If you were to ask the average person what comes to mind when you ask about downtown Las Vegas, most would think “Old Vegas” or the Fremont Experience light show. However, anyone who has visited in the past couple of years has noticed the trend of bars and restaurants, particularly on East Fremont.
What was once an area most people shrugged off, is now lined with establishments such as the Downtown Cocktail Room, The Vanguard Lounge, The Park, and Insert Coins, which was a leader of the now niche market of “barcades,” which combine both booze and arcade games. Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com plans on adding to the number of restaurants as part of his redevelopment initiative, contributing to the trend of non-gaming sources of revenue in Las Vegas.
The three restaurants will be Close to Eat, La Comida, and Carson Kitchen. Carson Kitchen, nominated as a finalist for best new restaurant in Las Vegas, will, sadly enough probably be “Rock n’ Roll Chef” Kerry Simon’s final restaurant, as he battles with the aggressive disease multiple system atrophy.
They will all be in the same building, at 616 E. Carson Ave. The restaurants will carry the torch for hip, unique, and fun options downtown. Glutton, which features new American cuisine, is run by Bradly Manchester, a former executive chef at Red Rock Resort. Meats, fish, and veggies will cook in a wood-burning oven and fill the stomachs of many patrons looking for sustenance to keep their all-nighters going.
VegeNation looks to capitalize on the vegan market, offering dishes from Vietnamese cuisine, to “juicetails”, which combine fresh juice and booze, a fresher and healthier take on cocktails. The final restaurant is Zydeco Po-Boys, a fast-casual po-boy concept which will feature Cajun staples such as fried catfish, shrimp, Cajun sausage, and of course red beans and rice.
The hope is to draw in professionals who work in the area, tourists checking out Container Park, and other locals who are seeking a more sophisticated food experience. “For good food, people will travel,” said Brandon Trahan, Louisiana native and creator of Zydeco Po-Boys. The restaurants will open within a month.
