impossible dishes in the bookâyou can't really
make booze out of seaweed."
Among the dishes inspired by the book's
adventures are a roasted pig's head and braised
squab breasts, both inspired by a stop at an island
that the book describes.
While the Lost Spirits Distillery tour sells
thousands of tickets per month, the 20,000 Leagues
dinner is limited to two seatings of 14 guests each
on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, and is
sold out weeks in advance.
Proper Eats
ARIA RESORT & CASINO
3730 S LAS VEGAS BOULEVARD, LAS VEGAS
Proper Eats Food Hall Brings New
Concepts to Las Vegas
Food halls have emerged as the venue-du jour in
Las Vegas, and the Aria Resort & Casino is the
latest to join the trend.
The casino was scheduled to open Proper Eats,
an eclectic collection of foodservice brands offering
cocktails and global cuisine in an elevated dining
experience, in December.
"This is a dream destination for me," says
Andy Masi, founder of Clique Hospitality,
which was organizing the food hall, together
with restaurant management group A Perfect
Bite Hospitality. "Our team is bringing together
cocktails and cuisine from some of our favorite
places in the world in one strikingly beautiful space
in the middle of the Las Vegas Strip."
The 24,000-square-foot Proper Eats food
hall replaces the buffet at the Aria. It will include
12 foodservice concepts, including the first U.S.
location of London's Seoul Bird, specializing
in Korean-style fried chicken and other dishes
inspired by co-creator Judy Joo's Korean-American
heritage.
Los Angeles-based Wexler's Deli is also
expanding out of its home city for the first time
with a location in Proper Eats. The classic Jewish
deli is known for smoking and hand-slicing all
its meat and fish in-house and has attracted a
following for its pastrami and smoked salmon,
among other offerings.
The food hall is also slated to include an outlet
of Shalom Y'all, a Mediterranean restaurant from
the Sesame Collective in Portland, Oregon; the first
Las Vegas location for Pizzaoki, a Los Angeles-based
fast-fired pizza concept featuring thin crust and
elevated toppings; and Egghead, a New York-based
comfort food concept known for its egg sandwiches.
In addition, the food hall features Clique's
own Temaki Bar, offering sushi and sake, which
currently has one location in Encinitas, California,
and Lola's Burgers, named after the daughter
of Oliver Wharton, founder of A Perfect Bite
Hospitality, offering gourmet burgers.
The other foodservice concepts planned for
the space will include a Laughing Buddha ramen
restaurant; Easy Donuts, offering donuts, coffee,
and cocktails; and Proper Bar, offering an eclectic
cocktail menu.
The Proper Eats space was designed by
architecture firm Studio Munge, which has created
20 SPECIALTY FOOD SPECIALTYFOOD.COM
STORE TOUR
PHOTO: WEXLER'S DELI
PHOTO: TAO GROUP HOSPITALITY
PHOTO: MARCUS AGUIRRE
PHOTO: PROPER EATS
