Restaurants to Try This Weekend in Las Vegas — July 18
For a low-key group hang: H-Mart Food Hall
Janna Karel
I'm a big proponent of running errands with friends. We all have to hit the pharmacy or Costco eventually — why not turn it into a hangout? Last week's grocery run became a group outing to H-Mart. After piling pink pineapples, Melona bars, chile crisps, and frozen bao buns into a shared cart, the food hall was calling. I went for the crunchy fried chicken from Bb.q Chicken, slathered in a sweet-and-spicy sauce just hot enough to catch me off guard between bites of salty fries. At Jopok Topokki, I got a bowl of chewy tteokbokki and briny fish cakes swimming in glossy, gochujang-rich sauce — deep, smoky, and satisfying. I capped it off with a brown sugar milk tea from Tiger Sugar. Weekends can get hectic at the newly opened H-Mart, but going in the evening (they're open until 10 p.m.) helps. Sharing a cart — and a few snacks at the food hall — makes it all feel more like an outing than an errand. 2620 South Decatur Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV 89102. — Janna Karel, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
For a solo dinner: Other Mama
Janna Karel
The bar at Other Mama is one of the best places in town to post up for a solo dinner. Both the cocktail and sushi bars serve the full menu. On my last visit, I had the sushi counter all to myself and my book (Andy Weir's The Martian). I started with blistered shishito peppers and a cool, citrusy remoulade, followed by a roll of assorted sashimi and avocado, tempura-fried until crunchy but still light, and finished with eel sauce and spicy aioli. My miso black cod was tender and flaky, its marinade sticky and sweet around the edges. The book wasn't really for me (first-person narration undercuts the whole mortal peril thing), but the cocktail — mint syrup, lime, cucumber — absolutely was. 3655 South Durango Drive #6, Las Vegas, NV 89147. — Janna Karel, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
For a savory meatball: Ai Pazzi
Janna Karel
Fabio Viviani of Top Chef fame has opened Ai Pazzi in Summerlin, taking over the former Spiedini Fiamma space at the JW Marriott. The newly renovated restaurant blends Italian classics with a dash of Vegas glam. An oversized meatball gets the luxe treatment — made with wagyu, ricotta, and a rich tomato sugo fragrant with basil, perfect for swiping with garlicky grilled bread. My favorite dish was the dimpled orecchiette, tossed with spiced duck sausage and charred fennel. Don't skip the tableside caprese: hand-pulled mozzarella draped over heirloom tomatoes, finished with a drizzle of olive oil and aged balsamic. 221 N. Rampart Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV, 89145. — Janna Karel, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
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