Esther’s Kitchen
THE CHEF’S SPREAD WITH ALL THE THINGS – Housemade Sourdough Bread + Basil Ricotta, Basil Oil, Herbs + Cambozola, Blue Cheese, Walnut, Pickled Grapes + Beet Conserva, Saba, Capers, Calabrian Peppers + ‘Nduja, Calabrian Salami, Chili Oil + Burrata, Chives, Basil, Sea Salt + Anchovy Butter, Capers, Parsley + Cannellini Beans, Lardo, Speck, Pistachio Oil + Fegatini, Chicken Liver, Foie Gras, Saba, Strawberry + Butter, Olive Oil, Black Pepper
CAULIFLOWER ALLA ROMANA – anchovy + chili + garlic + fried capers + parsley
VITELLO TONATO – tuna carpaccio + crispy sweetbreads + salted zucchini
GNOCCO FRITTO – parmesan espuma + speck + chives
GRILLED MARKET PEACHES – herb stracciatella + mostarda + summer herbs
BAKED NDUJA BUTTER MUSSELS – umami breadcrumbs + chili + parsley
WOOD ROASTED MUSHROOM PIZZA – truffle panna + fontina + thyme + pecorino
DUCK CONFIT PIZZA – truffle panna + fontina + cherry mostarda + spinach
BEEF AND PORK MEATBALLS – basil ricotta + charred sourdough
EGG TAGLIATELLE – pork and mushroom bolognese + rabe + breadcrumb
BUCATINI NERO – puttanesca + buttuto + olives + sungolds + parsley + anchovy
RIGATONI – carbonara + egg yolk + guanciale + snap peas + granna
TORTELLINI – charred eggplant + pepper stew + trapanese pesto + ricotta
AGNOLOTTI – bacon + shallot + corn + jalapeno + bay scallop
TAJARIN – colatura + lemon + egg yolk + parsley + orivetta classico
PACHAMAMMA PORK CHOP – pine nut calabrian chili crisp + butcher beans + greens
SMASHED POTATOES – parmesan + chili + parsley
HOUSE GROUND POLENTA – mascarpone + parmesan
HEARTH-SMOKED TOMATO RISOTTO – summer squash + sungold tomatoes + basil
APULIAN LAMB SHOULDER – white wine + orange + fennel + parsley + polenta
BUTTERSCOTCH BUDINO – whiskey caramel + honeycomb + whipped cream
VANILLA BEAN PANNA COTTA – strawberries + basil oil + croutons
TIRAMISU PAVLOVA – coffee pavlova + amaretto zabione + coffee tuile + espresso-soaked lady fingers
CHOCOLATE OLIVE OIL CAKE – gianduja cremeux + hazelnut + olive oil ice cream
Last visited for Dinner in March Monday once again found Esther’s Kitchen firing on all cylinders, the frequently-changing menu expanded to match a more sizable space located just around the corner from James Trees’ revolutionary original address.
Now serving Las Vegas for over 5 years, every available superlative already used to describe James Trees’ Restaurant that revitalized the Art’s District, it was with a packed house that seven guests sat near the pass with Baker Dylan Jobsz’s city-best Sourdough starting things off.
Seasonal and rustic in a good way, exacting standards and impeccable service forever part of Esther’s D.N.A., it was with a focus on new items that two Sourdough Pizzas emerged from a wood-burning oven hot-n-bubbly, a well-developed cornicione proud to surround Confit Duck with Cherries as well as the more classic combination of Mushrooms and Cheese.
Modifying Gnocco Frito for early Spring, light Dough fried and filled with airy Parmesan, one would be hard-pressed to name a dish with more umami than Mussels baked beneath Calabrian Sausage though “Vitello Tonato” upgraded by Sweetbreads and Salted Zucchini gives it a try.
Pasta-centric as always, classics still present but this day’s focus on items such as Agnolotti with Bacon and Scallops, suffice it to say that there are no wrong options whether its Tagliatelle with Pork and Mushrooms or hand-formed Tortellini with Peppers atop smoky Eggplant.
Spicing things up with proper Putanesca, though guests seeking something more mild should consider an immaculate Pork Chop served alongside Beans, tender Lamb Shoulder packs a ton of flavor thanks to Fennel mellowed by Citrus while Tomato Risotto continues the kitchen’s strong showing with Vegan and Vegetarian dishes.
A lot of Food for not a lot of cash, all of it rooted in technique but never compromising flavor for looks, Dessert consisted of Esther’s forever refining Butterscotch Budino plus moist Chocolate Cake, though the real stunner proves to be an all-new Pavolva giving Tiramisu a face-lift by way of varying textures.
www.estherslv.com

