Small Plates: Crush and ‘Come Home to Supper’
DINING OUT
CRUSH EAT, DRINK, LOVE, MGM GRAND, 3799 LAS VEGAS BLVD. SOUTH
Crush Eat, Drink, Love — from The Morton Group restaurateurs Michael and Jenna Morton and with William DeMarco as executive chef — opened in December, with a menu of wood-fired pizzas and small and large plates intended for sharing. The restaurant is composed of two rooms: the Atrium, with lighting designed to mimic the path of the sun, and the Bodega, which features a barrel-vaulted ceiling. Each room also contains a bar. Here’s a sample of the menu:
Starters: Kale salad with fried artichokes and ricotta salata, $10; roasted cauliflower, $10; Salt &Pepper Frites, $9; Peasant Soup, $9.
Pizzas: Margherita, $14; Italian sausage, $15; curry shrimp with asparagus and coconut cream, $17; date and artichoke, $15.
Small plates: Sea Scallop Benny, $18; ricotta gnocchi, $16; veal Bolognese, $16; octopus ceviche, $16; Tuna 2 Ways, $16; Angus mini burgers, $15.
Plates: Lamb sirloin, $38; California sea bass, $34; half roasted chicken, $26; 32-ounce braised short rib, $52; 28-ounce Tomahawk ribeye steak, $65.
Crush opens at 5 p.m. daily, with the last reservation taken at 10:30 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 11:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Call 702-891-3222 or visit www.MGMGrand.com.
NEW BOOKS FOR COOKS
BIG FAT GREEK FRIES
5 to 6 medium-sized red potatoes (about 2 pounds), washed and unpeeled
2 to 3 teaspoons olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon dried oregano flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Cut each potato lengthwise into eight thick wedges and place in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice, stir around a bit to coat, then sprinkle on the oregano and salt.
Bake, stirring halfway through, until tender and lightly browned at the edges, 30 minutes. Serve hot.
Serves 4.
— Recipe from “Come Home to Supper” by Christy Jordan (Workman Publishing; $16.95)
— Heidi Knapp Rinella
