BRETT’S VEGAS VIEW
Date: June 11, 2017
BY: Jackie Brett
BANDITO LATIN KITCHEN & CANTINA IS OPEN AT HUGHES CENTER
Bandito Latin Kitchen & Cantina opened June 5 in the Hughes Center. This is the first eatery from owner/operator, Kent Harman, a local hospitality professional with more than 30 years in the industry. The menu is inspired by the food of Latin America, with a heavy emphasis on Mexico.
The décor for the 4,000-square-foot restaurant is a mix of rustic and modern, with a lot of finished metal, hand-distressed wood and vivid colors. Thirty-foot tall glass windows provide a path for natural light to filter through. A rectangular bar is a show-stopper, surrounded by distressed butcher-block counters, hand-laid tile and backed by a 30-foot steel shelving structure that houses a variety of liquor bottles and a pair of 60-inch television sets. Two substantial eye-popping murals by local artist, Brett Rosepiler, depict “Bandito” and “Rosie.” Anchoring the open kitchen is a hand-pressed tortilla station that anchors the open kitchen. Bandito has seating for 150 both inside the cantina and dining room, and on an outdoor patio.
Bandito is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with dinner service extended until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
TROPICANA WILL UNVEIL NAPA VALLEY-INSPIRED STEAKHOUSE
The Tropicana as part of its continued revitalization will debut an all-new Napa Valley-inspired steakhouse concept, Oakville Steakhouse set to emerge on Saturday, June 17. The restaurant will celebrate Napa Valley’s acclaimed wines with a wide variety of cuts including dry-aged, Wagyu and grass fed beef, and a nightly carving special served tableside.
Upon entry, guests will view a stunning wine wall showcasing more than 150 bottles of wines. Dining room contemporary design elements will showcase artwork and photographs of the renowned vineyards, wineries and surrounding areas of Oakville. The restaurant will also offer a private dining room available for up to 40 guests.
Since late 2016, the Tropicana has added casual outlets Barista Café and Fresh Mix. This summer Robert Irvine's Public House will also open.
THE VENETIAN PRESENTS NEW ART INSTALLATION BY ANNE PATTERSON
The Venetian®, in association with Culture Corps, debuted a new art installation by Anne Patterson in The Waterfall Atrium. The art installation is a composition of the interactions of 32 miles of satin ribbon, suspended from the atrium’s soaring 55-foot ceiling. The visual installation consists of approximately 3,500 strategically-placed, vertically-hanging strands of ribbon of 15 varying shades from blue to emerald.
Patterson began her career designing sets and visual accompaniments for orchestras. Her first major art installation was Graced With Light - The Ribbon Project installed in 2013 at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.
ROSEANNE BARR WILL PERFORM AT GREEN VALLEY RANCH
Comedienne, actress, and writer Roseanne Barr is returning to Las Vegas for a special performance at the Grand Events Center at Green Valley Ranch on Saturday, Sept. 9 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25, $35 and $45.
Anticipation is high as Barr’s hit TV show “Roseanne,” which ran for nine seasons, will reportedly be returning in 2018. In 2014, Barr starred as judge on “Last Comic Standing.” Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, she worked as a dishwasher in her teen years before doing stand-up comedy. Her 1985 appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” thrust her into the limelight.
ACTOR-COMEDIAN ROB SCHNEIDER WILL VISIT TROPICANA THEATRE
Emmy-nominated actor and comedian Rob Schneider will take the stage for a stand-up occasion at the Tropicana Las Vegas over Fourth of July weekend on July 1 and 2 at 9 p.m. Schneider has broadened his focus to include directing, producing and writing. He has returned to his entertainment roots after starring in comedic films such as “Grown Ups,” “You Don’t Mess with The Zohan,” “50 First Dates,” “Big Daddy” and “The Waterboy.” Ticket range is $39.95 to $69.95.
CINDY WILLIAMS’ GUEST ROLE IN ‘MENOPAUSE’ EXTENDED AT HARRAH’S
Due to popular demand, Cindy Williams will continue another three months with her guest starring role in “Menopause The Musical®” at Harrah’s through Sept. 2. Tickets start at $52.95.
Williams is famous for her role as Shirley Feeney in the television comedy series “Laverne & Shirley.” This is Williams’ second Vegas run in the show and it marks the fifth time she has performed in “Menopause The Musical®” nationally. In addition,
Williams recently released her book, “Shirley, I Jest!: A Storied Life,” which is now being released in paperback.
NEON MUSEUM’S RED BARN SIGN ON DISPLAY AT FASHION SHOW
A new partnership will now have restored historic signs from the Neon Museum’s collection displayed for the first time on the Las Vegas Strip. First on display is the Red Barn neon sign on the Fashion Show’s newly renovated Plaza on a platform near Neiman Marcus. After several months, the Red Barn sign will be replaced with a different restored sign from the Neon Museum’s collection.
The Red Barn opened in the late 1950s as an antique store at 1317 Tropicana Avenue and was converted into a bar in the early 1960s. By 1969, it had evolved into one of the first openly gay bars in Las Vegas featuring drag shows, such as “RB Follies.” The bar closed in March 1988.
