of European immigrants; and Crab Cakes with creole remoulade, as with little time and space to provide full service, 1920s speakeasies commonly served canapes like crabmeat cocktails.
New cocktails include The Garden Party—an herbaceous mix of rhubarb gin, aquavit, aloe, lime, and rosemary finished with cucumber soda inspired by fashionable outdoor soirées of the 1920s; Daisy de San Juan inspired by the Daisy Santiago, a recipe featured in Charles H. Baker’s 1939 travelogue and recipe book The Gentleman’s Companion combining Puerto Rican rum, Chartreuse, guanabana, amaro, lime, and sugar; Preservation Punch—a blend of rye, The Fuzz Moonshine, cinnamon, lemon, sugar, bitters, and egg white that is an ode to the days before refrigeration was common, when Americans relied on traditional preservation methods including cinnamon and stewed fruit; and Aunt Vivian—blend of gin, dry curacao, Galliano and orange bitters inspired by former Seattle police lieutenant-turned-Prohibition bootlegger and radio station owner Roy Olmstead whose station’s children’s radio program “Aunt Vivian” was rumored to broadcast coded messages about his smuggling operation.
The Underground is located in the Museum’s basement level, with a secret entrance that visitors unlock with a password. Hours are Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight. For more info, visit TheMobMuseum.org/Underground.
Back 2 the Video Store: A 90s/Y2K Speakeasy Bar
If you yearn for the good old days when renting videos was a thing, you can travel back in time and enjoy a blast from the past at the Back 2 the Video Store: A 90s/Y2K Speakeasy Bar.
Running through May 17, the pop-up bar is set up in the PKWY Tavern on the corner of Flamingo and Decatur and is designed to look like an old-school video store. After receiving your membership card and entering through a secret door, you grab a video case of a movie from the 90s, which lists the ingredients in a cocktail you’ll receive. Take it to the bartender, and you’ll soon be drinking a themed drink paired to the movie you selected (e.g., the Titanic with mezcal, vodka, and a rose-shaped ice mold).
Admission is $17.80, which includes your first cocktail and a 90-minute window. While there, you can enjoy decor with lava lamps and nostalgic ’90s vibes, movie and TV photo ops from iconic scenes, and retro arcade games. There’s Bingo on Wednesdays from 7 to 10 p.m., Karaoke Thursdays from 8 to 10 p.m., and live DJs Friday and Saturday nights starting at 7 p.m.
For more info and to make a reservation, click here.
Everyone’s Italian on Sunday at La Strega
La Strega has launched Everyone’s Italian on Sunday, a family-style dining experience with a selection of à la carte dishes by Chef Gina Marinelli, offered only on Sundays.
Served beginning at 5 p.m., the menu includes:
- Polpettini made with tiny beef meatballs and smoked mozzarella bread ($30)
- Schiacciata with fontina and prosciutto cotto ($35)
- Baked Truffle Hunter Rigatoni with maitake, truffle fonduta, sage, and pecorino ($45)
- 28 oz O’Connor New York Steak with pizzaiola sauce and kale ($120)
- 3 lb Whole Roasted Branzino with puttanesca and parsley salad ($125)
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.
Gemini is back in the host chair this week, sharing reports on her recent visits to Ada’s, Main St. Provisions, Nevada Brew Works, Peg’s Glorified Ham & Eggs, and Jipita. Al shares his experiences at The Bar at Lilli, Pearls Oyster and Crudo Bar (an Aria Pizza popup), and the Vegas Pizza Tailgate. The central interview this week is with Chef Michael Rubinstein of Wynn’s brand new Sartiano’s Steakhouse and Zero Bond club. You’ll also hear from Che Fico Pizza’s Chef David Mayfield, Slice Out Hunger’s Scott Weiner, John Arena of Metro Pizza, Christina Walton of P.O.P.S., and Happy Hour Vegas’ Andrew Morgan.
To listen, click here.
Entertainment News
Ian Somerhalder Hosting Yacht Rock Night at Caspian’s Cocktails & Caviar on April 2
Ian Somerhalder, the critically acclaimed actor (known for his role as Boone Carlyle in Lost and Damon Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries), entrepreneur, and Brother’s Bond Bourbon co-founder, will become the newest captain aboard for an evening of calm seas and bourbon as he hosts Yacht Rock Night at Caspian’s Cocktails & Caviar at Caesars Palace.
Doors will open at 8 p.m. and the evening will begin with an acoustic set before Radical West takes the stage at 10:30 p.m., performing yacht rock classics from Christopher Cross, Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers, Kenny Loggins, and more.
Ian Somerhalder will be stepping behind the bar, giving out pours of Brothers Bond Bourbon, a brand he co-founded with Paul Wesley in 2021. The night will also feature a menu of exclusive specialty cocktails, including the Midnight Creamsicle, available only on April 2, made with Brother’s Bond Bourbon, Licor 43, vanilla syrup, egg whites, and fresh orange juice, priced at $25.
Admission is free, and standing room will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations are highly encouraged and can be made online at Caspian’s website.
