Sage had a decade-long run at Aria as one of the best fine-dining destinations in the city, but equally important was its favored status among local residents; it was worth the entanglement of a trip to the Strip.
The new Sahara Las Vegas would love to become the locals’ favorite Strip resort, considering its less-tangly location and welcoming new environs, so bringing in the award-winning chef behind Sage seems like a natural move.
Shawn McClain’s Balla Italian Soul restaurant is set to open October 19 in a bright, expanded space formerly occupied by the Sayers Club back when the Sahara was SLS. Working again with husband-wife team Richard and Sarah Camarota on this new Mediterranean concept, McClain will focus, as always, on hyper-seasonality and satisfaction in every dish, and he’s hoping to reconnect with Las Vegans who fondly recall his first Strip effort.
“We’re definitely getting back into those finer details. It’s always my hope that when you look at the food or the interpretation of flavors, there’s always a fingerprint from me, even though here [at Balla] the space is much brighter and the food is specifically Italian,” he says. “But I would find it a huge compliment if somebody said, ‘This dish reminds me of something you did at Sage.’”
The casino renovations of the past 18 months wisely moved daytime-dormant restaurant spaces to the perimeter, re-energizing the gaming floor and creating a fun and accessible tour of culinary offerings. That makes Balla feel even more fresh for guests who haven’t experienced the new layout. “It came out beautifully,” says McClain, pointing out that the lighter, brighter design will match the cuisine. The energetic, elongated bar and whimsical Italian pop art—Sophia Loren is having a picnic in one pic—should appeal to various crowds in various stages of a night out.
The James Beard Award-winning Midwesterner says the menu began with an emphasis on Mediterranean versatility before evolving to include Southern Italian cooking. “We wanted to be on the lighter side but really honor that style of cooking and the craft of it,” he says. “And we’re trying to hit a lot.”
That means antipasti, handmade pastas, pizza done distinctly—evolving from his former Five50 Pizza Bar at Aria—and dishes from the woodfired oven and rotisserie. Get started with marinated octopus with Calabrian chili and heirloom beans, lamb tartare with pickled eggplant and preserved lemon, or a shellfish toast with nduja sausage.
Squid ink shells with puttanesca, mint and squid display a different pasta perspective, and seafood will continue to play its part in dishes such as sea bream with lemon, capers and fresh herbs. Crispy rosemary-Parmesan potatoes or grilled Romano beans with anchovy could be perfect sides for a garlic-kissed 22-ounce ribeye or the pork Delmonico steak served with pickled radicchio and cippolini onions.
Vibrant Italian calls for a selection of signature Negronis and spritzes to anchor the cocktail menu, and fresh finishing moves include an assortment of cookies or panna cotta with limoncello and brown sugar pizzelle.
Sahara’s renovations have brought several notable dining additions to complement Bazaar Meat by José Andrés, the fabulous holdover from the SLS. With Balla, the iconic resort is looking for higher ground, a second true destination restaurant, and all of the pieces are there.
BALLA Sahara, 702-761-7000, saharalasvegas.com. Wednesday-Sunday, 5-10 p.m.
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