There has been plenty of buzz since chef and culinary instructor Justin Kingsley Hall opened SLO-Boy, the inaugural pop-up concept at The Goodwich incubator kitchen in the kiosk in front of Dino’s Lounge on Las Vegas Boulevard. SLO-Boy seems to have drawn a loyal clientele from the jump and with good reason. Though this street food is served in cardboard containers, it is high quality.
On one side of the menu, you’ll find main courses and “field,” the side veggies. For $10 you pick one of each. The porchetta is a slam dunk. The roasted pork belly is finished with a nice sear and the walnut stuffing inside would be welcome on any holiday plate. The carrot-top pesto it's topped with is both creative and delicious.
Hall puts a focus on vegetables. At some point he realized he wasn’t eating a lot of them because, “vegetables weren't being cooked the way I thought they should be cooked.” Instead of trying to cheat with flavors and make veggies more like meat, he wants to bring out the best the produce has to offer. That effort pays off. The harissa carrots deliver on their tender-roasted promise and are seasoned to perfection. While the side coriander cream sauce is fine, it’s unnecessary as the carrot is packed with flavor.
SLO-Boy's stewed dandelion greens with sunny side-up egg.
One sauce that does add to its dish is the chef’s Kingsley sauce, found in the coq-in-a-box ($12). The sauce is built on roasted jalapeños and cilantro and is an excellent complement to the expertly fried chicken breast it's served with. The leg of the chicken is prepared in classic coq au vin style, and both are served on top of a trendy mustard-green salad that also features parsnips, capers, kalamata olives and roasted garlic. Kingsley says the goal of the salad is to have the salt in there without actually adding salt.
Sunny side dandelions ($7) are another excellent veggie option as the stewed greens are covered with a fried egg, offering something of a modern take on collards.
Finally, the cheeky tamale cup ($9) seems to be a favorite of many diners. Braised beef cheek is coated with a mild fig and ancho mole and served on top of popcorn masa, made by a technique where Kingsley cooks the popcorn with butter and milk, then mashes it and gets rid of the kernels. You’ll likely order it on repeat.
While the goal of The Goodwich incubator is to give different local chefs and their restaurant concepts a three- to six-month window to test their viability, I’m already hoping SLO-Boy finds a permanent home, here or anywhere.
SLO-Boy Food 1516 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 702-327-3192. Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
