Taste

Crossroads is a great Resorts World restaurant that happens to be vegan

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Crossroads’ tagliatelle Bolognese, chickpeas marsala, stuffed zucchini blossoms, Figs & Feta and watermelon salad.
Photo: Wade Vandervort

Chef Tal Ronnen made a significant impact on Las Vegas Strip dining more than a decade ago when he designed vegan menus for many of the restaurants at Wynn and Encore. That collaboration helped launch a trend of expanding vegan options at other fine-dining spots in casinos and more progressive eateries in different neighborhoods.

While more vegan and vegetarian restaurants have sprung up all over the Valley in the last decade, there has only been one totally plant-based Strip restaurant to open since then, the casual Truth & Tonic Cafe at Venetian. Now it’s Ronnen again, working with chef Paul Zlatos and Resorts World, who has brought the Strip its first fully plant-based fine-dining destination, the Mediterranean and Italian-inspired Crossroads from Los Angeles.

Located near the Resorts World Theatre, Crossroads isn’t promoted as a vegan restaurant inside the new resort. There’s a small cafe space in the front that operates as Crossroads Burger (CB), serving up house-made, plant-based sausages, burgers and chicken nuggets. And the larger restaurant within feels like a classic casino steakhouse or Italian restaurant, secluded from the action on the floor and decorated with chandeliers, rich wood tones and even a blown-up photograph of David Bowie.

The menu is easy to navigate, with appetizers, salads, pastas, pizzas, mains and sides, and there’s no dish here that feels mysterious or elaborate. New creations for summer include a watermelon salad ($16) with heirloom cherry tomatoes, cucumber, feta and pistachios; creamy stuffed zucchini blossoms ($17); and the eggplant filet ($24) with mashed potatoes, chanterelle mushrooms and Bordelaise sauce.

Appetizers are particularly inventive at Crossroads. There’s a version of caviar and potato chips with French onion dip ($16) and a take on foie gras ($18) made with chestnuts and served with Cabernet demiglace and grilled sourdough bread, but everyone is ordering the Impossible cigars ($16), crispy tubes filled with meat mimicry. Unlike some of the city’s meat-free eateries, Crossroads does not focus on replicating animal protein; this kitchen just cooks tasty food and uses those alt-proteins only when necessary.

There’s no decreased decadence in the pasta dishes, particularly with the tagliatelle Bolognese ($27) and its rich ragu layered throughout perfect pasta. Next time we want to try the bucatini con nduja to see what can be done to create a meat-free version of the funky, spreadable salami.

Chickpeas marsala ($20) is stocked with familiar flavor and served over delightfully creamy polenta, reaching the zenith of lightness and satisfaction. If these plates don’t recalibrate your appetite, the Chocolate Crunch Bar ($14) might do the trick, as great a dessert as you’ll find anywhere on the Strip.

CROSSROADS Resorts World, 702-676-7978, rwlasvegas.com. Sunday-Thursday, 5-10 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 5-11 p.m.

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Brock Radke

Brock Radke is an award-winning writer and columnist who currently occupies the role of managing editor at Las Vegas Weekly ...

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