Dinner features first pressing of Italian olive oil

We’ve had wine dinners, beer dinners, whiskey dinners and sake dinners, so why not an oil dinner? They’re calling it a first for Las Vegas, and we don’t doubt it.

The featured oil is the first pressing of extra-virgin olive oil from Tenuta di Capezzana in Italy, and the dinner will be at B&B Ristorante at The Venetian on Jan. 25. Nicole Brisson, culinary director of the Batali & Bastianich Restaurant Group, was at the Capezzana estate this year with Beatrice Contini-Bonacossi, whose family owns the estate where olive oil and wines have been produced for more than 1,200 years.

“The new oil is always one of my favorites every year,” Brisson said. “The first pressing is almost a celebration in Italy. We had the most amazing lunches and dinners, and they used the olive oil for everything. I wanted to bring that to Vegas and to our clientele and share it with them.”

And she will, with Contini-Bonacossi, who will discuss the estate and the oil-production process. The six-course dinner with wine pairings will be $165, plus tax and tip. Visit www.eventbrite.com.

Two veteran fine-dining chefs plan to open the casual Meraki Greek Grill next month at Tropicana Avenue and Rainbow Boulevard. The new endeavor will reunite Nikos Georgousis, who ran the kitchen of The Cosmopolitan’s Estiatorio Milos until early this month, and Jerry Goumroian, who worked at Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare, Restaurant Guy Savoy and RM Seafood.

The chefs first worked together in 2006 at Goumroian’s family restaurant, The Fat Greek. After that sold, Goumroian opened The Great Greek in Henderson, which he sold this year. Goumroian said the new spot, set to open in mid-January, will offer fast casual Greek and Mediterranean fare with a rotisserie program that will feature roast lamb and chicken on weekends, with other items during the week.

Glutton, which led the new wave of restaurants in downtown Las Vegas, closed Sunday night. “We firmly stand behind the overall product we offered,” said chef/owner Bradley Manchester. “We simply needed consistent business.”

Sightings: Rocker Sebastian Bach signing his autobiography at Goose Island Pub at the Hard Rock Hotel. LeAnn Rimes and husband Eddie Cibrian at Tao at The Venetian. Portland Trailblazers star Greg Oden at Virgil’s Real Barbecue at The Linq. Michael Cudlitz of “The Walking Dead” at Beauty & Essex at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

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