Some neighborhood restaurants thrive despite poor economy

One morning last week, Tim Coppick perched on a saddle-colored stool at the wood-grain counter at the Omelet House at 316 N. Boulder Highway in Henderson and ordered coffee and toast. About 24 hours later and 20 miles across town, Kathy Dougherty and Pete Rouches -- "We're married but he wouldn't change his name" -- settled into a bright-orange booth at the Sunshine Cafe at 1581 N. Decatur Blvd. and soon were tucking into a ham and cheese omelet and a Spanish omelet, respectively.

What do the two occasions have in common, besides a strong scent of coffee in the air and memorabilia -- an antique stove at the Omelet House, a chair of welded horseshoes at Sunshine Cafe -- in the house? They were scenes of the everyday vignettes in the lives of neighborhood restaurants.

While Las Vegas' status as a culinary capital continues to prevail in a challenging economy, with the tourists who still ply our streets eternally seeking out the haute spots on the Strip, the neighborhood restaurant is alive and well in ... well, in the neighborhoods. And that's because it has a special appeal.

"We're like an old-time restaurant," said Tara Gilbert, who owns the Sunshine Cafe with Steve Maynard. "Everybody really does know your name."

For Coppick, Dougherty and Rouches, that's clearly important. Coppick said he stops in at the Omelet House two or three times a week "because the food's good and the atmosphere's even better. They're always friendly and if you have a problem, they take care of it right away. There's a lot of regulars that come in that I know."

Dougherty and Rouches live in Summerlin but work near the Sunshine Cafe and stop in four or five days a week.

"The food is good, prices are reasonable," she said. "It's all friendly people in here."

"It's a comfortable place and I like everybody here," Rouches added.

"It's pretty much kind of a place locals hang out at," said Frederick Ostertag, co-owner of two of the three Omelet Houses in Las Vegas and manager of the Henderson location, which has been open for 17 years. "We do get a lot of people traveling the highway going up to the dam. But we have so many Henderson regulars."

Omelet House co-owner Kevin Mills said the location at 2160 W. Charleston Blvd., which is about to celebrate its 30th anniversary, has been in his family "since the beginning," and responds as if by instinct when asked to define a neighborhood restaurant.

"Someplace that knows your seating preference when you walk in and knows what you want to drink without having to ask, and has your special jelly or sauce in the little cabinet for you," Mills said. "More along the line of mom and pop."

One customer, he said, comes in every weekday; they've asked him "if he's not going to make it in by noon to let us know so we don't worry about him," Mills said. Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman is another regular, coming in a couple of times a week, Mills said.

"It takes him fully 15 minutes to get from the front door to his booth in the back of the restaurant," Mills said, because of the number of people who snag him along the way.

Henderson Mayor James Gibson didn't respond to a request for a comment on his favorite neighborhood restaurant in the suburb. But on the county level, Clark County Commissioner Lawrence Weekly didn't hesitate when asked for his: Gritz Cafe, 1911 Stella Lake Drive. Weekly said he likes Gritz "not only because it brings people together who enjoy the meals that they serve there, but it's just a cool little, classy place. Its only downfall is it's too small."

Which is a special problem for Weekly, who said he has had several meetings there.

"I've gotten to the point that I order carryout now, because if I go there, I can't sit and enjoy my meal; I find myself engaging in conversation," he said. "That's OK, but when you get a good hot meal, you want to enjoy it."

It's also worth noting that presiding at one of those haute spots at an upscale Strip resort doesn't preclude a chef from having an appreciation for the neighborhood restaurant.

"It's just solid food and welcoming service," said David Walzog, executive chef at SW Steakhouse at Wynn Las Vegas. "You don't go into these places with necessarily gigantic aspirations, but you do want to have a great experience that I think those kinds of places offer -- nothing but comfort and just an easy-does-it-meal."

Walzog's favorites: Archi's Thai Kitchen (which has three locations in the valley; Walzog likes the one at 9350 W. Sahara Ave.), Settebello, 140 S. Green Valley Parkway in Henderson, and Sen of Japan, 8480 W. Desert Inn Road.

Here are a few other favorite neighborhood restaurants:

• Back East Pizza, 1910 Village Center Circle

• Charlie's Down Under, 1950 N. Buffalo Drive

• China Mama, 3420 S. Jones Blvd.

• Lou's Diner, 431 S. Decatur Blvd.

• The Pit Stop, 802 Buchanan Blvd., Boulder City

• Prince, 6795 W. Flamingo Road

• Sonio's Cafe, 3900 W. Charleston Blvd.

Contact reporter Heidi Knapp Rinella at hrinella@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0474.