Robert Irvine hosts military families; Herbs & Rye staff honored

Robert Irvine hosted a group of surviving military family members for a four-day visit to Las Vegas over the weekend. Organized by the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, the weekend included 30 people who have lost family members who served in the military. In addition to arranging tickets to see Legends in Concert and a visit to the set of “Pawn Stars,” Irvine organized a cooking competition and meal with Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Florent Groberg. ▶ reviewjournal.com/irvine

Bar snags high honors

Congrats to Nectaly Mendoza and the entire team at Herbs & Rye on a big showing over the weekend in New Orleans. The West Sahara Avenue bar, which has long been a focal point of local cocktail culture, scored a pair of wins at the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s Spirited Awards ceremony at the Orpheum Theater: Best American Bar Team and Best American High Volume Cocktail Bar.

Once has a new chef

There’s a new chef running the day-to-day operations at Once at Palazzo. Alex Carassco has left the restaurant to open a taqueria en cevicheria in Los Angeles. Losa Yi is now helming the kitchen, overseeing chef/partner Ricardo Zarate’s signature brand of Nikkei cuisine.

Taco night at pizza place

Naked City Pizza founder Chris Palmeri will return to his Mexican culinary roots Thursday, when he hosts Al Pastor Taco Night from 6 to 9 p.m. at Naked City at 4608 Paradise Road. Years ago, Palmeri worked with celebrity chef Rick Bayless to open Diego at MGM Grand. Later, he opened the short-lived but critically acclaimed Desnudo Tacos with chef Christian Dolias, adjacent to the original Naked City. Thursday’s Mexican menu will offer tacos at $2.50 and tortas for $6.

He’s up for ballpark food

James Trees will be the next chef to take part in the Aviators’ Eat Up Guest Chef series on the Las Vegas Ballpark’s club level. Trees will offer features from his restaurants Esther’s Kitchen and Ada’s, as well as new items such as meatball and polenta corn dogs, porchetta sliders and a special ice cream sundae at the Aug. 2 game against the Oklahoma City Dodgers. Other takeovers on the Aviators’ calendar include Sparrow + Wolf Aug. 17, T-Bones Chophouse Aug. 30 and Libertine Social Aug. 31.

This is one busy chef

That’s not the only guest appearance Trees has planned. He’ll collaborate with Marc Vetri at his Italian restaurant atop the Palms on Aug. 20. Then he’ll head to L.A. Aug. 24-25 for a pair of events at the Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival.

New food truck on way

Fans of EDO Tapas will want to keep their eyes peeled for the new EDO Street food truck. EDO chef Oscar Amador Edo has rebranded his Boqueria Street truck to align with his Chinatown Spanish restaurant.

Openings

Zen Kitchen at the Waldorf Astoria has changed its focus to seasonal American cuisine. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with menus including shareable bites, sandwiches, salads, rotisserie chicken, steaks and burgers. waldorfastorialasvegas.com

Trustworthy Brewing Co. & BBQ has opened in the Grand Canal Shoppes. It pours beers brewed on site and at the company’s Burbank brewery and a full bar and serves dishes such as maple-and-mustard-brushed St. Louis-style pork ribs, hand-rubbed slow-cooked beef brisket and a 16-ounce, thick-cut hickory-smoked prime rib with Parmesan-garlic mashed potatoes. trustworthybrewingco.com

Vegan Bliss, formerly Blinders Burgers & Brunch, has opened at 6410 N. Durango Drive, serving 100-percent plant-based foods, including tacos, salads and burgers. veganbliss.com

Buena Vista Kitchen has opened at 2620 Regatta Drive in Desert Shores, with quick-service burritos, tacos, quesadillas, crepes and more. buenavistakitchen.com

The Juice Standard has opened its fifth location, at 1410 Horizon Ridge Parkway in Henderson. juicestandard.com

Sightings

Rapper Redfoo and actor Anthony Mackie with friends on separate evenings at Tao at The Venetian. Mackie and friends also at at Beauty & Essex at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

The Review-Journal is owned by the family of Las Vegas Sands Corp. Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson. Las Vegas Sands operates The Venetian and Palazzo.

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