Where to eat and drink around Las Vegas this week
(Editor’s Note: Tasty Tuesday airs on KTNV Channel 13 on Tuesdays at 11:20 a.m.)
This week, BBQ smokes up the Arts District, smoky cocktails and caviar make a perfect pairing at Bellagio and it’s a new day for delis in Las Vegas.
Soulbelly BBQ on Main Street
Soulbelly BBQ opened on May 13th in the Arts District in Downtown Las Vegas. This is James Beard nominated and Bravo “Top Chef” favorite, Chef Bruce Kalman, first barbecue restaurant after leaving the world of Italian fine dining—with business partner Richard Camarota. The restaurant showcases several of Chef Kalman’s takes on regional staples.
For example, the brisket is Texas-inspired while the pulled pork is Carolina style. Everything in the restaurant from the meats to the sides are handcrafted – even the pasta in the mac and cheese is made in house. Soulbelly BBQ won’t be known for just great food, but as a great place to catch a live music performance, too.
I’m taking a little more of a chef’s approach than a pitmaster’s, though the heart of the industry and culture can still be tasted. Signature #jigglymeat–a phrase coined for the way a brisket moves when it’s pulled from the smoker dishes include Kalman’s Salt & Pepper Brisket, Carolina Pulled Pork, Chipotle Cider Glazed Drumsticks, Pork Spare Ribs, Hatch Chile and Cheddar Hot Links, and Texas Sausages.
From handcrafted pasta and chicharrón breadcrumbs for the Mac and Cheese, to extensive recipe testing for the Coleslaw, Kalman dedicated his efforts toward ensuring that each dish on Soulbelly BBQ’s menu was crafted with full flavor in mind.
Petrossian Bar at Bellagio
Caviar Tacos and captivating cocktail pairings take center stage at Petrossian Bar’s new epicurean experience at Bellagio Resort & Casino.
The Worldly Old Fashioned, a glass globe, transports an international Old Fashioned tableside with Yamazaki (12-Year Japanese Whisky), WhistlePig (10-Year Whiskey), Craigelliache (13-Year Scotch), Demerara Syrup and Angostura Bitters.
The Bellagio Martini exudes elegance with a beautifully shaped ice sphere at the center of the glass. This quintessential vodka-based martini features lemon essence for a splash of citrus to pair with the lavish and edible Ossetra Caviar Cigar.
One of the planet’s most opulent and scrumptious taco, The Caviar Taco features a thin and crispy potato shell filled with layered flavors of Hamachi, lemon, chives and olive oil and then topped with Daurenkie caviar.
Petrossian Bar’s delectable dessert, Dark Chocolate Caviar, mimics caviar service through dark chocolate “pearls” presented with Meyer lemon gelee, fresh citrus supremes, Rose champagne sorbet and vanilla chantilly.
Saginaw’s Deli at Circa
Conceptualized by Michigan legend Paul Saginaw, Saginaw’s Delicatessen is his first restaurant outside of Michigan. A lifelong fan of Downtown Las Vegas, Saginaw has collaborated with Stevens to introduce a family-style deli touting sandwiches “so big, you’ll need two hands to eat them.”
Saginaw is known worldwide for the iconic Zingerman’s Deli – an Ann Arbor institution he opened with partner Ari Weinzweig in1982 – that’s consistently ranked among the world’s best sandwich joints. A college-aged Derek Stevens used to line up early for the restaurant’s buzzed-about sandwiches, and later opened the Coffee Stand at the D Las Vegas, proudly serving Zingerman’s Coffee.
Saginaw’s menu includes his famous Reuben and several more of the creative sandwiches for which he’s known. Traditional delicatessen favorites round out the menu, including matzo ball soup, onion rings, salads, latkes, all-day breakfast specialties and more.
When you stop by, order the “Royal Flush Reuben.”Thissandwich is a fan favorite at Saginaw’s and features corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and house-made Russian dressing, served toasted with rye bread. Another popular choice to consider is “Derek’s Favorite,” named after Stevens himself, features succulent roast beef, hard salami, tomato, mayo and Las Vegas Gold mustard, with rye bread toasted to perfection.
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