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City Cast Las Vegas

The latest on the hottest places to eat, drink, socialize, and talk about in Las Vegas.

Got a full plate of food news this week …

, right? Winner of that ballyhooed Dapper Co. competition for a built-out location in the Huntridge Shopping Center? If that seems like 10,000 news cycles ago, well, the opening’s finally getting closer — and 

 Candidates to work as line cooks and sous chef should apply online ahead of time; selected applicants will be emailed with details about where to take the culinary skills exam on these days.

 Applicants for all other positions can visit a hiring fair at the diner. Prior online application is encouraged, but walk-ins will be accepted from 1-2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and 6-7 p.m. Monday; bring resume, ID, and current health district card.

Food historian Sarah Lohman teams up with Arts District restaurant Main Street Provisions next Thursday for a presentation called “

: Tasting Las Vegas Food History.” It’s part of the Neon Museum’s “Duck Duck Shed” program honoring local culture. Here, 

 by food journalist Johnathan L. Wright. [Review-Journal]

Pour a little out for the latest additions to 2023’s list of 

These readers have suggested a few additions to this newsletter’s roundup of great coffee joints beyond downtown. Adding each to my sip list.

 in Henderson has the best coffee in town. They have it shipped in directly from Hawaii. I actually drive from Summerlin to Henderson to treat myself.”

 on West Charleston has some of the best coffee in town. The beans are roasted on-site and you can chat with the roaster while he brews your coffee to order.”

We've got a full plate of food news this week …

What Does Vegas Food History Taste Like?

Winning Diner Staffs Up, the Taste of Old Vegas, and More

Food & Drink

Time again to fill up on local food news.

This weekend’s Greek Festival (deets below) kicks off a fall season 

. Johnathan L. Wright helps you mark your calendar. [Review-Journal]

If you plan to venture into the hipster containment zone known as Life is Beautiful, Eater Vegas has some 

. Just avoid the puddles of beard oil! [Eater Vegas]

On Monday, I included Cottonwood Station in a rundown of Blue Diamond’s high points. A reader who lives out there demurs. “We have stopped frequenting that business,” they write. “They often don’t have the staff to accommodate simple/basic orders, and they have a 30- to 60-minute gap between breakfast and lunch where customers have to stand around and wait. Also, the staff are not very friendly or welcoming.” The more you know.

📜 Another Day, Another National Food List …

… That Las Vegas isn’t on: Bon Appetit’s rundown of 

. Nor does the city figure into the mag’s tally of best single dishes or desserts. [Bon Appetit]

A year ago, I asked local food writers why lists like this ignore Vegas. A sampling of the replies:

 “Unfortunately, the reputation of the Strip (as a bastion of tourist-soaking celebrity chefs) hurts the efforts of neighborhood restaurants in their efforts to garner national recognition.”

 “Las Vegas' culinary origin as a cheap buffet and steak-and-eggs town still colors opinions of the city, as does the current reputation (some of it deserved) for excess. Many food writers look down on both.”

 “What the hell does New York know about Las Vegas?”

Las Vegas' Fall Food Festivals, Where to Eat in Life is Beautiful, and More

Las Vegas' Fall Food Festivals and More

 “Gold leaf is to food what tail fins were to Cadillacs: Strictly to impress those with more money than brains or taste. The types who 

 over architectural chocolate and things set aflame for no other reason than to pad the bill.”

The Raiders open their 2023 season on Sunday — at Denver. (Go, Broncos!) Their first home game isn’t until Sept. 24. Should you attend, food journalist Johnathan L. Wright has some 

 when you’re in the Big Roomba, er Allegiant Stadium — including boozy ice cream. [Review-Journal]

🌮 Finally, Vegas Is Near the Top of a Good List

This study, which designates Las Vegas as 

, was conducted by a real-estate website, and involved crunching a lot of data and tasting exactly zero tacos. But at least we learn that the valley has .064 taco joints per square mile, and that seems like enough. (Austin, Texas, and San Jose, Calif., are Nos 1 and 2.) [Real Estate Witch]

Not the standard arrangement, right? But this writeup is pretty persuasive about the 

 at the Su Casa sushi bar in The Silverton. Might have to try it — lotta people 

This week’s charcuterie board of Las Vegas food news and views.

