Upscale comfort food goes down
A shake-up at Pure Management Group's newest restaurant is taking Company American Bistro at Luxor in a different direction.
Several top chefs, including executive chef Adam Sobel, have resigned, according to Pure spokeswoman Kate Turner.
The restaurant opened Nov. 30 with PMG touting a celebrity investor lineup that included Nick Lachey, Nicky Hilton, Wilmer Valderrama and DJ AM.
The concept of upscale comfort food never caught on, nor did the hope the restaurant would feed business into PMG's LAX nightclub, located next door.
The focus, when it reopens Thursday, will be on more bistro and less big-ticket.
The restaurant will be open seven days a week and offer a bar menu, Turner said.
Sobel had left Restaurant Guy Savoy at Caesars Palace to put together a menu of upscale comfort food in an Aspen-esque setting that featured antler chandeliers, stacked stone and walls lined with skis.
It was the latest setback for Pure Management Group, which is gearing up for a legal battle after an IRS raid Feb. 21 at the company headquarters, along with Pure nightclub at Caesars Palace. Agents also entered LAX nightclub.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
Meaghan Jette Martin, a 16-year-old Las Vegas native, is about to become a Disney film star and the envy of the teen world. Martin has a lead role in "Camp Rock," an upcoming Disney Channel film that co-stars the Jonas Brothers, the pop rock sensations.
SIGHTINGS
Marco Andretti, the 2006 Indy 500 runner-up, celebrating his 21st birthday at N9NE Steakhouse (Palms) with his father, Michael Andretti, and a large group before heading to Rain nightclub (Palms) with actors Frankie Muniz and Alfonso Ribeiro. ... Singer Vanessa Carlton, having lunch with her friends and her dog at Brio Italian restaurant at Town Square. ... At Privé nightclub (Planet Hollywood Resort) on Friday: actor Jonathan Silverman, comedian Jeffrey Ross, former tennis star Jennifer Capriati, Miami Dolphins fullback Boomer Grigsby, adult entertainment star Briana Banks and actor Scott Michael Foster, who was celebrating his 23rd birthday with fellow cast members of the ABC show "Greek."... Kevin Federline, getting booed and having the mic taken away from him during a profanity-laden rap song while celebrating his 30th birthday Friday at Pure nightclub. Partying with him was actress Shar Jackson, who had two children with Federline before he married Britney Spears. Earlier, Federline's group dined at Social House (Treasure Island). Also at Pure: boxer Zab Judah. ... ABC and ESPN broadcaster Brent Musburger, watching several March Madness games from the sports book at Red Rock Resort on Friday and Saturday. ... A local girl, brought on stage by the Chippendales (Rio) on Friday, received a surprise when her father arranged for an 18th birthday gift: a box containing the keys to a new car. ... Miss Washington Elyse Umemoto, who was the Miss America second runner-up in Las Vegas in January, and former Miss Nevada USA Helen Salas, checking out Hawaiian Tropic Zone on Friday inside the Miracle Mile Shops at the Planet Hollywood Resort. Salas was also spotted at Privé nightclub. ... Rapper MIMS, performing at his 27th birthday bash Friday at Jet nightclub (Mirage). ... New York Giants standout Zak DeOssie, checking out LAX nightclub (Luxor) on Friday. ... They're still buzzing at Bugsy's, at Sahara and Jones, over a drop-in appearance Friday by Dolly Parton, who belted out her hit "Nine to Five."
THE PUNCH LINE
"School's mascot is a giant asthma inhaler." -- From David Letterman's Top Ten Signs Your College Basketball Team Is Not Going To Make The NCAA Basketball Tournament
Norm Clarke can be reached at 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com.
