Community showcases eatery

Saturday morning at the Mountain Falls Grill Room is a busy place with friends, families, couples and golf buddies socializing over a meal. A big part of its success is executive chef David Hutchison.

As executive chef and food and beverage manager of the restaurant within Mountain Falls, a master-planned community located in Pahrump about 45 miles west of Las Vegas, Hutchison spends a lot of time in a stainless steel kitchen preparing breakfast, lunch and dinner for diners, many of whom are repeat customers.

"I love working at Mountain Falls. Because of the size of our restaurant, I have the opportunity to interact with the residents and other diners on a personal level as many are repeat customers," Hutchison said.

"We offer casual-elegant dining and a menu of upscale café-style food and American cuisine that's economically priced," he said. (Breakfast entrées start at $3.95; lunch sandwiches from $5.95; and dinner is less than $10.) "Our patio dining is popular at this time of year with people enjoying the views of the Mountain Falls Golf Club and mountains along with a delicious meal."

This public restaurant and its adjacent bar serve the community's residents, golfers hitting the links at the Mountain Falls Golf Club and prospective homebuyers. The restaurant is currently offering Mountain Falls residents who are also golf pass holders a 20 percent discount off food purchases.

The Grill Room has made a name for itself among Pahrump residents and has become a popular meeting place for clubs and community organizations.

"In addition to the restaurant, we offer the full gamut of banquet, catering and wedding services. We can accommodate up to 300 people and we've hosted meetings and special events of many different community groups like the Rotary Club, Republican Woman, the Kiwanis, the Chamber of Commerce," Hutchison said.

The restaurant is open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday through Tuesday and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday. Reservations are suggested for dinner and for large parties.

The Grill Room overlooks the greens of an 18-hole, par-72, public golf course. In addition to daily greens fees, annual, six-month, three-month and monthly golf passes are available to residents and nonresidents and include unlimited play and cart use.

Residents have access to the nearby Mountain Falls residents' facility. It features a fitness center with club-quality exercise equipment and classes; an outdoor aquatic center with a family style pool, interactive "splash pad," a 25-acre lap pool and spa; a multipurpose room; and a residents' lounge with card tables, pool tables and a big-screen television.

Paved walking trails meander along the perimeter of the golf course and throughout the community, connecting neighborhoods.

William Lyon Homes, the master-plan developer, offers the Bella Sera, Cascata Ancora and Tramonto neighborhoods, where single-story homes range from 1,157 to 2,897 square feet and are priced from the mid-$100,000s.

The William Lyon neighborhoods are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except Monday when models open at noon.

Classic Homes' Paradiso neighborhood offers five single- and two-story floor plans with as much as 4,300 square feet. Desert Wind Homes' Tivoli neighborhood offers homes ranging from 1,938 to 2,097 square feet. Office hours at Paradiso and Tivoli vary.

To visit Mountain Falls from Las Vegas, travel about 45 miles west on State Route 160 (Blue Diamond Road) past Interstate 15. Before reaching Pahrump, turn left on Manse Road. Proceed to Hafen Ranch Road, turn right and follow the signs. For information, visit mountainfalls.com.