Robert Irvine’s Public House to kick off Restaurant Week in Las Vegas

Las Vegas Restaurant Week is once again approaching, and Robert Irvine’s Public House at the Tropicana will kick it off for the third year in a row. The Summer Cookout Featuring Robert Irvine, from 7 to 10 p.m. June 13, will feature seasonal bites from Trop restaurants Oakville Steakhouse and Red Lotus Asian Kitchen in addition to Irvine’s, which also will provide the desserts, and there will be beverage stations and a featured cocktail. Tickets are $50, or $100 VIP, which includes 6 p.m. entry and an Irvine meet-and-greet; proceeds go to Three Square. Tickets are at the resort’s box office or troplv.com, or call 800-829-9034.

The 13th annual Restaurant Week will run June 17-28. Local restaurants sign up with specified menus for breakfast, brunch, lunch and/or dinner, priced at $20 to $80, with a designated portion of every menu-meal sold going to Three Square. Last year’s event raised more than $230,000, providing about 690,000 meals to food-insecure people in Southern Nevada. Participating restaurants and menus will be listed about two weeks before it starts; go to helpoutdineoutlv.org.

Hard Rock’s new spot

Craft + Community Bar & Grill has opened at the Hard Rock Hotel, just in time for Memorial Day weekend. It overlooks the resort’s pool area and replaces Culinary Dropout. This weekend will bring live music and a menu of food such as the Craft Burger, with Vermont cheddar, bacon, secret sauce and fries, and jerk shrimp kabobs.

Brawl series pauses

The final Back of the House Brawl of the spring was Saturday night at The Park near T-Mobile Arena. Antonio Nunez (The Stove) and Scott Green (Golden Entertainment) defeated Joseph Mosconi (Honey Salt) and Joe Cadina (Michael Mina) on an extremely windy night by preparing two dishes with the mystery ingredients of coffee grounds, squid, branzino, milk and honey cookies, Calabrese chilies and cauliflower. Andrew Shumaker won the evening’s Cock Fight cocktail challenge. The Brawl will pick up again with battles Sept. 14 and Oct. 19, and a Nov. 16 championship round.

Downtown chef expands service

Hatsumi, the recently opened Japanese spot from Other Mama chef Dan Krohmer at downtown’s Fergusons Motel, will welcome walk-in customers Thursday. It also will launch a $55-per-person omakase menu that evening.

Chef Trees’ reach expanding

Ada’s, the new restaurant from James Trees of Esther’s Kitchen fame, is expected to open June 1 at Tivoli Village. It’ll offer pizzas, salads and Roman-inspired bites from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Ada’s also will offer Best Ice Cream, a new line with flavors such as peach and ricotta and Vesta white coffee and chocolate, and treats such as the Bruleed Banana Split.

New chef, new menu at Kitchen at Atomic

The Kitchen at Atomic, 927 E. Fremont St., has introduced a new menu from executive chef Jackson Stamper. Signature dishes include a 14-ounce Porterhouse pork chop in rum brine with grilled broccoli rabe; poached halibut with tarragon bread crumbs, English pea sauce and asparagus; and a pan-seared cauliflower steak with shaved cauliflower and caper salad and preserved lemon vinaigrette.

Steakhouse adds Kobe beef

Vic & Anthony’s Steakhouse at the Golden Nugget has joined the coterie of local restaurants serving Kobe beef.

Southwest Japanese spot closes

Paid in Full, which served Japanese street food with classic hip-hop style, quietly closed at the beginning of the month. There’s no word yet on what the owners have planned, or what may go into the space near Durango Drive and Warm Springs Road.

Gather ’round the Table this fall

The Project Dinner Table event that had been scheduled for June 1 has been canceled. Two fall events reportedly are planned, with an announcement to come this summer.

Have an item for Kitchen Confidante? Email hrinella@reviewjournal.com or amancini@reviewjournal.com.