Michele StuevenThe highly anticipated new restaurant, Maroon by Chef Kwame Onwuachi, has officially opened its doors at SAHARA Las Vegas. As Chef Onwuachi’s first West Coast restaurant, Maroon reimagines the classic American steakhouse through the vibrant flavors, techniques, and cultural influences of the Afro-Caribbean diaspora.
At the heart of the kitchen in the space designed by New York-based architectural firm Modellus Novus, a custom-built jerk pit infuses signature dishes with layers of smoke and spice.
Menu highlights include rum-aged steaks from Rosewood Ranch, ranging from New York Strip to wagyu tenderloin; jerk chicken served half or whole; and Banana Leaf Snapper with tamarind chutney, curried okra, and squash. Additional dishes include curried mussel toast with Bluebay mussels and shito crunch on Jamaican hardo bread; green mango salad with crispy okra, and curried goat agnolotti. Onwuachi’s take on steakhouse favorites includes a rack of lamb from the jerk pit and an oxtail Wellington layered with jerk beef bacon and black truffle, among others.
The Maroon cocktail program developed by award-winning mixologist Lu Lopez showcases tropical ingredients like the Blue Mountain Sour with Appleton Estate Rum, allspice, and thyme; the Soursop Margarita with chili salt and the Allspice Spritz made with a house-made Caribbean Pimm’s, lemon, agave, strawberry, mint, and sparkling wine. Spirit-forward options include the Hurricane Negroni, crafted with gin, passion-fruit-infused Campari, and house-blended Italian vermouth, and the Demerara River, crafted with bourbon, rum, crème de cacao, and peach.
Bonus: The Sahara is currently offering no resort fees, all-in rate stays from just $89, free daily breakfast for two at Zeffer’s Cafe for hotel guests, and free late checkout, a $25 value
Curried Goat Agnolotti at Maroon by Chef Kwame Onwuachi (Scott Chebegia)
Three Square Food Bank’s annual Las Vegas Restaurant Week will return to Southern Nevada from Monday, June 1, through Friday, June 12. The twelve-day community-wide event features participating restaurants across the valley, offering specially curated prix fixe menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with prices ranging from $20 to $120. With every meal purchased, a portion supports the local food bank.
One in six Southern Nevadans faces hunger, including more than 113,000 children. Last year, more than 290 restaurants and 64,000 diners participated, raising a record $403,358, enough to provide 1.2 million meals. Since 2007, Las Vegas Restaurant Week has helped provide more than 10 million meals to those in need.
The mobile-friendly website, RestaurantWeekLV.org, will launch two weeks before the event and feature a full list of participating locations and promotions.
Courtesy Three Square Food Bank
Cocktail hour: At F1 Arcade Las Vegas, you can experience state-of-the-art F1 SIM racing alongside elevated cocktails, shareable bites, and a lively atmosphere inspired by race-day culture. Culinary offerings, along with an entertainment experience, include seafood towers and wagyu beef sliders. Also, F1 Arcade’s cocktail program includes state-of-the-art cocktails, and non-alcoholic designated drivers concocted by the Drink Masters season 1 winner, LP O’Brien.
Play Playground has a new “Playmaker’s Pour” program, a rotating monthly cocktail series featuring specialty drinks alongside the venue’s larger-than-life social games and playful nightlife atmosphere.
What’s Popping Up is a column in the L.A. Weekly that explores everything new in food and drink