Haute Spot

Recent Spots

  • The Local
    A Nip and a Nosh By Aly Wagonseller The quaint, neighborhood wine bar is a common find in most European and cosmopolitan cities in the U.S., yet for some reason it just hasn’t caught on here. My guess is that …Read More »
  • Hatsumi
    Beyond Sushi Hatsumi By Rob Kachelriess A rewarding and inventive Japanese dining experience, Hatsumi goes far beyond routine sashimi and sushi rolls. The new concept by Dan Krohmer of Other Mama is a pivotal early step in the transformation of …Read More »
  • Chanko Shabu & Bar
    Healthy Comfort Food Chanko Shabu & Bar When it’s cold outside, you can’t help but crave something that warms you to the core. In America, this typically translates to gravy, biscuits and casseroles–foods that, while not particularly attractive to look at, …Read More »
  • EDO Gastro Tapas & Wine
    EDO Gastro Tapas & Wine: A Taste of Spain in Chinatown By Rob Kachelriess The diversity of Las Vegas’ culinary scene may be best represented in Chinatown, where options go far beyond predictable Asian dining. A great example is EDO Gastro …Read More »
  • Blume: An Eye-Catching Culinary Experience
    Blume: An Eye-Catching Culinary Experience By Rob Kachelriess Blume is on a mission to bring a taste of Strip-style spectacle to the Henderson dining scene. The food, drinks and environment are all designed to be photogenic conversation pieces, in which aesthetics …Read More »
  • La Strega
    La Strega A Charmed Beginning It’s rare that a new restaurant is polished from opening day. So much can go wrong, and usually does, requiring the eager, early foodie adopter to skeptically ponder if the subpar service or inability to keep …Read More »
  • Juan’s Flaming Fajitas
    Juan’s Flaming Fajitas & Cantina Aly Wagonseller Capitalizing on the popularity of his wildly successful westside location, Juan Vazquez, owner of Juan’s Flaming Fajitas & Cantina, has expanded to Downtown Henderson, transporting his homegrown brand of hospitality, great Mexican food and …Read More »
  • A Refreshing Farewell to Pretentious Fine Dining: David Clawson, A Fine Cooking Restaurant
      By Aly Wagonseller IN A PLACE THAT (FOR SOME) MAY SEEM LIKE A metropolis away, one of the best new restaurants our city has experienced, regardless of locale, has taken root. David Clawson, A Fine Cooking Restaurant, located at 2840 …Read More »
  • A New York State of Mind | Truffles n Bacon Café
    If you’ve ever been to NYC, you’ve seen your share of teeny tiny café’s that, while nothing fancy to look at, serve up big, bold food that speaks for itself.  Small, 30-seat establishments found in the strangest nooks and crannies …Read More »
  • Healthy Eating Made Easy | Manhattan Fish Grill
    It’s widely recognized that eating more fish is a good way to stay healthy. Yup, Omega 3’s deliver an array of benefits including lowering blood pressure and strengthening the immune system, while also having positive effects on the nervous and …Read More »
  • Oui! Bernard’s Bistro on Sunset
    Ever since the sad demise of Bon Jour Bistro several years back, there’s been the distinct void of casual French cuisine in our neighborhood.   A place where the simplest of open faced sandwiches or a classic steak frites consistently make …Read More »
  • A Looker With Promise – The Sparklings Barstaurant
    By Aly Wagonseller People go to restaurants for different reasons.  Sometimes we journey out for linen tablecloths, glowing candles and the hautest cuisine that money can buy.  Other occasions call for great happy hour drinks and appies, or a casual …Read More »
  • A Welcoming Elegance – Wine 5 Café
    By Aly Wagonseller  In a flashy town that houses an array of haute cuisine prepared by celebrity chefs that sometimes lose their soulful intent due to the almighty dollar, it’s incredibly satisfying to stumble upon a tiny, neighborhood restaurant whose …Read More »
  • Sammy’s Restaurant, Bar & Grill
    “Food is like fashion. You shouldn’t sit still or you might find yourself out of style.” This is the philosophy of Sami Ladeki, the founder of the original Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza and now his newest venture, Sammy’s Restaurant, Bar & …Read More »
  • A Crackin’ Success | Crab Corner Maryland Seafood House
    I love it when a good thing just gets better. It started when two East Coast legit brothers expanded their wholesale Maryland blue crab distributorship by opening a tiny, nondescript (okay, the Baltimore Ravens décor isn’t exactly commonplace in the …Read More »
  • An Exercise in Prudent Behavior – SkinnyFats
    By Aly Wagonseller I think most of us harbor a little bit of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde when it comes to dining out.  Some days it’s a piece of cake to keep our inner Dr. Oz in check –avoiding …Read More »
  • A Crackin’ Success – Crab Corner Maryland Seafood House
    By Aly Wagonseller I love it when a good thing just gets better. It started when two East Coast legit brothers expanded their wholesale Maryland blue crab distributorship by opening a tiny, nondescript (okay, the Baltimore Ravens décor isn’t exactly …Read More »
  • Fun with Food – Ohjah Japanese Steakhouse
