Las Vegas paella spot closes temporarily for renovations
Valencian Gold, the quick-casual paella restaurant on Rainbow Boulevard near Windmill Lane that opened last year, has temporarily closed so its owners can renovate the space and tweak the menu and the concept. It’s been shut down since the weekend, with partners Jeffrey Weiss and Paras Shah hoping to reopen within two weeks.
“We’ve been in here about seven months, listening to what customers say,” Weiss explains. “And they’re going, ‘Hey, we want beer and wine. We want sangria. We want paella in the pan. We want more tapas.’ ”
Weiss says that latter idea was particularly appealing to the chefs, who have been itching to show off more of their culinary chops.
“We have so much more to offer, and there’s so much to our story. (Paras) cooked at El Bulli. I’ve cooked with José Andrés. We’ve cooked all over Spain. But we only have four tapas on the menu. We have so much more to offer on that front.”
He notes, however, that the addition of more small plates, charcuterie and perhaps some family-style shareable paella in a pan will not mean that your fan favorites are going away. The restaurant will continue to offer the build-your-own paella bowls for under $10, which fans have come to expect. And you’ll continue to order those bowls from a counter, although Weiss wants to elevate that system a bit.
“We’re the Chipotle model now. I think we’re looking more toward a Shake Shack model as far as (you) go up, order, get a number and sit down.”
All of this will be offered in a dining room being renovated to create a more inviting atmosphere. Expect softer lighting and more comfortable seats where guests can relax and enjoy the beer and wine that will be added to the menu as soon as permits are approved. Outdoor patio seating is also in the plans for later in the year.
All of this, Weiss says, is intended to change the perception of the restaurant to something more than just a place to grab a quick bite.
“I would love nothing more than if everyone in all these houses around here would view this as kind of a fun little neighborhood hangout.”
Contact Al Mancini at amancini@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlManciniVegas on Twitter and Instagram.
