Next week marks the 10th-anniversary edition of Vegas Uncork’d by Bon Appétit, the biggest and most celebrity cuisine-filled food event of the year. While each fest brings new experiences, the 2016 version seems to push the envelope a bit more, perhaps most notably with a pair of April 30 events in Downtown Las Vegas. BA and its national-food-media brethren tend to stick to the Strip if they’re paying Vegas any attention at all, so this acknowledgment of our burgeoning Downtown dining scene is significant.
The majority of the events are set at Caesars Palace, Venetian/Palazzo and the Cromwell, and there are still tickets available for some of the more interesting happenings. We recommend these Vegas Uncork’d events:
DINNER ON THE STRIP Take your seat at Doge’s Palace, the Strip-front piazza at Venetian, and let superchefs Emeril Lagasse, Daniel Boulud, Olivier Dubreuil, Kim Canteenwalla and David Werly deliver the dinner of a lifetime. Bonus: You’ll hit Tao afterwards. April 28, 8 p.m., $325.
DINE IN THE DARK The acclaimed team of chefs behind Caesars Palace’s Bacchanal Buffet is going to blindfold you and then surprise your senses with a multi-course lunch of distinctly non-buffet food. If you like to experiment, this could be one truly memorable meal. April 29, 11:30 a.m., $110.
SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY Venetian’s Yardbird Southern Table & Bar takes comfort food to fun, refined levels of deliciousness, and this extra-happy hour pairs its beautiful bites with a guided bourbon and beer tasting. April 29, 4 p.m., $90.
STEAKHOUSE REDUX Uncork’d is all about pairings, and this is the most unlikely and exciting pairing of the weekend. Chef Michael Mina slips into the kitchen at classic Vegas old-school chophouse Golden Steer to mix modern with vintage in food, cocktails and wine. Rat Pack-era music will soundtrack this lunch, of course. April 30, 12:30 p.m., $165.
THE ULTIMATE COMFORTS & CLASSICS AFFAIR The Andrew Knowlton-led Downtown Vegas tasting at Carson Kitchen will sell out soon, but you can still get into this Container Park hang featuring food from Downtown and Strip restaurants plus plenty of bubbles, brews and craft cocktails. April 30, 8 p.m., $170.
Vegas Uncork'd April 28-May 1, vegasuncorked.com.
