You’re going to be eating some delicious food this week. You’ve made the incredibly wise choice to spend your Thanksgiving holiday in Las Vegas, where every type of restaurant from fine dining to quick and casual will be modifying their menus to offer terrific takes on this traditional meal. It’s going to be great.
But you’re going to need some non-Thanksgiving food to cleanse the palate and recalibrate your tastebuds, maybe something a bit more exotic to balance with those big comfort-food flavors. Lucky for you, this city can do that, too.
New in Downtown Las Vegas is Peyote (725.210.0306), a modern American eatery specializing in woodfired fare like the grilled heritage pork chop with celery root slaw, ember roasted beets on a baguette with garlic aioli, and a wild rice dusted grilled chicken breast with herb roasted potatoes. Take a group and share the Santa Maria-style tri-tip grilled over oak and served with stout barbecue sauce, corn salad, pickles, grilled romaine, fry bread and other trimmings. Peyote’s cuisine might change the way you think about a celebratory holiday meal.
Head to the top of the Delano hotel tower at Mandalay Bay to partake in the imaginative French and Italian fusion at Rivea (877.632.5400). Groundbreaking chef Alain Ducasse and his talented team are creating refined dishes you won’t find anywhere else, from truffle and Parmesan cream pizza to the Northern Italian pressed bread delicacy known as tigelle, with cured ham and pesto alla trapanese. Maple leaf duck breast with fall fruits and vegetables is perfect for the season yet totally unlike traditional fall fare.
If you’re out at Downtown Summerlin getting the jump on holiday shopping, stop in for Sunday brunch at another new hot spot, La Neta Cocina y Lounge (702.476.5484). This clubby Mexican eatery is putting a creative twist on weekend dining with dishes such as pork pozole verde, waffle bread pudding served with hot honey-tossed fried chicken, elote avocado toast on a bolillo roll and challah bread cinnamon toast.
If you’re under the assumption there’s loads of fine French fare to be had at Paris Las Vegas at the center of the Strip, congratulations! You are correct. For a quick and casual bite, hit Brioche by Guy Savoy (877.796.2096) and sample sweet and savory pastries, simple snacks from the Michelin-starred chef’s kitchen, with a freshly brewed cup of Coperaco coffee. And for a proper sit-down, rediscover Mon Ami Gabi (702.944.4224), easily one of the Strip’s comfort food capitals and best brasseries (with great views). Get as far from roast turkey as possible with spicy salmon tartare, brown butter-kissed trout almondine and escargot in garlic-herb butter sauce. Joyeuses fêtes!
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