THE BLACK SHEEP IS NEW VALLEY RESTAURANT
The Black Sheep neighborhood restaurant opened in the southwest at 8680 W. Warm Springs Road with Chef-partner Jamie Tran serving her original take on casual modern American-Vietnamese food. Tran opened The Black Sheep in partnership with hospitality veterans Andy Hooper and Jon Schwalb.
The intimate 50-seat restaurant features a modern yet rustic feel with gray shiplap walls, muted industrial lighting, a mirrored accent wall and an aluminum awning, anchored by a 24-foot mural of a landscape dotted with sheep.
Tran trained under Charlie Palmer at Aureole, starting as a part time line cook and leaving as executive sous chef five and a half years later. She also worked in banquets at The Venetian and most previously served as executive chef at DB Brasserie.
Open nightly from 5-11 p.m., the restaurant boasts an elevated neighborhood experience while offering Strip-quality technique, adventuresome wine selections and serious cocktails at an approachable value. Starters range from $5-$13 and entrees from $17-$25, with a daily happy hour from 5-6 p.m. and 10-11 p.m. featuring $1 oysters and food and drink specials.
COMIC DAVID ALAN GRIER RETURNS TO TREASURE ISLAND
Stand-up comedian and Broadway, film and television star David Alan Grier will perform at the Treasure Island Theater with Kira Soltanovich, who spent three seasons on “Girls Behaving Badly,” on Friday, July 14 at 9 p.m. Tickets start at $49.95.
Currently, Grier plays Jerrod Carmichael’s father in the comedy series “The Carmichael Show,” now in its third season on NBC. Grier rose to fame on the sketch comedy series “In Living Color” alongside comedians Jamie Foxx, Jim Carrey and Tommy Davidson. Since then he has hosted the stand-up series “Premium Blend” and starred in his own Comedy Central special “The Book of David: The Cult Figure’s Manifesto.”
FAST NEWS TRACK
Elton John will return to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in October and November and early 2018 to perform his show “The Million Dollar Piano,” which will end in May 2018. There are 27 more performances left.
Keno open daily from 8 a.m. to midnight officially debuted this month at the Plaza downtown. Games run every 5-8 minutes. The Grand Opening Special through June 30 is buy five games and get the sixth game free with a couple exceptions.
Margarita La Diosa de la Cumbia will perform live in concert at Star of the Desert Arena in Primm, Nev., on Saturday, June 24 at 8 p.m. This Latin star has recorded more than 35 albums and garnered many awards including Colombia’s highest honor, the “Grade of Knight.” She authored a book in 2015, “El Lugar Donde Habitan Tus Sueños.” Tickets start at $40.
Reminder, the sixth annual DjangoVegas! gypsy jazz festival celebrating the music of Django Reinhardt and others in the genre will take place Saturday, June 17 at 6 p.m. at the Historic Fifth Street School. The festival featuring musicians from around the world will highlight The Django Festival All-Stars making their Las Vegas debut, The John Jorgenson Ensemble and The Hot Club of Las Vegas. Tickets are $20.
The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will host a pair of Mello Yello Drag Racing Series events in 2018. The DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals will take place April 6-8, and the NHRA Toyota Nationals – part of the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship – is slated for Oct. 25-28.
The Fashion Show mall will start its summer movie series, presented by Pepsi, Wednesday, June 21 with “Moana.” The complimentary, family-friendly movies will run every Wednesday in the Great Hall with a matinee show time of 11:30 a.m. Films will be played on the property’s digital screens for a larger-than-life cinematic experience.
BEER PARK WILL HOST EDC PARTY WITH CHART-TOPPING DJS
For EDC - Electric Daisy Carnival week, Beer Park at Paris will hold exclusive meet-and-greets with chart-topping DJs and giveaways from Tuesday, June 13 through Monday, June 19.
The prominent clothing label for EDC fans, Electric Family, will host some EDM artists, including Adventure Club, Illenium, Louis the Child and 3lau. On Thursday, shuffler Elena Cruz will hold an hour-long shuffle dance tutorial. A meet-and-greet will also include merchandise giveaways, a scavenger hunt and a Q&A with the co-founders of Electric Family.
TOPGOLF AMATEUR TOURNAMENT SERIES HOLDS FINALS IN LAS VEGAS
Topgolf® players from across America and the United Kingdom will compete like pros in the 20-city Topgolf Tour powered by Under Armour. Established in 2016, the Topgolf Tour is the first golf tournament series where men and women compete for the same prize and play the same format. The first regional tournament will be on July 8 with a stop in Las Vegas on July 9. The winning two-person team from each region will be outfitted head-to-toe in Under Armour and will earn a trip to Las Vegas for the Topgolf Tour Championship on Oct. 14-15, and a chance to win the $50,000 cash prize.
Regional tournaments will take place across 20 cities from July 8 through Sept. 17. Each tournament is open to 68 teams of two amateur players with spots filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
WET’N’WILD PARTICIPATES IN WORLD’S LARGEST SWIM LESSON
Kids and adults at aquatic facilities around the world will unite to set a new Guinness World Record™ while raising awareness about the importance of water safety and drowning prevention.
