Small Plates: Brooklyn Bowl and “Cooking With Avocados”

DINING OUT

BROOKLYN BOWL, 3545 LAS VEGAS BLVD. SOUTH

Brooklyn Bowl, which opened in March, was founded and is owned by Peter Shapiro and Charley Ryan. It’s an offshoot of the original, which really is in the New York borough of Brooklyn. There’s also a Brooklyn Bowl in London. The Las Vegas branch offers food from Eric and Bruce Bromberg, as well as a music venue and 32 alleys of bowling among its 80,000 square feet on three levels. Here’s a sample of the menu:

Brunch: The Jim Morrison (10-inch buttermilk pancake with fried chicken), $15 to $19; cinnamon toast pizza, $11; Sloppy Josephine, $13.

Starters: Egg Shooters, $7.50; hummus with olives, tomatoes and pita, $9; Rock. and Roll. Fries (with gravy, Cajun spice, provolone and cheddar), $12.50; Cajun shrimp cocktail, $14; smoked fish spread, $13.

Salads: Smoked trout, $13.50 for a plate, $18 for a “big bowl;” Greek salad, $12 or $18; vegetable basket, $10 or $14.50.

French bread pizza: Classic, $13.50; Greek, $14.50; Beach (pulled pork and pickled peppers); Fatty (pepperoni, pulled pork, sausage, onion, mushroom, eggplant and artichoke), $16.50.

Chicken: Fried dinners with white bread, mashed potatoes, collard greens with bacon and honey, $18 to $22; platters with white bread and honey, $24 to $72; smoked barbecue wings, $9 for six to $32 for 24.

Sandwiches: Fried catfish, $15; chicken muffuletta, $14; Really Sloppy Joe, $13.50; oyster po’boy, $16.

Entrees: Half-rack of pork ribs, $19; mac and cheese, $13; pulled pork, $19.50; chili-rubbed rib-eye steak, $28.

Sweets: Chocolate-frosted cupcakes, $3.50 for one to $32 for 12; fresh berry sundae, $10.50; chocolate chip bread pudding, $10.50; fresh berry sundae, $12; banana split, $12; vanilla chocolate egg cream, $6.50; Bourbon Street Shake with Nutella, $9.50, or $14.50 with a shot of bourbon.

Hours are noon to 2 a.m. Sundays, 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 5 p.m. to 4 a.m. Fridays and noon to 4 a.m. Saturdays. Call 702-862-BOWL (2695) or visit Vegas.BrooklynBowl.com.

NEW BOOKS FOR COOKS

AVOCADO-STUFFED MEATBALLS

1½ pounds lean ground grass-fed beef

1 pound lean ground pastured pork

3 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1 tablespoon grainy Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon dried basil

1¼ teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus 1½ tablespoons lemon juice

1 large avocado, halved, pitted and peeled

2 teaspoons coconut oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, tomatoes, mustard, basil, 1 teaspoon of the salt and the lemon zest.

In a separate bowl, mash the avocado, then add the lemon juice and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and stir to combine.

Form the meat mixture into small (golf-ball-sized) balls with your hands and, working one at a time, create a divot in the center to form a sort of hollow cup. The meat should be about ¼ inch thick. Fill the center with about 1 teaspoon of the avocado mixture and then carefully inch the edges around to seal it in. (You may need to add a tiny piece of the ground meat mixture to seal it up tight; you don’t want any of it escaping during the cooking process.)

In a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook until lightly browned on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the browned meatballs to a baking sheet and cook in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes 12 or 13 meatballs.

Recipe from “Cooking With Avocados: Healthy Recipes for Good Living” by Elizabeth Nyland (Countryman Press; $16.95)

— Heidi Knapp Rinella