This weekly update covers noteworthy restaurant openings and closings, dining news, culinary events, and entertainment news.
Events
The Legacy Club — December 7
The Legacy Club at the Circa Resort & Casino will host Bourbon & Blues, a tasting event with music from a live blues band. Taking over both indoor and outdoor sections of the 60th-floor rooftop lounge from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., guests can indulge in the following offerings:
- Bourbon Tasting Stations—explore at your own pace a bourbon selection showcasing the unique characteristics and flavor profiles of different distilleries. Attendees will sip and savor each selection in a Circa keepsake-tasting glass.
- BBQ Bites—BBQ bites will be available to enhance the flavors of the various bourbons.
- Live Music—Las Vegas’ own four-piece blues band, the Volsteads, known for their prohibition blues, rustic folk, and bootlegger swing vibe, will set the tone for the afternoon.
Tickets are $125 per person plus LET tax and can be purchased here.
Big Dog’s Brewing — December 11
Big Dog’s Brewing Company and Happy Ending Chocolates are partnering to present the Hoppy Holidays Beer, Chocolate, and Cheese Pairing. Held at the Draft House/Big Dog’s Brewing from 6-8 p.m., the event will include four Big Dog’s specialty beers from the past year, four Happy Ending Chocolates, four artisanal cheeses, and special presentations from Executive Chef Sergio Meza and Big Dog’s Head Brewer Dave Pascual.
The cost is $44.95 per person plus tax.
To purchase tickets, click here.
AMARI Italian Kitchen & Wine Shop — December 16
Amari Kitchen & Wine Shop at UnCommons will host The Gambler Takeover, the next installment of its dining series.
The dining experience inspired by the glamour and flavors of 1970s Las Vegas will feature renowned chef Adam Sobel, former executive chef of Mina Group’s portfolio of restaurants, as well as Guy Savoy, Charlie Trotter, and Bradley Ogden.
The menu will include starters of freshly baked “Miami” focaccia, classic chopped salad, savory bacon-wrapped scallops, Bluefin tuna tartare, and bloomin’ caviar onion.
Entrees include a choice of Westholme Wagyu prime rib, Ora King salmon Wellington or a vegetarian-friendly butternut squash gratin. They are accompanied by family-style sides of creamed spinach, loaded whipped potatoes, and Brussels sprouts.
Desserts will be family-style indulgences, including chocolate-pistachio molten cake and a chilled Maui Gold Pineapple cocktail.
Live music will include Frank Sinatra-era classics and holiday favorites during the dinner.
Dinner reservations are available from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., and the cost is $125 per person (plus tax and tip).
To select your reservation time and to purchase tickets, click here.
Pick of the Week: La Cave Wine & Food Hideaway
Jenna and Michael Morton opened La Cave Wine & Food Hideaway at Wynn Las Vegas in December 2010, the first restaurant to open in their newly formed Morton Group, which now includes other stellar restaurants such as ONE Steak at Virgin Hotels and CRUSH American Grill at MGM Grand.
Over the past 14 years, La Cave has proven to be a beloved eatery that celebrates wine and pairs it with a menu by the highly talented Morton Group Culinary Director William DeMarco. It is as enticing as a coveted vintage. After a recent remodel, La Cave has a refreshed look and some fun new menu items.
An attractive new bar has been added to the main dining room. Floor-to-ceiling windows lining the entire back wall can be opened when the weather is inviting and offer views of the Wynn pool area and the nearby Sphere, resulting in a more open and inviting atmosphere. Hand-glazed terracotta tiles framed in rich teak line the bar, while a bronzed two-way mirror reflects the room’s energy.
“With this design, we sought to capture the magic of La Cave’s ambiance through a new lens,” said co-owner Michael Morton. “In addition to enhancing the overall space, this remodel maximizes the stunning views of Wynn’s garden and pool.”
New additions to the menu from acclaimed Chef William DeMarco are New Zealand Lamb served with creamy mascarpone polenta, spinach, garlic, and capers ($32); Pipe Rigate with ciliegine mozzarella, prosciutto, and a touch of chili flakes ($22); and a new addition to the charcuterie selections, Duck Prosciutto ($11).
