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By Michael Paskevich
Review-Journal
Beer steins, big-game trophies, Swiss clocks and a train set with a miniature village -- everything that helped make the Alpine Village Inn a Las Vegas landmark -- will go on the auction block today at 10 a.m. at the restaurant at 3003 Paradise Road.
The unusual chalet-style eatery that served millions over a colorful 47-year career closed recently, apparently the victim of slack business combined with the recent death of one of the restaurant's principals.
Several readers checked in on the fate of one of their favorite restaurants and, alas, there's no chance of recovery. Plans call for the peaked-roof eatery to be razed and replaced with a new restaurant later this year.
"It was really a classic German, Swiss restaurant that captured European heritage as part of the dining experience," said Van Heffner, president of the Nevada Restaurant Association. "People loved the atmosphere and people from all over the world would make reservations when they came to Las Vegas. It was a delightful restaurant."
The 250-seat restaurant and underground rathskeller followed an elaborate Bavarian theme. Diners sat underneath miniature chalet roofs as waiters wearing lederhosen roamed a room where every inch of wall space was covered with decorative horns, copper bells and other items.
If the food stopped well short of gourmet, no one ever left hungry. Dinners priced between $12 and $20 started with a relish bowl, a big basket of warm rye, pumpernickel and cinnamon rolls, and a homemade cottage cheese dip with crackers.
Then came a kettle of chicken soup, a staple since the restaurant opened at another location in 1950, followed by generous-sized entrees such as German roast beef, sauerbraten or Wiener schnitzel. Entrees were accompanied by a choice of potato, vegetables and even more trimmings.
The restaurant settled into its Paradise Road site more than 20 years ago and was the scene of two dinner-hour bomb blasts in 1976 that some observers linked to the restaurant's ongoing battle against becoming a union house.
"I'm going to tear it down," said Fred Glusman, owner of nearby Piero's Italian restaurant at 355 Convention Center Drive. He recently made an offer to purchase the inn near the Las Vegas Convention Center and, while the deal has not closed escrow, Glusman is already making plans for a replacement.
He plans to open a Piero's Cafe and Bistro. "It will be the same quality as Piero's but with rotisserie turkey, duck, caviar, pizzas and salads," said Glusman.
"There will be a lot of prepared foods to go," he added. "If you wanted meatloaf or chicken pot pie, wines, bakery or deli ... it'll be like a farmer's market but with gourmet food instead of produce."
The new Piero's will also have sit-down service for 225 customers and function without gaming, a tradition with Glusman. "I want to make this a high-class operation."
He gave no specific time line for the razing of the Alpine Village Inn, but said he didn't expect the deal to even be finalized for about four or five months.
The Alpine Village Inn will certainly be missed by its many fans, and it's unlikely that anyone would try a similar concept in these days of celebrity-driven themed restaurants. However, the restaurant association's Heffner said he expects big things from Glusman at the bustling location on Paradise Road.
"He's a good entrepreneur with a vision," said Heffner, "and he's always been able to marry the locals market with the tourists, which is rare."
Submit information to Michael Paskevich, Review-Journal, P.O. Box 70, Las Vegas, Nev. 89125-0070. You also can reach him by fax at 383-4676 or through computer e-mail at Mike_Paskevich@lvrj.com.
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