Cool chili and expressive espresso on Eastern Ave. Seriously.
I often find myself on the chaotic conduit of Eastern Ave. down in Henderson (by the ol' office and the gym). Traffic congestion commentary aside, this road is coursing and bubbling with economic activity (where all this money comes from is a good question). Everywhere one looks it seems that there's a new strip mall or parking lot plot building going up -- or there's a preexisting strip mall. Strip malls are the main Vegas way. But their tenants tend to mirror every other metropolitan city: chain stores.
Now I try to be a patron of local places most of the time, but this is no diatribe against chains. I eat and shop at them plenty. They are an important part of the American economy, for good or ill or whatever. A chain restaurant paid for my college tuition and pretty much everything else from the age of six through college graduation. Criticism would be a bit disingenuous on my part. I don't own a sea turtle costume or an IMF-protesting molotov cocktail.
All that said, here's a look at two new and distinctive places I suggest you check out if you are on southern Eastern Avenue (just drive defensively when you go).
A concept whose time has come
Man, I do loves me some good chili! All kinds of chili. I am not a partisan who makes the Pecos a Rubicon by claiming bean-free Texas-style con carne is the only real deal.
Chili has long been an American favorite. Even Kit Carson, a frontiersman with heavy Nevada connections, allegedly shuffled off the mortal coil saying 'Wish I had time for just one more bowl of chili.' Now that's dedication to a dish.
In many cities, chili parlors can be found. But, until this year, Las Vegas lacked such a singularly inclined eatery.
So hot Vegas is now a chili town with the introduction of Red Rock Chili Co. in Henderson. The first Nevada outlet of a Newport, California chain that started in 2002, this place is all chili all the time, served up amidst a smart Southwestern sandstone and petroglyphed decor that appeals to the Moab mountain biker in everyone.
Red Rock Chili Co. has bubbling cauldrons of eight varieties of stew: a classic beef and beans "The Original"; a habanero/chipotle/jalapeno impregnated "Hot Rock"; a Cajun "Caribbean Chicken"; a green chili pepper and chicken "White Rock"; the self explanatory "Cowboy Steak"; the beanless "Road House"; a vegetarian version; and Cincinnati style.
It was the Cincinnati style that caught my eye on my first visit. Cincinnati chili is made with mellow amounts of spices like allspice, cloves and cinnamon -- as well as cocoa -- as opposed to flaming chilie peppers. It's famously served over spaghetti, as it's available at Red Rock Chili Co.
The ways of eating your chili at this new place covers platforms like hot dogs, spaghetti, baked potatoes, rice, salads, tortillas and fries. Invent your own combos.
Another reason to check out Red Rock Chili Co is its plastic versions of main menu items, such as the previously mentioned Cincinnati chili spaghetti. Like the model foods so familiar from mom and pop sushi dens, these depictions look exactly like real chili-slathered originals.
More Vegas locations are planned.
Red Rock Chili Co.
9500 S. Eastern Ave
568-4018
A more stylish macchiatto
Directly across Eastern Ave. from Red Rock Chili Co. I fo
und Esspresso.
I'm not sure why I pulled into this place last week on a whim. The name was merely explanatory, but I wanted an iced macchiatto. While I might not have been drawn to a sign that merely read "Coffee," this more vaporously expressed title seemed to fit the part.
Am I glad I found Espresso. This place has super-high and cool Euro design and good food and drink.
It's a tall and open room furnished with dark wood tables and decorated with tasteful modern colors and modish floral silhouette wall art. Plus the music playing is pretty good so far, trending to Thievery Corporation-like tones. Very urban, very needed in the burbs and beyond. Best of all are the numerous low, square brown leather and metal framed seats, perfect for easing back into their Eames-like forms with laptop handy and wireless internet around.
The coffee products are via Illy beans, the pride of Trieste, Italy and a reliably excellent exported grind.
For food, I've only had one lunch, but it was very promising -- an antipasto salad that appropriately filled an interesting Ikea-ish wide, geometrical white ceramic bowl.
Inside the bowl I found microgreens, a good handful of cured green olives and an upright Caprese overlay of fresh mozzarella and tomato. Thin-sliced prosciutto, salami Genovese, mortadella and sopresatta lined two sides of the bowl. There was also a good portion of grilled peppers and eggplant along with a diagonally sliced toasted foccaccia. It was fresh and good.
And, going against the grain of so many restaurant salads (and entrees) in Vegas, it was not an enormous heap of food, proportions too big, unwise and wasteful. I'd rather have the optimal measure of a one-sit-eating $9 salad than a $13 monstrosity that will be partially shoveled into a take-out container only to soggily wilt in the office fridge later.
Espresso is a great addition to coffee culture in Vegas. Wine, champagne, beer, tea and Italian sodas are also available. Live music and DJ events are planned for weekend nights.
Side note: Did you know that contempo artster extraordinaire Julian Schnabel has his own Illy designer-label espresso demitasse line? Neither did I. It's available at Espresso. One wonders what Basquiat could have designed...
maybe a mokka pot?
Espresso
9555 So. Eastern Ave
353-8087