Welcome to Downtown Summerlin, home of mindless suburban retail bliss, franchised food and fun ... and some of Las Vegas funkiest fried chicken. It’s true. The Bromberg brothers’ Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken might feel like a quasi-futuristic fast-food outlet—the place is spotlessly clean, and the trash cans are somewhat robotic—but check out the “chef’s choice” portion of the menu. There it is, right next to the dish of fried chicken livers and caramelized onions—the beak to butt ($7.95). No one would expect to eat this food in this location, but it’s real, and quite tasty. All mixed up with vinegary hot sauce and pickled peppers are crispy chicken necks, backs, hearts and gizzards, a magnificent mess of textures and flavors. These often-discarded parts are typically used to flavor broth, but there aren’t tastier parts of the bird. The combination of the rich, mineral-y hearts and gizzards with the crunchy, meaty neck and back parts is an overwhelmingly satisfying bite, especially layered with the BRFC seasoning dust and the sharp tang of pickles and hot sauce. It’s unexpected in every way.
Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken Downtown Summerlin, 702-329-9300. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.