Food and Loathing

Las Vegas Distillery is back, with new owners and new ideas. Gemini gets the full download General Manager/Tap Room Wrangler/Tour Commissioner/Swag Dude Cody Fredrickson. She also shares a long dining week, which included stops at Half Bird, La Madre Canyon Grill and The George at Durango Casino. Al helped Chef Roy Ellamar open patio season at Fine Company, and made stops at BBQ Mexicana, La Strega and 1228 Main. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The annual event to benefit food education for the valley's under-served children is coming up in early May, and Al gets a full preview from Chef Mark Sandoval at UNLV. As for dining this week, Gemini plays the hits with stops a Garagiste, Esther's and Nevada Brew Works. Meanwhile, Al stretches his sushi chops with some wacky rolls at Mizumi, then heads back to Wynn for the pop-up Safta 1964. Also, it wouldn't be a show (and it wouldn't be Al) without another stop at Uncommons. Plan B turned out to be Amari, which may get a promotion to Plan A. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's a "clean out the closet" episode, as Al and Gemini share some interviews that have been looking for a home. Most important: author and past podcast guest Kim Foster tells us about her book that she first mentioned more than a year ago. "The Meth Lunches: Food and Longing in an American City" tells tales of what happens when the traditional family dinner includes poverty, mental illness, homelessness, and addiction. Asian-Fusion-Barbecue is the nutshell description of KYU, a new addition at the Fontainebleau. Al speaks with executive chef Christopher Arellanes. And Gemini has found another new wine bar! CrushPad Wine Bar on West Sahara near Buffalo is the work of Bryan and Jessica Dynda, who sat down for a chat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Al and Gemini podcast from Wineaux, the new wine bar in UnCommons. Chef Shawn McClain and Sommelier Nick Hetzel share how they came together for this project and what it's all about. Also: Al takes a deeper dive into the new iteration of Esther's Kitchen, while Gemini explains This Mama's House, which popped up at 00 Pie & Pub. Also: lots of pizza news, a whiskey experience and, yes, it's true! Vegas Unstripped is back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gemini and Al sit down with UNLV student Paiton Zilio and Allen Carter of Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits, to discuss UNLVino’s Sake Fever event on April 19 at the Resorts World pool. Together, they dig into the history of UNLVino, and discuss the role it plays in educating future generations of culinary workers, and bringing together the Las Vegas community. In the meantime, Rich Johnson reports in from Chicago, sharing some of the culinary discoveries he’s made since relocating to the Windy City. Gemini shares reports on her recent meals at The Hard Hat Lounge and THE Steakhouse at Circus Circus, while Al relates his experiences at Daeho Kalbijjim, Kyu in the Fontainebleau, Naked City Pizza and Cured & Whey. And we have interviews with Todo Bien’s Curtis Knickerbocker and celebrity chef Josh Capon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Al and Gem are back at Dom DeMarco's, hosting a mother-daughter social media team. Emmy Kasten is a longtime Vegas writer and lifestyle journalist. Her daughter, Alix, is a TikTok creator, with accounts followed by more than 80,000 people. Her videos show off a store, restaurant or other location in a lightning-fast 13 seconds - and Al is frustrated and amazed by his own inability to come that close. Meanwhile, Gem shares her eating adventures at Oscar's, 00 Pie and Pub, and a tinned fish collaboration dinner at Sparrow + Wolf. Al got all grungy for a 90s event at The Legacy Club, then somehow got into Barry's Prime. Both Al and Gem hit the new brunch at Crossroads Kitchen, and Al talks to the executive chef at the now-open Atomic Golf at The Strat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Al and Gemini record an entire episode on location at the restaurant everyone is talking about this week, the newly opened Esther’s Kitchen. They’re joined by the restaurant’s top chef, and owner, James Trees. In addition to telling them all about his new digs, Trees reminisces about his early days in The Arts District, and reflects on Esther’s success to date. He also shares what’s next, and announces the name of the new restaurant that will be moving into the original Esther’s Kitchen space – an all-tasting-menu affair he refers to as “The Quentin Tarantino Film of restaurants.” Also: UNLV’s Marc Sandoval previews the Viva Careers event aimed at anyone who would like advice on how to pursue a career in hospitality. And Al and Gemini tell us about recent visits to the new Cheongdam Food Hall, The Hard Hat Lounge, Sushi Tanuki, Anima by EDO, Piero’s and Hofbräuhaus. Finally: How you can win a free dinner for two at Joel Robuchon, in a new contest from Neon Feast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Al and Gemini do a semi-serious test-drive of the first cannabis lounge in the valley, Smoke & Mirrors. It's the first cannabis consumption lounge to open under Nevada's new regulations for those businesses. Consultant Chris LaPorte helped build the place, and he explains it all. As for dining, it's a gallery of the usual (and excellent) suspects for Gem: Ada's, Marche Bacchus and Winnie & Ethel's. Al shares his recent experiences at Wally's, Fiorella Pasta Bar and BBQ Mexicana - the latest creation of superstars Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