For the fourth consecutive year, Wet’n’Wild will be the official host venue in the global record attempt for The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ (WLSL) on Thursday, June 22 at 9:45 a.m. Check-in will begin at 9:15 a.m. Team WLSL holds the current Guinness World Record™ for the largest simultaneous swimming lesson with 40,000 participants representing 24 different countries but hopes to do better this year.
Following the WLSL at Wet’n’Wild, participants receive free park entry for the remainder of the day. To participate, each child must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The WLSL covers a 30-minute, basic swim lesson that will be held in the Red Rock Bay wave pool. Register online, the maximum is 400 people.
The Astronaut is a new exhibit at the Springs Preserve on display from June 12-Sept. 17. The traveling exhibit is an opportunity to discover being a space explorer including trying on a flight suit, taking a spin in a “centrifuge” capsule, climbing into a rocket, viewing live footage from the International Space Station, and exploring hands-on displays and interactive experiences.
ACKNOWLEDGING FATHER’S DAY
There will be many restaurants celebrating Father’s Day on June 18 with specials. Here are a couple options.
Cabo Wabo Cantina at Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood will celebrate with a specialty cocktail for all fathers on June 18. The hard-rockin’ cantina will offer the “Paparita,” a specialty margarita crafted with Cabo Wabo tequila, Grand Marnier and finished with a miniature Dos Equis bottle for $13.
Beer Park at Paris will feature an all-day barbecue and beer special on Sunday. The BBQ platter is $19.95 and dads will also receive a complimentary Budweiser Signature draft beer upon entry.
Downtown Container Park will hold a Father’s Day Beer & Cider Walk on Saturday, June 17 from 5-8 p.m. with music by Empire Records.
The “Laughternoon” show at 4 p.m. at the D Las Vegas starring Adam London is offering free entry for dads on June 18 with the code MAGICDAD. In addition, starting that day through Labor Day, London holds an annual Scoopin’ Out Free Ice Cream with guests receiving a cup of Anderson Dairy ice cream as a nostalgic throwback to London’s job selling ice cream as a teen.
A novel opportunity, the My Father, My Hero contest is being offered by Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. at Treasure Island. Local kids can submit the stories about their fathers and photo with him for a chance to win four year-long passes to the attraction, a four-pack of tickets to “Mystère” by Cirque du Soleil, and a Marvel merchandise prize pack. There will be two runner-ups. Submit entries online by end of day Saturday, June 17.
MORE DINING NEWS
Downtown Summerlin’s neighborhood steakhouse Andiron Steak & Sea is celebrating the start of summer with the White Party, a Hampton inspired festivity on Saturday, June 6-9 p.m. All white attire is strongly suggested for the dinner, which costs $79.
The S. Fort Apache Road neighborhood Andre’s Bistro & Bar is holding its first installment of the brand-new “Family Meal” dinner series for late night dining. The first family-style dinner will take place Tuesday, June 13 from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Cost is $40.
“Ragin’ Cajun” Chef Will Staten will spice up Honey Salt’s next Guest Chef Dinner on Tuesday, June 27 at 6:30 p.m. at the Southwest side restaurant. This communal dining experience will bring the chef’s spicy creole flavors direct from New Orleans. Cost is $54 with an optional wine pairing for $25.
Roy’s on East Flamingo will hold a hands-on class Sushi 101: From Rick to Roll and luncheon on Saturday, June 24 at 11:30 a.m. The one-day class is $55.
Ferraro’s Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar’s next Taste & Learn event will be Saturday, June 24 from 6-8 p.m. featuring the white wines of Terlano and red wines of Tolaini served with four menu pairings. Seats are $65.
Katsuya at SLS will celebrate International Sushi Day on Sunday, June 18 with $9 signature dishes, $10 rolls, $7 sake selections and more available at dinner from 5 to 9 p.m.
Pancho’s Mexican Restaurant in Downtown Summerlin will celebrate summer with a complimentary deep-fried ice cream dessert for kids ages 12 and under who bring in their report card through Sunday, June 18. Pancho’s offers a kids’ menu of bite-sized signature dishes. All kids’ menu items are priced at $9.95 and include a complimentary dish of vanilla ice cream.
A Hands-On Cooking Class: Wild Game will be held at the Divine Café at the Springs Preserve on Friday, June 16 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. With the Department of Wildlife as a partner, the hands-on culinary class will highlight Wild Nevada Cookery with professional chefs. Cost is $80.10 for members, $89 for non-members with beer and wine pairings included.
SOUTH BEACH RESORT RESIDENCES ARE OPEN
Move-ins are underway at the 220-luxury residential development South Beach Resort, a boutique residence making home feel like being on vacation. Located southwest at 8920 W. Russell Rd. just east of the I-215 Beltway, South Beach offers contemporary design and interiors along with countless community amenities outside.
There’s a football-field-sized Central Park with a tropical pool and barbecue coves; a 12,000-square-foot Resort Hall, which is like the common area of a luxury hotel complete with an automated restaurant, wellness and health offerings; basketball and beach volleyball courts; and a lineup of social events.
