STRIPLV DINING 0923

BY VEGAS FOOD NERD

1228 MAIN

1228 Main is a new restaurant concept that is shaking up the Downtown Las Vegas Arts District. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this modern concept brought to you by Wolfgang Puck is quickly gathering praise in the foodie scene. It’s more casual during the day hours but becomes a little more sophisticated experience once dinner rolls around.  
 
A neighborhood bakery and café by day and elevated restaurant and bar by night, 1228 Main brings a San Francisco sensibility to downtown’s laid-back vibe, presented by acclaimed chef Wolfgang Puck and local Las Vegas partners, including longtime partners in Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group, David Robins, executive vice president of domestic operations, and Tom Kaplan, executive vice president of development and design.
 
Behind the inventive, flavorful cuisine is Robins, whose early days as an up-and-coming Bay Area chef inspired much of the cuisine, along with culinary director Dustin Lewandowski and Alex Huizar, executive chef of 1228 Main.
 
Small plates include hand-cut steak tartare served with garlic-chili-almond salsa matcha, crispy potatoes, and garlic aioli; a roasted beet tartine with a focaccia crouton, and goat cheese smear; and duck rillettes with date puree, grainy mustard, and a toasted baguette.
 
Large plates include truffled chicken pot pie made with market vegetables and thyme velouté in a house-made puff pastry; grilled SRF Zabuton Steak prepared with a mustard-peppercorn au Poivre and served with a potato-bacon terrine; and spicy tomato spaghetti with crispy guanciale, garlic, chili, and parmesan reggiano.
 
Dinners begin with an assortment of freshly baked breads paired with seasonal accompaniments. They include Nicoise oliveade served with Spanish anchovy, goat cheese, and fresh thyme, and sheep's milk ricotta served with Tuscan olive oil and cracked black pepper. The artisanal breads and pastries are made fresh daily by a talented team of bakers led by Kamel Guechida, director of pastry development and operations for Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group, along with Sébastien Polycarpe, executive pastry chef, and Brittany Simmons, lead baker for 1228 Main.
 
The wine collection is inspired by the partners’ favorite selections and reflects new finds one might look forward to sharing with friends versus statement wines. Created by wine director David Morris, the wine list includes more than a dozen selections by the glass.
 
In keeping with downtown Las Vegas’ eclectic bar scene, 1228 Main offers next-level cocktails, including barrel-aged spirits used in the negronis, by talented mixologist and now director of operations Doug Chippewa. Debuting with cocktails showcasing the menu honors 1228’s diverse playlist. Highlights include “Mysterious Ways,” described as a ginger spice and stone fruit cocktail inspired by a Pimm’s cup, is made with apricot Carpano Antica, Lazzaroni Amaro, cucumber, ginger, lemon, grapefruit, and club soda; “Somebody Else,” described as a rich, spiced and slightly bitter rum punch, is made with El Dorado 12 year, Cruzan black strap rum, Campari, Amaro Ramazzotti, lime and pineapple; and “Free Falling,” described as an herbaceous, spicy and tropical margarita, is made with Lunazul tequila blanco, Chartreuse, Gran Classico, agave, lime, and pineapple.
 
The design of the 6,000-square-foot restaurant, bar, and bakery blends the bones of the building with modern architecture, from an array of materials mirroring the original brick to rich brown banquettes, communal tables, and a slatted wood ceiling. The art, by celebrated local artist David Ryan, adds pops of color to the bar and dining room. Recycled Propaganda, the moniker for favorite local street artist Izaac Zevalking, is behind graffiti that spans an exposed surface of the walk-in cooler. Outdoor dining is available on either side of the main entrance.
 
An expansion to the building houses an ambitious bakery and catering business that is equipped to facilitate orders throughout the Las Vegas Valley. 1228 Main seats up to 130 guests between the dining room, patio, and bar. If you want more info or want to book reservations, go to www.1228mainlv.com.
 
 

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