Carson Kitchen
Girl From Ipanema – avuá prata cachaça, watermelon, fresh lime, basil, balsamic vinegar
Watermelon & Feta – tajin, fresh lemon, cucumber
Grilled Artichoke – chipotle aioli, banyuls vinegar
Gyro Tacos – lamb, tzatziki, feta, tomato
Get Shorty! – el jimador tequila, grapefruit, fresh lime, cayenne simple syrup
Crispy Chicken Skins – smoked honey
Pig & Fig – pork belly, pickled figs, goat cheese
Filet-Ohhh-Fish – green goddess cole slaw, spicy tots
Pretty Rye for a Chi Guy – george dickel rye, orgeat syrup, velvet falernum, fresh lime, mint
Pork Chop – jalapeño pesto
German Potato Salad – whole grain mustard, chives
Vinho Verde, Gazela Portugal
Shrimp & Antebellum Grits – andouille gravy
Rainbow Cauliflower – garlic, lemon juice
Sea Bass – charred lemon, herbed greens
Purple Haze (Reprise) – nevada h&c sliver dollar vodka, st. elder liqueur, fresh lemon, mint, crème de cassis, blueberry preserve
Berry Hand Pies – blueberry, ginger, gin
Towns End – slow & low whiskey, fernet vittone, amaro del sole, regan’s bitters #6, angostura bitter
Banoffee Pie – irish cream, whipped cream, chocolate biscotti
Now sailing high amongst an ever challenging DTLV dining scene for longer than many Celebrity Chef Restaurants manage to last on-Strip it should go without saying that Carson Kitchen is a quintessential Las Vegas dining experience for locals and visitors alike, Chefs Cory Harwell and John Courtney continuing to reinvent the menu each season with new ideas and fresh products on top of an ever-growing collection of classics.
Soon poised for expansion, the Tattoo Studio next door recently relocated and renovation planning to add more seating plus a proper bar while still maintaining the intimate feel of a space that makes good of low ceilings and a tight kitchen, it was with plans falling through for a four that two diners sat down to taste the new Summer menu at its one-month mark, John fresh off a trip to Europe and filled with ideas while Matthew Harwell continues to oversea a bar program that excels in terms of matching the Chefs in terms of both the innovation and ingredients.
Requesting the Chefs to serve at will, something of a tradition at this point and one that likely won’t change anytime soon as hits outnumber misses at about a 20:1 ratio, it was from seats at the pass that nearly two and a half hours were spent enjoying five rounds of food plus an equal number of cocktails, the opening volley of Girl From Ipanema with mild Brazilian Cachaça and Watermelon a logical pairing to Carson Kitchen’s reinterpreted Watermelon & Feta Salad that this year features Tajin and Raw Onion, a trio of Gyro Tacos with bright Tzatziki every bit as good as memory served while the $12 Grilled Artichoke is a veritable steal considering the fact that all the hard work of cleaning it had already been done by the kitchen.
Next sending out Get Shorty! from the bar, a man from Italy stopping Matthew in his tracks with an identical shirt only moments before three guys in matching Hawaiian button-downs walked through the front door, suffice it to say that the blend of Tequila, Citrus and Spice with a salty Rim went over very well with the lady of the two-top, as too did Cory’s signature Chicken Skins with an all new spice mix that she only reluctantly shared upon realizing that eating too many would prevent an adequate tasting of the crispy new Pig & Fig Flatbread with Arugula and just a touch of Goat Cheese, not to mention the “Filet-Ohhh-Fish” that takes McDonald’s famous square up several notches by adding Shrimp plus Fish Sauce to the Patty before topping it off with herbaceous Cole Slaw.
Scaling back course three as a true pairing, the “Pretty Rye for a Chi Guy” replacing Gin in Al Capone’s favorite Cocktail with George Dickel Rye but bringing back some of the freshness by way of Lime and Mint, those who enjoy a simple piece of grilled Meat will be happy to see Carson Kitchen once again serving top quality Pork at a great price, the bone-in Chop atop ‘jalapesto’ simple yet succulent while a personal distaste for Mustard made the German Potato Salad largely irrelevant.
Opting to show off a newly offered wine called Vinho Verde with the meal’s final savory course, a light body and tiny bubbles amidst mild sweetness expectedly pairing well to fish, those who enjoyed last year’s grilled Sea Bass with Herb Salad will be happy to know it is back and as beautiful as ever, the Rainbow Cauliflower an equally great dish despite its simplicity while the Shrimp & Antebellum Grits sees Chef Courtney and team frying the Bob’s Red Mill special order into soft Polenta-style cubes before adding a handful of tailless Crustaceans and housemade Andouille Sausage to the mix.
Continuing to offer the ever-enjoyable Brownie and Bread Pudding while updating Dessert by way of a seasonal Handpie baked up light around Gin-soaked Blueberries and Ginger it was while sipping the Purple Haze (Reprise) that a surprise was presented, Harwell & Co’s Banoffee Pie Jar announcing its return this fall and still one of Sin City’s best Desserts, whether alongside the bitter yet slowly building smoothness of a Town’s End or Coffee as usual.
FIVE STARS: Nothing has changed except the menu, and if anything it is better than ever, so why would the rating change?
RECOMMENDED: All the Classics plus Pretty Rye for a Chi Guy, Shrimp & Antebellum Grits, Pork Chop and Grilled Artichoke.
AVOID: Those who don’t like Mustard may want to avoid the German Potato Salad…though I guess the same could be said for those who don’t like Feta avoiding the Gyro Tacos…honestly, there are no duds on the current menu.
TIP: Setting aside Standard & Pour, the people of Henderson simply not ready for cuisine of that caliber, Cory and John seem to have a full plate on their hands with the Carson Kitchen expansion and Ally Cat…plus, y’know, the upcoming Fall Menu (aka Banoffee Season) and Life Is Beautiful traffic.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor.
http://carsonkitchen.com/