Las Vegas Is a Great Taco Town

Las Vegas Is a Great Taco City + Edible Gold Leaf ... Why?

Local food critic John Curtas may be best known for his astringent takes on food, culture, and people, but he is, at heart, a knowledgeable food enthusiast, as his list of 

Queen Las Vegas, a new LGBTQ-friendly hotel on Las Vegas Boulevard downtown, 

 tomorrow, with executive chef Natalie Delgado at the helm. Future plans include a drag-queen brunch. [Review-Journal]

Fall’s only 24 days away, but the heat’s still on — mid-90s as far as the forecast can see. So reread co-host Vogue Robinson’s 

, the locally handcrafted popsicles that will blow your taste buds’ mind. They’re $4 a pop, but if you feel the urge to splurge, Vogue’s right — they’re awesome. [Hey Las Vegas 📧]

It’s taco o’clock somewhere — indeed, is it ever 

 taco o’clock? — and the folks at Eater Vegas have 

A sampler plate of Las Vegas food news and views

Best New Restaurants in Las Vegas, and a Robust Taco List

Best New Restaurants, and a Robust Taco List

This was written by lead producer Sonja Cho Swanson:

I thought I knew a thing or two about fried chicken: The buttermilk-brined, thick-crusted Southern fried chicken of church potlucks growing up, the extra-crispy, double-fried, garlicky Korean fried chicken that’s always served with beer, the can’t-stop-won’t-stop sear of Nashville hot chicken.

And then I tried Chef Hemant Kishore’s 

. What a revelation: Indian spices baked in, a dark and delightful crunch, and a squeeze of lime to wake everything up. Chef Hemant serves a few kinds of fried chicken, but the Trivandrum fried chicken, named for his hometown, most closely mirrors the street food he remembers eating growing up in the southern Indian state of Kerala. “It’s just called ‘chicken fry’ there,” he says. Unlike American fried chicken, which is typically brined and battered, 

 is marinated for 36 hours in yogurt and spices like chili, fennel, and curry leaf. It’s then battered with rice flour, giving it a darker, extra-crisp exterior.

Don’t forget to order extra dipping sauces, which were possibly the highlight of the meal. The tikka ranch is ranch sauce finally reaching its enlightened form. And our plant-based friends need not miss out: The battered cauliflower, based on an Indo-Chinese recipe, is similarly flavor-forward.

Hemant started popping up a few years ago, rotating through guest kitchens, serving bar bites, more traditional Indian dishes, and experimenting with fusion foods. But his most recent venture with Fried Chicken Fridays at the Parlour downtown seems to have struck a chord: Desert Companion magazine just named him best pop-up of the year. You too, can get a taste of this feted fried chicken: The next Fried Chicken Friday is tomorrow and 

Sampling a chef's amazing Indian 'chicken fry' pop-up

Las Vegas' Next Big Thing in Fried Chicken

The Next Big Thing in Fried Chicken

Are dog-lovers getting too brazen, taking their pets 

 — including restaurants? Or are foodies too persnickety about a generally harmless activity? How do you feel when you see a dog in a coffee shop or eatery?

Email Your Opinion!

Who doesn’t love a good Strip food fight? This one involves Emmitt’s Las Vegas, a huge Fashion Show restaurant named for NFL great Emmitt Smith and announced almost two years ago. Still unopened, it’s 

 between some of the partners (not including Smith) and includes an impressively large damage claim: $67 million. [Review-Journal]

Did your lunch date flake on you? Excellent! Why not pop in your ear buds and ingest a couple of our short, tasty, dining-related podcast episodes as you eat your sad, lonely lunch?

 in Las Vegas – seasonally appropriate!

A helping of Las Vegas food news, with a side of conflict

The Latest in Las Vegas Food and Drink

A Restaurant Battle on the Strip + Dogs in Eateries

 and food offerings timed to the megastar’s Aug. 26 and 27 shows in Allegiant Stadium. [Review-Journal]

Last week, we here at Hey Las Vegas listed our favorite coffee shops beyond downtown. Let’s see what 

 before writing about it? If you guys actually go there you would see how filthy the place is. It's caked in dust everywhere ... nobody cleans shit. Yet they serve food and drinks the entire time.”