And we did... at the brand new Federal Chicken & Donuts, next to the food hall at Red Rock Resort. The Philadelphia-based chain is putting out four varieties of chicken sandwiches, chicken strips and more than a dozen kinds of fancy donuts. Also: Al gets schooled in all things Parma and Iberico at "Cure Camp," EAT's Natalie Young is not happy with downtown street work, and another effort to help those in the hospitality industry deal with stress and mental health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're back at Dom DeMarco's Pizzeria & Wine Bar on West Charleston for, what else? More pizza talk! And the big topic is Barstool Sports' Dave Portnoy doing is famous "One Bite Pizza Reviews" in Las Vegas during Super Bowl week. Of the four places Dave visited, Dom DeMarco's got the top review. We talk to owner Albert Scalleat, as well as Good Pie's Vincent Rotolo. Also: reaction from two other subjects of Portnoy's reviews. Keep listening for word of another unfortunate closing, Leap Day specials at the Lev Group's restaurants, and first word of Pizza Expo's annual charity event Slice Out Hunger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Al, Gemini and Rich share their experiences before and during the big game, including the NFL's signature charity event, Taste of the NFL, which benefits GenYouth and its "End Student Hunger" fund. Rich spoke to some of the superstar chefs that took part. Al and Gemini got to "Toast by Tostitos," which featured, well, Tostitos. Gemini got to 00 Pie & Pub, while Rich split his Super Bowl watching between the Sand Dollar Downtown and the bar at Barry's Downtown Prime. And Al shares reaction to one local restaurant's public disappointment with Guy Fieri's Super Bowl event. But the centerpiece is an extended interview with the Golden Tiki’s Adam Rains, who shares a feast from their new food menu and tells us about U2’s recent visit. Other interviews this week include Chef Lorena Garcia, Patrick Anthony Munster, Olivier Dubreuil, Andrew Pollard, Chef Carla Hall, DJ Flores, Rashad Jennings, Locale Italian Kitchen's Andy Hooper and the first broadcast interview with Whataburger CEO Ed Nelson about their first Las Vegas location. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After years of shunning us, the NFL is finally letting Las Vegas host its first Super Bowl. And several local chefs will be involved - and just about every joint in the valley will be doing something football-related on Sunday. Also: Al shares several conversations in this episode, including Chefs Leticia Mitchell, Stephanie Sandfrey, Joe Komiski, Sam Pulliam and more. Al also shares his first taste of Michael Mina's new place at Mandalay Bay, Orla. Rich has an excellent lunch at a small French place he'd been avoiding for a while: Oh-La-La. And there's news of a long-delayed celebrity-fronted steakhouse opening soon, and a change of ownership for Gambit in Henderson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Five chefs from Las Vegas have received nominations for James Beard awards, and we've talked to four of them! Plus: comments from Thomas Keller on the 20th anniversary of Bouchon, and Joe Bastianich on the opening of All’Antico Vinaio, one of the most famous sandwich shops in Italy. Also: a new Executive Chef at Bazaar Meats and two big-deal grocery chains are coming to the valley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Al and Gemini recorded this episode at the Fancy Foods Show, and talked to a few of the people hoping to find buyers for their products. Also: Chef Lasheeda Perry talks to Al about Taste of the NFL, the annual pre-Super Bowl event featuring some national celebrity chefs and some of our own. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The legendary chefs of Border Grill, Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken, are expanding their empire to the Las Vegas suburbs. Barbecue Mexicana is opening at The Bend. The concept is already in place right across the hall from Border Grill, in T-Mobile Arena and Allegiant Field. But this will the group's first stand-alone fast-casual property. Also: Gemini goes all-out at 00 Pie & Pub, while Al tries the sorta Cuban sandwich at The Chef Truck, the faux food truck in the hall just outside the casino at Park MGM. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices