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Coastal seafood bar debuts in Las Vegas

Las Vegas, flap your fins to welcome Sea Fresh to the neighborhood. Chinatown restaurateur Joe Muscaglione has soft-opened Sea Fresh, an 18-seat coastal seafood bar stocked with impressive — and often hard to find — fish like toothsome black cod, sweet-tasting diver scallops, lobsterlike coral grouper, succulent abalone and delicate fluke. Muscaglione co-owns popular Shanghai Taste (where they make xiaolongbao, or soup dumplings), and his new enterprise is located at 3400 S. Jones Blvd., on the site of his former — and much lamented — Chinese eatery, Niu-Gu. Sea Fresh is open Wednesdays to Sundays, 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.

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Starting Tuesday and running through Sept. 21, Bouchon in The Venetian will offer a Summer of Rosé celebration. Crisp bottles will be served from Tardieu Laurent, Tavel Rose, Vieille Vignes 2021; Château d’Esclans, “Rock Angel,” Rosé, Côtes de Provence 2020; Daou, Rosé, Paso Robles 2020; Caraccioli, Private Property, Santa Lucia Highlands 2021; and Schramsberg, Brut Rosé, “Mirabelle,” California MV. Each bottle order comes with a complimentary seasonable snack from the kitchen: June 21, salmon mousseline; July 21, panisse frites with tapenade; and Aug. 21, tuna Niçoise.

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Hang loose and cool off at Henderson’s new Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade, 2390 E. Serene Ave, Suite 420. The Hawaiian chain focuses on cold-pressed lemonades made with cane sugar or monk fruit. Flavor varieties range from basil and ginger-pineapple to coconut-blue spirulina. Two more locations are slated to open locally this summer.

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A steakhouse, possibly woman-oriented and -owned, is planned for what is now the Tommy Bahama restaurant in Town Square, according to a restaurant industry insider. Stay tuned.

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More than 60 food and drink establishments are extending their participation in Las Vegas Restaurant Week through June 24 (The original week ran June 6-17.) These businesses will continue to offer three-course prix fixe menus or food and drink specials, with a portion of the proceeds being donated to Three Square Food Bank programs to help the hungry. Visit www.restaurantweeklv.org for places extending Restaurant Week.

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Who wants to be a Binionaire? Medium rare? Jack Binion’s Steak, named for gaming icon Jack Binion, now is open at Bally’s as the property transforms itself into the Horseshoe Las Vegas.

The dining room, composed of wood, leather and vintage photographs, provides a backdrop for Black Angus corn-fed beef aged for 28 days; a seafood tower built from shrimp, oysters, Maine lobster and six types of crab; and updates to steakhouse classics like a wedge salad (think: bloody mary twist), oysters Rockefeller and shrimp cocktail.

Jack Binion’s Steak is a signature restaurant at Horseshoe properties across the country. In Vegas, the restaurant offers service daily from 5 to 10:30 p.m., in the former BLT Steak space, next to Indigo Lounge.

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Cafe Rio Mexican Grill, a chain with more than a dozen locations in Las Vegas, will debut a new restaurant June 24 at 4415 W. Flamingo Road. The grand opening party runs from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and features chips and pico de gallo for $1.99, games like cornhole and entry to win prizes, including free meals.

The menu at the new spot will offer sweet pork barbacoa (Cafe Rio’s signature dish), fire-grilled chicken salad and the full menu of customizable salads, quesadillas, tacos, enchiladas and burritos.

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Folks who are down with brown will recognize Frey Ranch whiskeys. They’re produced on the 160-year-old Frey family ranch in Northern Nevada but are poured all over Las Vegas. The distillery recently received three double platinum medals and six gold medals at the American Spirits Council of Tasters Awards. Frey Ranch also bested all other entrants to win the Best Craft Rye Whiskey category.

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Call it dinner and a murder. Rebecca Okonski, a Las Vegas casting director, and a company of her acting students are presenting her play, “A Muddled Murder at Compton Manor,” beginning 7 p.m. June 24 at the Fraternal Order of Eagles banquet hall, 1601 E. Washington Ave.

The play is free to watch. Dinners range from $8-15. Arrive by 6:30 p.m. to order dinner. Proceeds benefit The Giving Project, which organizes and directs donations to the homeless, including to nonprofit organizations.

On the Side runs in Sunday’s Taste section. Email tips, questions or feedback to ontheside@reviewjournal.com.

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