In addition, several dishes have been refreshed with seasonal ingredients, including the Sirloin Steak with shishito pepper, shiitake mushroom, and salsa verde ($36); Chilean Sea Bass served with potato, piquillo pepper, cilantro, and roasted garlic ($32); and Seared Ahi Tuna with roasted fennel, shishito, spinach, and dashi broth ($29).
Thankfully, several other favorites remain on the menu, such as Beef Carpaccio with mushroom, caper, and truffle aioli; Salmon Sashimi Tostada with pickled red onion, avocado, and sesame soy dressing; Short Rib Taco with avocado crema; Crispy Eggplant Parmesan Flatbread with Calabrian chilies, ricotta, and balsamic reduction; Truffle Mushroom Grits with Pecorino; Crispy Brussels Sprout with gochujang; and S’mores Flatbread with toasted marshmallow, graham cracker, and white & dark chocolate.
La Cave is open Sunday through Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 4 to 10 p.m., and La Cave’s renowned butler-style brunch presents individually crafted breakfast and lunch delights served tableside Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Dining News
Silverton Hosting Annual BAD ELF Holiday Pop-Up Bar
Shady Grove Lounge at the Silverton Casino is again hosting its annual BAD ELF Pop-Up Bar, open Thursday through Sunday from 5-11 p.m. from Nov. 21 to Dec. 29. The pop-up features decorations throughout the bar with string lights, oversized ornaments, dozens of elves suspended from the ceiling, a fireplace with a Christmas tree, and the bar’s Airstream decked out in festive red and green and topped with Santa and his reindeer on the roof.
Several holiday-themed cocktails and food items are offered, including:
- Rudolph’s Reindeer Chow made with white chocolate coasted popcorn, Chex Mix, M&Ms, and pretzels ($7)
- Santa’s Cookies and Milk with an assortment of Linzer tarts, peppermint bark, peanut butter, Hershey’s Kiss cookies, molasses sugar cookies, and two shots of eggnog ($15)
- Mistletoe Mimosa with limoncello, prosecco, Midori, sparkling wine, lemon and orange juice, and grenadine ($20)
- Cookie Butter Martini, an espresso martini with cookie butter foam ($15).
In addition, guests can sign up for the Bad Elf Experience for $25, which includes two holiday cocktails of your choice, a BAD ELF souvenir glass and a chance to participate in the BAD ELF Puzzle Hunt with four puzzles to solve using clues within the bar, which once solved, offers exclusive cocktails and the chance to win a grand prize. For more details, visit silvertoncasino.com/dining/bad-elf.
Aroma Latin American Cocina Serving Seasonal Christmas Menu Items
Aroma Latin American Cocina will offer a special Navidad/Christmas menu of chef Steve Kestler’s interpretations of seasonal favorites from Latin America. Served from Dec. 3 to 18, the menu includes:
- Guatemalan Enchiladas ($16) with wagyu picadillo, curtido rojo, cotija, and hard-boiled egg
- Pan Con Pierna ($20)—roasted Kurobuta pork leg, brioche bun, onions, tomatoes, house dressing, and fries
- Guatemalan Christmas Chicken or Pork Tamales ($21) with corn masa, recado rojo, pasa, ciruela, and aceituna
- Stuffed Lomo Iberico for 2 ($58) with cranberry, mashed potatoes, esquites, ensalada mixta, and agridolce
- Molletes ($12)—Hawaiian roll stuffed with bread pudding, cinnamon mousse, and creme anglaise.
Two specialty cocktails will also be offered: Ponche Sin o Con Piquete ($7/$10), a Latin American Christmas punch with seasonal fruits and spices served hot and optional splash of Malbec; and Atol de Elote ($7), a sweet corn-based drink beloved across Latin America for its comforting and soothing qualities.
Entertainment News
Nevada Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker, a holiday tradition in Las Vegas for over 40 years, will play at Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts on select dates from Friday, Dec. 14 to Friday, Dec. 27.
The production by former Nevada Ballet Theatre Artistic Director James Canfield has been called “the most visually beautiful production ever staged in Reynolds Hall.” The classic Christmas tale is a magical journey through a larger-than-life world filled with waltzing flowers, nimble fairies, and “snowflakes” falling from the sky.
Tickets (including fees) are $41.35-$218.45. Performances are approximately two hours long and include one 20-minute intermission.
For more info and to purchase tickets, click here.