New restaurants on the way for Strip, off-Strip locations

18bin has opened in the Arts District, the name referencing both its historic 18b district site and sister restaurant Bin 702, which is in the Downtown Container Park. 18bin, which is at Charleston Boulevard and South Art Way, is open for lunch and dinner and offers a broad selection of adult beverages, with plans for cocktails on draft. The menu includes such dishes as Ropa Vieja Shepherd’s Pie, Cajun Jambalaya and a roasted balsamic vegetable sandwich. Hours are 11 a.m. to midnight Sundays through Thursdays and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. 18binlv.com

The Linq Promenade’s Italian restaurant Off The Strip — which was indeed born off the Strip, in Southern Highlands — has a new sister restaurant, The Second Floor Steak and Chophouse, upstairs from OTS. Owner Tom Goldsbury describes it as “between Outback and everybody else,” explaining the steakhouse is geared toward customers with an eye on value with a selection of mostly “choice-plus” cuts of beef, and side dishes in the $6 range.

Nittaya’s Secret Kitchen announced on its Facebook page that it will open a third location in the spring. Nittaya’s Little Kitchen is to be on Farm Road near Durango Drive in the northern part of the valley. The original Nittaya’s Secret Kitchen is at 2110 N. Rampart Blvd; an offshoot, Block 9 Thai Street Eats, is at 10595 Discovery Drive, near South Town Center Drive and the 215 Beltway.

Michael Mina will close Pub 1842 in MGM Grand in late November to make room for a local incarnation of International Smoke, a wood-fired collaboration with Ayesha Curry. It’s due to open in December.

Culinary comings, goings

Daniel Ontiveros has been named executive chef at Scotch 80 Prime. Ontiveros is a veteran of high-profile kitchens such as Bouchon, Joel Robuchon and the late Comme Ca. Among the new menu items he’s bringing to the Palms steakhouse are beef carpaccio with bone marrow, Colorado lamb chops with sweet potato duchesse and salmon tartare.

There’s been another shakeup in the kitchen at Once at The Grand Canal Shoppes. Losa Yi, who replaced Alex Carassco as executive chef Ricardo Zarate’s top local toque over the summer, has exited. There’s no word yet on where she’s headed, but we’re told Zarate “will be traveling to and from Vegas every other week for now,” to keep an eye on the local operation.

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