Craving Casual American? Check out these eats
Each week Neon spotlights a different cuisine in the Dining Guide, with casual American restaurants this week. Restaurants are rated on a letter-grade scale, from A to F. Opinions by R-J critic Heidi Knapp Rinella (H.K.R.) are indicated by initials. Price symbols are based on the cost of an average entree: $ = entrees less than $10; $$ = entrees $10 to $20; $$$ = entrees $20 to $30; and $$$$ = entrees more than $30.
AL’S BEEF
6840 W. Sahara Ave.; 702-644-2333 (BEEF)
If you know your Chicago-style Italian beef you know Al’s has been famous for it a long time. Al’s now is in Las Vegas, and since the company takes quality control very seriously, this is the real thing. Get it dry, dipped or wet, with hot or sweet peppers, and fries plain or with any manner of toppings, and chances are good that you won’t find much to beef about. (4/25/14 H.K.R.)
Overall: A-
$
BLACK BEAR DINER
6180 W. Tropicana Ave.; 702-368-1077
You might as well go big at Black Bear Diner, because the only alternative is to go home. But it’s worth it thanks to the charming atmosphere, solid service and good food, such as crispy-edged chicken-fried steak with creamy gravy, eggs and potatoes; house-made corned-beef hash — the meat shredded — with eggs and fried potatoes; and a flaky, cinnamon-rich bear claw that was, well, about as big as a real bear’s paw. (5/10/13 H.K.R.)
Overall: A
$
BRADDAH’S ISLAND STYLE
2330 S. Rainbow Blvd.; 702-222-0767 (and two other locations)
Add to Las Vegas’ fusion profusion the Hawaiian-Mexican cuisine of Braddah’s, where you can get a burrito, bowl or taco (or salad) with things like kalua pig and huli-huli chicken instead of carne asada or carnitas. It’s counter-service; you follow along the line and tell them what to add to your order. We loved our kalua pig burrito despite the grease that drained from it, and also tacos with huli-huli chicken and pulehu steak (no, not together) and a starter of guacamole and chips. (2/21/14 H.K.R.)
Overall: A-
$
BRONZE CAFE
The Center, 401 S. Maryland Parkway; 702-202-3100
A friend’s attempt to tempt us into a vegan offering — the Tree of Life sandwich — failed but we ended up tasting it anyway, and seldom has vegan tasted so good. The Vegan Specialty Cake wasn’t as successful, but we thoroughly enjoyed the LGBTQ with its bacon and bacon jam, and the baba ghanoush with warm pita triangles. (8/23/13 H.K.R.)
Overall: B+
$
BULDOGIS
2291 S. Fort Apache Road; 702-570-7560
Buldogis specializes in fusion food — that would be Korean flavor added to the classic American hot dog — and it works pretty well, as in the Banh Mi Dog, which comes with Vietnamese-inspired slaw and a slice of pork belly. Buldogis is breaking out into burgers, too, and the Bulgogi Burger successfully melded the two cuisines with bulgogi (Korean grilled beef), slaw and mayo. Fried pickle spears were pretty good, but we thought the Classic Buldogis fries needed a bit more seasoning. (11/16/12 H.K.R.)
Overall: B+
$
CARSON KITCHEN
124 S. Sixth St.; 702-473-9523
Carson Kitchen furthers “rock ’n’ roll chef” Kerry Simon’s tradition of serving comfort food with a contemporary spin in such dishes as Devil’s Eggs, a fried-green-tomato sandwich, cocoa-espresso New York strip, flatbread with wild mushrooms and blue cheese and glazed-doughnut bread pudding, all of which were nearly perfect, though most weren’t quite hot enough. (9/5/14 H.K.R.)
Overall: B
$$
CHOCOLATE &SPICE BAKERY
7293 W. Sahara Ave.; 702-527-7772
Except for a slightly disappointing cannoli, everything we had at Chocolate &Spice reflected the meticulous attention to detail that owner Megan Romano has always brought to her pastries — and everything else. We loved the wedding soup, a grilled Brie sandwich, grilled Kalbi beef ribs and two choco-centric pastries, one with clouds of chocolate mousse, the other infused with coffee. (1/25/12 H.K.R.)
