This weekly update covers noteworthy restaurant openings and closings, dining news, culinary events, and entertainment news
Events
Mijo Modern Mexican Restaurant — September 16
Mijo Modern Mexican at the Durango Casino will mark Mexican Independence Day with a celebration featuring food and beverage deals, as well as live entertainment.
From 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., guests can indulge in bottomless tacos and margaritas for $36 per person. The menu features a choice of steak, chicken, carnitas, or avocado tacos, served two at a time with rice and beans in the first round, along with traditional and flavored margaritas. From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., entertainment will include a DJ spinning tracks accompanied by dancers and fire performers.
Bottiglia Cucina & Enoteca — September 17
Bottiglia Cucina & Enoteca at The District at Green Valley Ranch will offer a Pasta Making Workshop.
Priced at $75 per person (plus tax and tip) and led by Executive Chef Michael Gucfa, guests will learn how to make pasta from scratch. The experience will include a lunch featuring the handmade creations, complemented by expertly paired wines, and each guest will also receive a specialty gift bag to take home. The class will begin at 2:30 p.m. Reservations are available here.
Gaetano’s Ristorante — September 18
Gaetano’s Ristorante will present a wine dinner featuring DAOU Vineyards, hosted by Jorge Monroy and Jessica Olmsted of DAOU.
Pairings are Caesar Salad with homemade croutons paired with DAOU Chardonnay Reserve; Wild Mushroom Ravioli with mascarpone cheese cream sauce matched with DAOU Bodyguard Red Blend; Surf ‘n’ Turf 4-ounce Petite Filet Mignon with red wine demiglace sauce and Blackened Pan-Seared Jumbo Shrimp with garlic mashed potatoes and sauteed vegetables paired with DAOU Soul of a Lion (97 pts); and Flourless Chocolate Cake matched with DAOU Estate Port Wine.
The dinner will begin at 7 p.m. and the cost is $160 per person (all-inclusive). To purchase tickets, click here.
Grape Vine Café Wine Bar & Cellar — September 21
Grape Vine Café Wine Bar & Cellar will host a four-course wine dinner featuring the wines of Austin Hope Family Wines out of Paso Robles, California.
Courses are:
- Seafood Ceviche paired with Austin Hope Chardonnay
- Cheesy Mushroom Arancini with vodka sauce matched with Treana Red Blend
- Slow Braised Short Rib paired with Quest Cabernet Franc
and Austin Hope Cabernet - Chocolate Truffle Mousse
The dinner will begin at 6 p.m. and the cost is $115 per person (plus tax and tip). To reserve, call 702-228-9463.
Pick of the Week: Stubborn Seed
Chef Jeremy Ford made a name for himself after winning Bravo’s Top Chef Season 13. He followed it up with a 2022 James Beard Award Semi-Finalist placement and the opening of Stubborn Seed in Miami, which earned and has maintained a Michelin Star for three years running. Now he’s sharing his excellence with us, as he’s opened a Las Vegas version of his highly accomplished Stubborn Seed.
Like Chef Ford’s accolades, the décor of the new restaurant is also impressive. There’s an Art Deco façade joined with lush greenery, dark wood tile flooring and ceiling, black and red tones lending an Asian vibe, an enclosed patio with frosted windows and natural light, and a large painting in the dining room of a breaking wave signed by Chef Ford and his team.
Described as Modern American, the term is somewhat limiting, as the cuisine is quite global, with Chef Ford especially leaning into Japanese ingredients prepared with American techniques.
While the Miami original, which opened in 2017, offers only a tasting menu, the Las Vegas location also offers an à la carte menu. Some of the gems from the appetizers section are Kushi Oysters with ginger and green apple mignonette and orange habanero hot sauce, Iberico Ham Fritters with smoked paprika emulsion, Foie Gras & Truffle Tart with white port fiji apple gelee and feuilletine, and Sichuan Spiced Tempura Maitake Mushrooms with black pepper soy and sesame.