 — ranked No. 1 on Yelp in the country last year!”

 at Boca Park is fantastic. Great coffee, bites, and two-story atmosphere.”

. It uses locally roasted coffee beans from the 

, so I knock out two ‘locals’ in one visit!”

, and it ain’t no grind! [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]

Readers Love These Las Vegas Coffee Shops, Plus Beyonce Cocktails, and Top Baking

Readers Love These Coffee Shops — Except One ...

Here's what's new in the Las Vegas food and dining scene this week.

The highly anticipated restaurant Amari is now open inside the Uncommons complex. It’s headed by Las Vegas hospitality veteran Jason Rocheleau and is serving 

pizzas, pastas, focaccia, and dolce vibes

Mark off your calendar for October 10 at 10:10 a.m., because that’s when Hawaiian chain Zippy’s is opening 

. The beloved island restaurant and bakery serves items like chicken katsu, their signature chili, and Spam musubi platters. [Review-Journal]

You’ve heard of dry-aged steaks — how about 

? 138° Restaurant in Henderson is dry-aging fish, then marinating and grilling them, a modern take on an ancient process that intensifies and enhances their flavor. [Las Vegas Weekly]

New Italian, Hawaiian, and Dry-aged Seafood

Today we’re all about the two B’s — breakfast and bean salad. Dig in!

 a topic that’ll send readers to their keyboards. Following a recent Eater Vegas list of the valley’s best breakfast spots, here’s what you had to say, and to suggest:

 is criminal. Inexplicable. An affront to humanity.” (👈 

 in Desert Shores at the Lakeshore Plaza. Try the amazing Dutch Baby. Outdoor eating only, but shaded and comfortable in the morning.”

 in Henderson. Huge menu of omelets and scramble bowls. But because I live in Boulder City I usually find myself in the 

 on Desert Inn is amazing: huge portions, wide variety, and reasonably priced. Can’t wait till I get to treat someone to breakfast — that’s where we’re going.”

 in Summerlin. Their potatoes are on a level no other breakfast spuds could hope to touch. And I hope they inspire a trend of more restaurants with model trains!”

🫘 And Now the Recipe You’ve Been Waiting For …

If you listened to Monday's podcast interview with U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen, you heard all about the three-bean salad made by the grandmother of co-host Dayvid Figler. We promised you that recipe:

In a colander, add the beans and rinse in cold water. Transfer to a large bowl and add onion. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, sugar, and olive oil. Add to the bowl and toss until coated. Salt and pepper to taste. Place contents in a plastic container to the brim; no air. Refrigerate overnight. Serve.

Today we’re all about the two B’s — breakfast and beans. Dig in!

Reader-Approved Breakfasts in Las Vegas

Reader-Approved Breakfasts Around the Valley

Today we hear from readers, ask about breakfast, and herald a new joint in Henderson.

Where, I asked you recently, can we find good falafel? Thanks to a couple of readers, I’m adding these places to my to-chew list:

, located at 5115 Spring Mountain Road. Best falafel I've had in Las Vegas, and the eggplant sandwich (sabich) ... delicious!”

. Personally I agree with some of these choices, rue the inclusion of premium-mediocre chain-bait like Black Bear Diner and Blueberry Hill, and am surprised at an omission or two, though I suppose not everyone stans 

Anyway, lists like these are always a balancing act between being actually useful and just starting an argument. So, let’s argue! 📧 

One of downtown Henderson’s improbable foodie stops, the bar Hardway 8, closed in December. Now, as the general renaissance of Water Street continues apace, that location will be dishing out the 

 starting next week. Jonathan L. Wright fills us in. [Review-Journal]

In case you need another inducement to brave the Arts District’s shitty parking so you can tie on the feedbag at 1228 Main — current darling of the foodie elite, though perfectly habitable by a common grinder like me — here’s my old pal Geoff Carter 