Overall: A-
$
CREPE EXPECTATIONS
9500 S. Eastern Ave.; 702-583-4939
If you thought for a minute that crepes aren’t sufficient to sustain an entire restaurant you’d be sadly mistaken because at Crepe Expectations it’s all crepes all the time. The menu of this tiny place is well varied, and we loved our sweet and savory choices, the Avalon with buttered pears, candied walnuts and goat cheese, and the Greek, with grilled chicken fresh spinach, feta and tzatziki. (2/15/13 H.K.R.)
Overall: A
$
THE DAILY EGG
5255 S. Decatur Blvd.; 702-431-4714
Service at The Daily Egg was with a smile but without a sense of urgency, but the food was so good we decided to just relax and go with it. What made it all worthwhile was the Classic Gyro Omelet, the chicken Shawarma Breakfast Pita, crispy home fries, a big fluffy pancake and a cup of well-varied fresh fruit. (1/11/13 H.K.R.)
Overall: A-
$
DIVINE CAFE
Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd.; 702-822-8713
The cafe at the Springs Preserve has always been a top-notch location as far as scenery, and now the food and service measure up as well. We loved the hot leek-potato soup, pear and arugula pizza, hot ham and brie and zeppole/zappolis with an assertive raspberry coulis, and the smiling servers who delivered it all. (9/26/14 H.K.R.)
Overall: A
$
THE EGG &I
4533 W. Sahara Ave.; 702-364-9686
The Egg &I — sister restaurant to the five Egg Works in the valley — was positively packed when we went late on a weekday morning. The draw, no doubt, is the simple American fare, kicked up a notch in dishes such as house-made shredded corned beef hash and eggs, a Sicilian Skillet with Italian sausage, marinara, peppers and onions and warm banana muffins rich enough to qualify as an indulgence. (6/21/13 H.K.R.)
Overall: A-
$
FOX’S SMOKEHOUSE BARBECUE
1007 Elm St., Boulder City; 702-489-2211
Fox’s is both tiny and off the beaten path but well worth seeking out if you’re looking for good barbecue, the supply of which seems to wax and wane in Southern Nevada. We loved the meaty Cowboy Cheese Fries, the pulled pork and brisket and sides of coleslaw, Cowboy Beans, potato salad and macaroni and cheese. (6/27/14 H.K.R.)
Overall: A-
$$
GRILL 55
Renaissance Las Vegas, 3400 Paradise Road; 702-784-5700
Grill 55 is first and foremost a bar — the laid-back counterpart of the hotel’s Envy Steakhouse — so the atmosphere can get a little crazy during busy times at the adjacent Las Vegas Convention Center, but it serves nothing in the way of old-school bar food. We loved the Truffle Reggiano Fries, the Devil’s Eyes fried deviled eggs, the Signature 55 Burger and the barbecued chicken flatbread pizza. (11/9/12 H.K.R.)
Overall: A-
$$
JOHNNY MAC’S
842 S. Boulder Highway, Henderson; 702-564-2121
Johnny Mac’s has been around since 1983 — making it practically ancient by Southern Nevada standards — and that’s reflected in the old-school bar-and-grill nature of the place and dishes like a tomato-basil pizza that was neither thick nor thin and a shepherd’s pie evening special. But they keep up with the times, too, with such touches as the creative and well-conceived watermelon barbecue sauce on crispy-skinned wings that do Buffalo proud. (7/11/14 H.K.R.)
Overall: B+
$$
MTO CAFE
500 S. Main St.; 702-380-8229
While we thought the menu descriptions could be a little more clear we mostly liked the food at MTO Cafe, including a cheesy potato soup with bacon, French onion soup and the Spam Madame. We also liked the atmosphere of the bright, airy space across from Las Vegas City Hall, with whimsical art for a dash of fun. (3/14/14 H.K.R.)