One might be surprised to see a burger on the menu of a fine dining restaurant, but as Chef Ford stated, a burger is his favorite thing to eat, so he goes all in with the JJ’s Guilty Pleasure Burger. It’s a double patty smash burger made with wagyu beef smoked and cured in-house, seasoned with pastrami spices, and topped with crispy onions, smoked beef bacon, American cheese, and beefy crave sauce.
There’s also Asian-inspired braised and smoked Beef Rib with pickled salad, herb crepes, shiso, and red gem lettuce that is meant to be eaten like a lettuce cup; and wood-fired ember-grilled branzino with brown butter piccata, hazelnuts, and tomato mélange.
Inventive sides include Crunchy Truffle Bravas with soppressata and garlic crumbs, pepita, and Charred Jerk Carrots with pickled tomatoes, spiced yogurt, mint, and candied peanuts that made this avowed carrot hater love the root vegetable.
An excellent way to fully experience what Stubborn Seed has to offer is by investing in the six-course tasting menu, which changes seasonally. Priced at $145 per person, it currently includes Kalamata Olive Ciabatta with whipped feta, kalamata dust, and pickled baby radish; Sake & Citrus Cured Japanese Yellowtail with crispy tapioca, compressed Asian pear, and a passionfruit buttermilk emulsion; Harissa Lamb Fagottelli with ginger tomato emulsion, sweet hot peppers, pinenut dukkah, and crispy leeks; Pan Roasted Barramundi with spring asparagus, confit fennel, shiitake sofrito, and galangal green curry; Westholme Australian Wagyu Striploin served with brown butter soubise, Desert Moon mushrooms, Marcona almond, fermented soybean, and natural jus; and Citrus Pavlova Olive Oil Cake with yuzu pastry cream, summer cherries, Mandarin pate de fruit, and caramelized pistachios. The tasting menu can be elevated with additions of Iberico ham, caviar, foie gras, and wine pairings for additional costs.
Your meal is complemented by an extensive wine collection and a wine cellar containing more than 200 bottles. More than a dozen are offered by the glass, such as Cantina Terlano White Blend from Alto Adige, Italy and Post and Beam Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Several inventive cocktails are in the mix, like the Kill Dill: a refreshing concoction of Grey Whale Gin, Dolin Génépy liqueur, a blend of cucumber and house-made dill syrup, egg white, and a touch of Fresno pepper.
Stubborn Seed is open for dinner daily in the main dining room and patio from 5 to 10 p.m. and in the bar & lounge from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Mon-Thu and till midnight Fri-Sat. For more info, visit stubbornseed.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.
Last week’s episode was recorded at Havana 1957 at The Flamingo, where Al, Gemini, and guest co-host Don Chareunsy (of the brand new VegasPublicity.com) have a fantastic tasting of Cuban cuisine. They also talked to Chef Michael Torres. You’ll hear restaurant reports on Amari, NeNe Contemporary Japanese Bistro, Wineaux, Lao Kitchen, and the new 888 Japanese BBQ location (among other spots). Also, as usual: Andrew Morgan’s Happy Hour Report and the news.
To listen, click here.
Dining News
Anima by EDO Launches Lunch Service
Anima by EDO at The Gramercy is now serving lunch on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
A two-course meal is being offered for $25 per person. It includes a choice of appetizer (Green Tartare, Gem Lettuce, Caprese Salad, Dealer’s Choice Salad, or 30-Day Dry Aged Striploin Carpaccio) and entrée choice (Bucatini Cacio E Pepe, Rigatoni Amatriciana, Mafaldine Carbonara, Eggplant Paccheri, Risotto, Salmon a La Plancha, Picanha & Frites, or Anima Meatball). There are also several add-ons available, including Bravas Potatoes ($12), Bikini ($10), Mushroom Croquetas ($12), and Arancini ($12).
For more details and to view the complete lunch menu, click here.
Ole Red Las Vegas Brunch
Ole Red Las Vegas at the Grand Bazaar Shops at Horseshoe Vegas has relaunched its Honey Bee Brunch, a VIP rooftop experience.