    By Aly Wagonseller   There’s really nothing over the top about the food served at a Japanese steakhouse. Abundant veggie, meat and fish combinations expertly seared on a hibachi grill, while healthy and clean in flavor, rarely warrant the James …Read More »
  • Monta Chaya – A China Town Icon Comes to the Neighborhood
    By Aly Wagonseller Ask any hometown, die hard lover of Japanese ramen where “the” go to place for the best noodle bowls this side of Tokyo can be found, and you’ll likely be steered to a tiny joint in China …Read More »
  • A Neighborhood Staple – Juan’s Flaming Fajitas & Cantina
    By Aly Wagonseller It’s the simple things that make a restaurant memorable and worth returning to on a regular basis. Fancy food and décor, if done correctly, is certainly worth the price tag. But the name of the game in …Read More »
  • On the Verge – Poppy Den by Angelo Sosa
    By  Aly Wagonseller  Having been victim to some disastrous restaurant openings, I generally don’t frequent the new guy on the block until they’ve had ample time to find their groove. Granted, there are some very experienced restaurateurs that seem to …Read More »
  • Down to Earth – Honey Salt
    By Aly Wagonseller Farm to Fork. It’s as trendy as reality TV, and in a place with soil as barren as it comes, it’s likely to be just as counterfeit in terms of authenticity. How can a true Farm to …Read More »
  • Good Karma – Great Pizza….Pizza Buddha
    By Aly Wagonseller Anyone that’s been in Las Vegas for more than a blink knows Mark DiMartino has been relevant in the local restaurant scene for decades. He grew up in Vegas, working in his parents’ iconic Italian restaurant DiMartino’s, …Read More »
  • Really… Really Good – Chada Thai & Wine
    By Aly Wagonseller Something special happens when you pair young, creative and energetic siblings with a mother willing to travel all the way from Southern Thailand just to make sure her recipes are prepared the way they were intended. It’s …Read More »
  • A Ban on Boring – Bachi Burger
    By Aly Wagonseller   The year was 2010. An era when the gourmet burger bandwagon had rolled into just about every strip mall and hotel restaurant in town. Humble hunks of poor man’s steak lavished with luxurious truffles, lobster or …Read More »
  • The Secret’s Out – Naga Thai Dining
    By Aly Wagonseller It’s hard to “out” one of your favorite restaurants. On the one hand, you want to scream it from the rooftops when you find a local hole-in-the-wall gem that serves excellent food in above average surroundings, and …Read More »
  • A Strip Mall Gem – Marbella Tapas & Bar
    By Aly Wagonseller Attention to detail is often lost in local, family owned restaurants. For many new restaurateurs trying to ring the dinner bell, lack of it can result in the final nail in the coffin, especially when competing for …Read More »
  • Comfort with a Twist…Republic Kitchen & Bar
    By Mike Sweeney We call it “comfort food” for a reason. One taste of mouth watering fried chicken or macaroni and cheese and we’re instantly transported back to those wonderful days when carbs didn’t matter and mom made the best …Read More »
  • Comfort with a Twist – Republic Kitchen & Bar
    By Mike Sweeney We call it “comfort food” for a reason. One taste of mouth watering fried chicken or macaroni and cheese and we’re instantly transported back to those wonderful days when carbs didn’t matter and mom made the best …Read More »
  • A Restaurant Worth Remembering – Panna Thai
    By Aly Wagonseller When hunger calls, we often find that the fridge is empty, and in the hunt for good grub that’s not grab and go fast food, we tend to forget about great eateries in our neighborhood. The kind …Read More »
  • A Lunch Buffet with Spice – Taj Palace Indian Restaurant
    By Aly Wagonseller For many, the exotic spices and flavors found in Indian cuisine are a complete mystery. I doubt it’s because we’re afraid to try new things, but more likely because, despite the glut of AYCE sushi bars, kabob …Read More »
  • Build it and They Will Come – Dom DeMarco’s Pizza
    By Aly Wagonseller Domenico DeMarco is a pretty famous guy. His name is synonymous with a tiny, hole in the wall pizza joint known as Di Fara’s. For more than 45 years, people have queued up for hours in a …Read More »
  • Fogo de Chao – A Brazilian Churrascaria with Style
    By Aly Wagonseller   As I’ve expressed in the past, I’m generally not a fan of big chain restaurants. The food often comes across as painfully generic, while attempts at tasteful décor lack warmth and ambiance, replacing soulfulness with a …Read More »
  • The Dishes You Can’t Miss – Eating Local Has Never Tasted So Good
    By Aly Wagonseller In recent years, Las Vegas has become a culinary Mecca for the discriminating food enthusiast.  Some of the most talented chefs from all over the world have set up shop in trendy locales on the Strip. Astounding …Read More »
  • Not Your Father’s Steakhouse – Embers Steaks Ribs & Spirits
     By Aly Wagonseller Sometimes a restaurant, especially one that’s only been open a little over a month, isn’t quite sure what it wants to be when it grows up.  On one hand, a name and concept has painstakingly been chosen; …Read More »
  • Tradition Finds Las Vegas – East Coast Eats
