As a Las Vegan, I feel spoiled by the recent uptick in fast-casual feasts. The Strip’s obsession with the elevated food hall experience has spawned all sorts of culinary wonders up and down the Boulevard. Clique Hospitality’s Proper Eats, a concept located on the second level at Aria, is the latest to join the scene.
“Our goal is to create something special,” says Jason McLeod, its culinary director. “We are evolving in terms of our food tastes. I think it started back in the day, when the Food Network came out and the celebrity chefs really took off. Our guests are a lot more educated now about food, and they want something a little more elevated than what they were given before.”
Clique tapped McLeod, a two Michelin-star chef at Chicago’s Ria who also anchored San Diego’s acclaimed Born & Raised and Ironside restaurants, to lead the project, along with Oliver Wharton, a hospitality veteran of Vegas and New York and the founder of A Perfect Bite. Together, they’ve curated a collection of nine delicious imports spread across Proper Eats’ sprawling 24,000-square-foot space. Let’s take a lap.
Proper Eats Food Hall at Aria
My lightest bites come from Easy Donuts, a quaint doughnut and coffee shop also serving quiche, croissants and baguettes. At eye-level, it appears pretty grab-and-go, but focus on Easy Donuts’ signage and you’ll notice it spells out “speakeasy.” Rumor has it a hidden cocktail bar will be announced very soon.
Proper Eats, like other food halls on the Strip, feels full of those best-kept secrets. Take the East Coast’s Egghead for instance. An affordable egg sandwich eatery? In this economy? Believe it. Egghead’s menu is lean and simple, with selections of fried and scrambled eggs and cheese on savory potato brioche. Adding cheesy hash browns to the center is next-level.
And don’t skip LA’s Wexler’s Deli, which delivers Jewish deli classics with character, from the house-smoked pastrami Reuben the Sam Rothstein ($18) to the Moe Greene ($28), a decadent bagel with hand-sliced lox and caviar.
“We like to hand-slice the lox so thin you can read The New York Times through it,” owner Michael Kassar says.
“Best smoked salmon I’ve ever had,” Wharton adds. “I’m an East Coast guy, and I’m very comfortable saying the West Coast guys have won this battle.”
Lunchtime calls for heavier bites, and the Korean fried chicken sandwich from Seoul Bird qualifies. Food Network star Judy Joo crafted her addictively crispy recipe with umami in mind, and the chef says the Seoul Bird team makes its own sauces, brine and batter mixes, including the secret ingredient—matzo meal. It’s also the first Seoul Bird outside of London, so don’t be chicken about trying the concept.
If you love protein, Shalom Y’all’s Mediterranean cuisine is well worth a visit. Specializing in Israeli street foods like handmade pita, shawarma-spiced cauliflower and Nazareth kebabs, the Portland import doesn’t skimp on quality.
Laughing Buddha’s steaming bowls of ramen don’t, either. My expectations weren’t high for a fast-casual version, but the tonkotsu ($16), simmered with a rich and silky pork bone broth, cozied me up like a rainy day.
Somewhere between the ramen and the sushi at Temaki Bar, I started craving the gourmet grub at Lola’s Burgers next door. Wharton’s burger joint caters to the classics his father, an esteemed New York chef, used to churn out in the ’70s. There are staples like the double-patty Smash Burger ($13) and more whimsical creations like Lola’s Way ($10), a mix of garlic truffle fries, onion rings and crispy jalapeños in honor of Wharton’s daughter’s favorite sides.
Superstar DJ Steve Aoki also comes from an acclaimed restaurant family, which explains his EDM—every day menu—at New York-style pizza chain Pizzaoki. This is the second time Aioki has lent a concept to a Vegas food hall—he and his brother Kevin launched yakitori booth Kuru Kuru Pa at Resorts World—and those looking for a well-made, hand-tossed pie with personality (there’s a slice called the Mic Drop) won’t be disappointed.
After hearing the stories behind the stalls and relishing a number of palate-pleasing bites, I’m convinced Proper Eats is a dining experience one should plan a day around. Bring an open mind, a bunch of friends and a healthy appetite.
PROPER EATS Aria, 702-590-8664, propereatslasvegas.com. Daily, 7 a.m.-11 p.m.