Overall: B+
$$
MAC SHACK
8680 W. Warm Springs Road; 702-463-2433
One step from fast food, the counter-service Mac Shack offers economical, well-prepared pasta dishes in a sleek, casual atmosphere and seems to be of particular interest to busy families. We designed our own rigatoni dish with marinara, meatball and sun-dried tomatoes, and also liked the Farmhouse Pasta, farfalle with creamy sauce, ham and peas. But we’d advised skipping the oh-so-plain garlic loaves. (8/10/12 H.K.R.)
Overall: A-
$
THE MARTINI
1205 S. Fort Apache Road; 702-227-8464
The Martini replaced the former Martinis and there’s still an emphasis on the classic drink, with a menu that includes lots of variations and art prominently featured on the walls. But the food, which is a couple of notches above bar food, measures up quite nicely, especially the Martini Sliders, Margherita flatbread and chicken scallopine, although the risotto served with the latter was on the chalky side. (3/30/12 H.K.R.)
Overall: A-
$$
MICHAEL MINA’S PUB 1842
MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 702-891-3922
If the words “Michael Mina’s” didn’t begin the name of this sports/gastro/American pub at the MGM Grand we’d probably think it was just fine, but we’ve come to expect more creativity than this from Mina. That actually did show in the Tempura Maitake Mushrooms, although the Frickles, 1842 Burger and A Bit of Everything barbecue plate were pretty garden-variety. (11/22/13 H.K.R.)
Overall: B
$$$
NOSH &SWIG SMALL PLATES AND DRINKERY
3620 E. Flamingo Road; 702-456-6674
Nosh &Swig has all the makings of a hipster hangout, which translates to young, fresh ideas about food and décor. We were quite taken with the Fromage Fondue with a “hodgepodge of rustic breads,” the pretzel brats, Sticky Bun Tacos, Chinese Churro and the Cock-a-Waffle-Doo, a riff on chicken and waffles. (1/10/14 H.K.R.)
Overall: B
$$
PRESTO NEIGHBORHOOD CAFE
4950 S. Rainbow Blvd.; 702-293-3332
That Presto is different from the average neighborhood cafe isn’t immediately noticeable but is manifested by its healthful emphasis and the Turkish flatbread pides, with a crust that’s lighter than a pizza. We loved our Italian pide and some ahi tuna sliders and were positively crazy about the very offbeat mushroom soup. (3/7/14 H.K.R.)
Overall: A-
$$
RISE &SHINE
10690 Southern Highlands Parkway; 702-202-4646
Rise &Shine is adorable, with big flower-shaped umbrellas suspended from the ceiling and servers in pajamas, but whimsy wouldn’t be enough if the food didn’t measure up. It does, in fact, in entrees such as The Ultimate Steak &Egg Breakfast and corned-beef hash and eggs, as well as the restaurant’s pot of bread and French-press coffee, which comes with a timer. (10/4/13 H.K.R.)
Overall: A
$$
SOUL FOOD CAFE
7320 S. Rainbow Blvd.; 702-998-9780
Perfectly fried chicken is more of an art than a science and the artists at Soul Food Cafe have perfected it, with juicy meat that fairly spurts when the golden-brown crust is breached by knife and fork. We also loved the hot-water cornbread that was served as a starter, the fried okra, black-eyed peas, hush puppies, grilled pork chops and yams and hated the fact that we were too full to even consider dessert. (2/22/13 H.K.R.)
Overall: A-
$$
THE SPARKLINGS
8310 S. Rainbow Blvd.; 702-293-5003
We couldn’t quite figure out The Sparklings so we’ll just take it at face value as a fairly homey restaurant with a menu of some familiar and more offbeat dishes. And we enjoyed all we sampled: bacon-and-date-wrapped meatballs with tomato sauce, brown-butter gnocchi with butternut squash, spaghetti with mushroom and bacon cream sauce, a turkey and brie sandwich and the flourless chocolate cake. (10/17/14 H.K.R.)
Overall: A-
$$
