In this weekly update, food and beverage reporter Bob Barnes fills us in on noteworthy restaurant openings and closings, dining news, culinary events and entertainment news worth knowing about.
Events
all’Antico Vinaio — January 26
all’Antico Vinaio will celebrate its grand opening on January 26 at 8533 Rozita Lee Ave., Suite 100 located within UnCommons, the mixed-use development near Durango just south of the 215. To mark the opening of the 5th US location of the Florence, Italy-founded shop, beginning at 11 a.m. there will be a ribbon cutting with District A County Commissioner Michael Naft, who will make a proclamation to declare the day as “all’Antico Vinaio Day.” Starting at noon, the shop will offer a complimentary sandwich for the first 100 guests, limited to one per person. A selection of its famous sandwiches made with authentic Tuscan ingredients include the La Summer, made with prosciutto Toscano, mozzarella, tomato and basil. The first US location of all’Antico Vinaio debuted in NYC in 2021, where lines of New Yorkers and visitors are known to stand in lines that wrap around the block.
Grape Vine Café Wine Bar & Cellar — January 28
Grape Vine Café Wine Bar & Cellar will host a four-course wine dinner featuring the Frank Family Vineyards and hosted by Winemaker Todd Graff, who has been creating these wines for 20 vintages. Pairings are Mixed Field Greens with sweet potato, feta, avocado, pepitas and lemon tahini dressing paired with 2022 Frank Family Vineyards Chardonnay, Carneros; Pappardelle with Lamb Ragu matched with 2019 Frank Family Vineyards Zinfandel, Napa Valley; Tenderloin of Beef with crab Hollandaise, mashed potatoes and asparagus paired with 2021 Frank Family Vineyards Cabernet, Napa Valley and 2018 Frank Family Vineyards Cabernet, Rutherford Reserve; and Chocolate Cream Cheese Mousse. There will also be raffles and discounted bottles. The dinner will begin at 6 p.m. and the cost is $125 per person plus tax and tip. To reserve, call 702-228-9463.
The Front Yard — February 11
The Front Yard at Ellis Island will host a Super Bowl viewing party with unlimited food and an open bar. The venue offers more than a dozen TVs in the main level Courtyard including an 18-ft BIG screen and several more on the second story Terrace. The all-you-can-eat menu will include gameday favorites such as wings, Sin City Scoops (fried potato scoops smothered with house-smoked brisket and beer cheese) and flatbreads in the small plates portion of the menu; and the bar will be hosting pours of Ellis Island beer and call drinks. The party is priced at $250 per person (plus tax and fees). For more info and to select seating and purchase tickets click here.
Pick of the Week
After operating out of the Vegas Test Kitchen for two years, Yukon Pizza went brick and mortar, opening in the Huntridge Center at 1130 E. Charleston in late November, 2022. I’ve been meaning to make it out there ever since they opened and finally did so last week, and am very glad I did. Named for Founder/Co-owner Alex White’s great-great-grandpa Gilbert, who started the family sourdough yeast culture during the Klondike Gold Rush in the Yukon Territories, the starter has been used for more than 125 years and continues to be used in the pizzas. Alex is joined by Co-owners Dani White, Cameron White and Justin Ford (who also is Executive Chef). Signature wood-fired pies include the Y-train—classic New York style with New York tomato sauce, oregano, parmesan, mozzarella, roasted garlic oil and basil; Grandpa White—white pie topped with garlic oil, oregano, mozzarella, mozzarella slices, parmesan, fresh basil and ricotta dollops; and Hey, I’m Vegan Here! featuring vegan mozzarella and parmesan, New York sauce and fresh basil. In addition, the menu includes salads, wings, burgers and fries.
I’m happy to report the beer menu is all local, with the current lineup including Astronomy Golden Ale, Lovelady 9th Island Pineapple Sour and Revision Vegas as Fuck IPA.
Specials, which rotate every month or so, are definitely worth considering, and during my visit it was the Crab Rangoon with cream cheese crab Rangoon, sweet & sour sauce, mozzarella, green onions and crispy wontons.
Most of the business is takeout, but if you choose to dine-in, there is limited counter seating and several deals including 15% off to CCSD students and teachers, Huntridge Center employees daily and on Industry Mondays for those working in the Food and Beverage Industry; lunch specials from noon-3 p.m.; and happy hour from 3-6 p.m. Yukon Pizza is open Tue.-Sun. from noon-10 p.m.