Served on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the GHOST rooftop stage overlooking the Vegas Strip with live music, the brunch favorites with a Southern twist include:
- Buffalo Chicken Empanadas: empanada dough, buffalo chicken dip and baja slaw, garnished with buffalo sauce, sour cream, blue cheese crumble, and cilantro
- Egg & Chorizo Potato Skins: scrambled eggs and Mexican chorizo layered on crispy potato boats and topped with cotija cheese, cilantro, guacamole, and salsa
- Bratwurst Sliders: beer-braised compart duroc pork bratwurst with horseradish beer mustard and caramelized onions on a New England split top bun.
Brand-new handcrafted cocktails for the Honey Bee Brunch Tailgate Edition include Blackberry Buckaroo with Jim Beam, blackberry compote, mint syrup, lemon juice, and soda water; Tropic Like It’s Hot with Bacardi, mango habanero, pineapple juice, pina colada mix, and lime juice; and Rodeotini with Spark Plug Espresso Martini, RumChata, and simple syrup.
Ultimate Tailgate Package Returns to Proper Eats Food Hall
Proper Eats Food Hall inside ARIA Resort & Casino will again offer The Ultimate Tailgate package every Saturday and Sunday throughout football season.
Priced at $59 per person, it includes unlimited eats of select menu items at nearly all of Proper Eats’ concepts, including Egghead, Happy Leaf, Laughing Buddha, Lola’s Burgers, Parm Italian, Pizzaoki, Seoul Bird, and Wexler’s Deli. Guests may also add cut rolls from Temaki Bar to the package for an additional $20.
The package is available only to guests seated in the Proper Bar area. Food orders will be taken in increments of two, guests will be limited to three hours, and everyone at the same table must participate in the offer. All beverages are sold separately. Proper Bar offers more than 20 seats at the bar, plus high tops and comfortable booths. HDTVs surround the bar and lounge, offering prime sports viewing from every seat.
Reservations are highly encouraged and can be made here.
Entertainment News
Travel Back in Time to Observe Dinosaurs at Dinosaur Outpost
For anyone interested in dinosaurs, realistic recreations, and providing an interactive experience for their little loved one, Dinosaur Outpost is a must-visit.
Located on the west side of Town Square just across from Yard House, the family attraction contains more than 30 interactive prehistoric exhibits, towering life-size animatronics, and hands-on activities that transport guests back in time to explore the age of dinosaurs.
The tagline is “Learn, Play, and Discover in Prehistoric Times,” and that’s precisely what you’ll do here. Appropriately, your experience begins by pulling the lever of a time machine, transporting you back millions of years. Immediately upon entering, you can expect your child guests to be wowed as they encounter display after display of incredibly lifelike prehistoric creatures. The immersive hands-on interactions are pretty numerous, and include feeding baby dinosaurs, launching Brussels sprouts into a dinosaur’s mouth, brushing a dinosaur’s teeth, assembling a 3D dinosaur puzzle, watching baby dinosaurs hatching, taking a mechanized ride atop a friendly Pachyrhinosaurus, digging for fossils, racing pedal cars beside a rumbling volcano, and frolicking in a safe, padded jungle gym with a slide, swing, and things to climb.
While not a museum, there is an educational aspect. Throughout the venue, there are placards displaying info on each particular dinosaur species detailing where they lived, their size, and in what era they thrived.
The author’s grandson, Bryson. Photos by Stephanie Kramer
Dinosaur Outpost is designed for young children and those who are young at heart or interested in learning more about dinosaurs. Having experienced the venue with Bryson, my two-and-a-half-year-old grandson, I can attest that the animatronics reminded me of Disneyland attractions for their lifelike, realistic representations. My greatest enjoyment was seeing his thrilled reactions as he continuously pointed and exclaimed, “Dinosaur!” every time we encountered another dinosaur creation. While we spent just over two hours there, one could easily spend much longer, and the fun will continue with visit after visit.
Single visit passes are $27 per person ($24 for locals) and kids under 36” get in free. Dinosaur Outpost is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and weekends from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more info, to book a party, or for pricing on multiple visit passes, visit dinosauroutpost.com.