    By Aly Wagonseller   I’m a West Coast girl, born and raised right here in Las Vegas.  Food, and what it means to us, is different on this side of the country.  Vegas foodie history is…to say the least…not overwhelmingly …Read More »
  • Forte – European Tapas Bar & Bistro
    By Aly Wagonseller   It’s strangely exciting finding a neighborhood restaurant like Forte European Tapas Bar, located at 4180 So. Rainbow Blvd.; a place where the food is as eclectic as the décor. It’s funky…charming…reminiscent of  bistros you stumble upon …Read More »
  • Fresh…Fast…Opa Delicious – The Great Greek Grill
    By Aly Wagonseller   Maybe because of the economy, or perhaps because our culture is one that’s constantly on the run, the fast food industry has thrived while fine dining has…well…unfortunately seen better days.  This doesn’t mean enjoying a five …Read More »
  • Fashionably Thai – Nittaya’s Secret Kitchen
    By Aly Wagonseller In general, when you think of most neighborhood Thai restaurants, heaping plates of spicy Pad Thai, a variety of curry dishes, papaya salad and fried rice comes to mind.  The food is served family style or in …Read More »
  • Lola’s: A Louisiana Kitchen
    By Aly Wagonseller There’s something about the sound of a rockin’ accordion pumping out some serious Louisiana Zydeco that just says party.  Add to that a dose of ragin’ Cajun cuisine, a sprinkling of purple, green and gold plastic beads …Read More »
  • It’s All in the Details – Blue Fin Sushi & Roll
    By Aly Wagonseller I miss the tradition of old school sushi.  Fresh fish, artfully and artistically prepared by artisans as serious about serving the very best seafood money can buy as they are about perfecting the knife skills to give …Read More »
  • Lucio Ristorante – Rock Solid for the Regular Guy
    By Aly Wagonseller It’s hard to keep up with what’s hot and what’s not on the Las Vegas dining scene. Small plates, molecular gastronomy, ChinaMex fusion and other chic eats can all be more than intoxicating to the star struck …Read More »
  • Giada’s Italian Cucina – A Sunday “Sit Down” Any Day of the Week
    By Aly Wagonseller Most every restaurant has a story.  Many are proudly shared with loyal patrons, lovingly displayed on menus, cocktail napkins, Facebook pages and the like. Whether these legends are factually correct, slightly embellished or a flat out fib …Read More »
  • Not Your Average Take Out – China MaMa Restaurant
    By Lisha Ross Given the sheer number of Chinese take-out kitchens in Vegas, one needn’t travel far, if at all, for a helping of Mongolian Beef over steamed rice. Unfortunately, Chinese choices are more often based on convenience rather than …Read More »
  • Give a Little Love to the Locals – Neighborhood Restaurant Favorites
    By Aly Wagonseller This has been a tremendously tough year for restaurants, with no one feeling it more than the local mom and pop establishments off the Strip.  Having been a local foodie for more years than I’d like to …Read More »
  • A Casual Catch – Caribbean Cooker
    By Aly Wagonseller It’s hard to miss the building.  An unabashedly schizophrenic structure where lime green siding and colorful neon fish collide with a brick, brownstone pub you’d be more apt to see adjacent to Wrigley Field than on the …Read More »
  • DW Bistro – Better Late than Never
    By Aly Wagonseller As a general rule, I like to wait until a restaurant has had a chance to “settle in” before   dining there.  I guess in part because of the impending crowd factor, especially if it’s the newest, grooviest …Read More »
  • Mundo….A Latin Chic Restaurant
    By Aly Wagonseller The old saying “absence makes the heart grow fonder” doesn’t always apply to matters of romantic encounter.  Anyone that’s recently frequented a favorite restaurant in anticipation of imbibing that one dish that floats your culinary boat, only …Read More »
  • A Bargain for the Carnivore – Brazilian Grill
    By Aly Wagonseller The concept of a traditional Brazilian Steakhouse, also known as a churrascaria, is a straightforward one. Here, tasty cuts of filet mignon, turkey blanketed in bacon, various types of sausage, leg of lamb, pork loin, chicken thighs, …Read More »
  • Old School is Back…Sen of Japan
    By Aly Wagonseller Not long ago, there seemed to be a sushi restaurant in every strip mall, on every corner, in just about every nook and cranny of the city. Some, quite frankly, behaving like cheap floozies in the red …Read More »
  • The BYO Burger…Grind Burger Bar and Lounge
    By Aly Wagonseller When questioning the originality of the newest build-your-own burger craze, I found myself reminiscing of a place I used to frequent in the mid 1980s called Flakey Jake’s. A casual little burger and beer joint, Flakey’s was …Read More »
  • Not Just for Take-Out
    Archi’s Thai Bistro By Aly Wagonseller Aside from power lunching, I’ve traditionally associated Thai cuisine with take-out cartons and movie night.  It could be that, for the most part, the décor at truly exceptional neighborhood Thai restaurants is rarely date …Read More »
  • Appies with an Edge
    Caña Latin Kitchen and Bar By Aly Wagonseller There’s something about sophisticated drinks and appetizers served in a vibrant setting that make dining out an experience rather than a hum drum meal.  Granted, you might be missing out on gluttonous …Read More »