Dining News
Ai Pono Café
Ai Pono Café Launches Hawaii Style Breakfast
Las Vegas is fondly known as the 9th Island, so it’s fitting that Chef Gene Villiatora and his team at Ai Pono Café at Durango Casino & Resort’s Eat Your Heart Out food hall are saying aloha to early mornings with the launch of their new weekend breakfast menu of “Hawaii Style Breakfast.” The all-new authentic menu is served every Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m.-11 a.m. and includes:
Hawaii Favorites
- Portuguese sausage, eggs, rice plate
- Spam, eggs, rice plate
- Ai Pono Loko Moko
Ai Pono Originals
- Da “DMZ” – kimchee fried rice, hot dog and meat Jun
- Da “Toast” – Hawaii sweet bread French toast with Lili koi butter and vanilla bean syrup
- Da “Cake” – macadamia nut and banana buttermilk cakes with guava butter, coconut cream and toasted coconut
- Da “Rat Pack” – garlic bacon fried rice, garlic chicken and eggs
- Da “First Fly Pilai” – ube waffle and guava chili pepper fried chicken with honey butter and Thai chili syrup
Priced at $14, the alcohol-infused concoctions are served with the choice of Bailey’s Irish Cream, Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, Kahlúa, Rumple Minze or Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey; and with topping options such as marshmallows, peppermint or Reese’s. Additionally, for guests under 21 or for those searching for an alcohol-free option, regular hot chocolate will also be offered.
Minus5º ICEBAR also invites guests to experience new ice displays quarterly as its Staying COOL artisan ice sculpting program brings never-before-seen ice displays and sculptures on an ongoing basis.
Dinner and Show at The STRAT
The Strat is offering dinner and show packages pairing its PT’s Wings & Sports, CHĪ Asian Kitchen, McCall’s Heartland Grill and Top of the World restaurants with preferred seating at its Banachek’s Mind Games Live, iLuminate, L.A. Comedy Show and ROUGE shows. Prix fixe menus include the following:
- PT’s Wings & Sports offers 5-ounce boneless bites with the choice of sauce; choice of a burger, sandwich or pizza; and choice of dessert.
- CHĪ Asian Kitchen offers choice of a spicy cucumber salad, Shanghai scallion pancake or spicy edamame; choice of one soup, rice or noodle dish; and mochi ice cream for dessert. (Offer excludes XO Shrimp Noodles and Seafood Yakisoba and does not include additional meat selections.)
- McCall’s Heartland Grill offers choice of soup or a salad, a half chicken or salmon and cheesecake or chocolate cake.
- Top of the World offers a glass of champagne, Caesar salad, choice of an entrée and side and warm butter cake. (Price of entrée selection cannot exceed $80, sides of lobster mac and cheese are not included in the offer and guests should allow two hours for service.)
For pricing and additional information click here.
Entertainment News
FlyOver Las Vegas is Now Home to The Nathan Burton Magic Show
FlyOver Las Vegas, the Strip’s flight ride attraction, has opened a new 199-seat theatre that is now home to The Nathan Burton Magic Show. Burton achieved stardom appearing on NBC’s America’s Got Talent and has been headlining Vegas for the past 17 years. The 70-minute afternoon show is an interactive and fast-paced magic show featuring comedy, impressive illusions, beautiful showgirls, complicated tricks and close-up magic. Tickets feature a variety of afternoon seating options from Premium VIP to general admission and range from $22-$52. The show is open to all ages and tickets can be purchased here.
Before or after the show, guests can experience one or all of three FlyOver films at 30% off with their Nathan Burton Show ticket. The rides use a state-of-the-art moving platform with six degrees of motion along with special effects like wind, mist and location-specific scents while guests are suspended with feet dangling above some of the world’s natural wonders. Ride options currently include Wonders of the American West, Legendary Iceland and Windborne: Call of the Canadian Rockies. FlyOver is open daily from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and tickets start at $32. For more information about FlyOver in Las Vegas, visit flyoverlasvegas.com.
- Featured image, Nathen Burton FlyOver courtesy of FlyOver
- all’ Antico Vinaio Summer Sandwich photo courtesy of All’Antico Vinaio
- The Front Yard Interior First Floor photo courtesy of Ellis Island
- Yukon Pizza team photo and Grandpa White pizza courtesy of Yukon Pizza
- Al Pono Café Da Cake photo courtesy of Al Pono Café
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Bob Barnes began his food and beverage writing career in 1998 as Regional Correspondent for Celebrator Beer News and wrote the Nevada Beer Nuggets column from 1998-2019. He was Editorial Director of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional from 2012-2021 and has covered Las Vegas for Gayot since 2010. He continues to contribute to Gayot, writing the Gayot Las Vegas Restaurant News, features on new restaurants, and beer and spirit reviews. He also writes regularly for Off The Strip, The Vegas Voice, Neon Feast, and Las Vegas Magazine.
