Al Solito Posto Is Another Masterpiece by Chef James Trees | Las Vegas, NV

By Bob Barnes

Las Vegas, NV, May 2022

• GAYOT’s Rating: 14/20
• CuisineItalian
• Open: Lunch Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Dinner Sun.-Thurs. 4 p.m.-10 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 4 p.m.-11 p.m., Brunch Sat.-Sun. 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Al Solito Posto is on GAYOT’s;
Las Vegas Best Italian Restaurants
Las Vegas Best Restaurants for Brunch
– and Las Vegas Best Bars.

Chef James Trees has been gradually building his Las Vegas restaurant empire, first with the wildly popular Esther’s Kitchen, selected as one of GAYOT’s 2018 Best 10 New Restaurants in the U.S. and one of the first eateries to help turn the Arts District into a culinary destination. Then came Ada’s Wine Bar at Tivoli Village, offering sharable, social foods and revisiting classics with bold flavors. His other masterpiece is Al Solito Posto, which opened in early 2021 also at Tivoli Village, set in the expansive former space of Brio. If you wagered this venture features Italian cuisine you won your bet, for chef Trees has distinguished his restaurants for offering the finest house-made bread, pasta dishes and Italian specialties in Southern Nevada.

For the Al Solito Posto executive chef position, chef Trees wisely landed the services of Steve Young, who made quite a name for himself helming Edge Steakhouse and Fresco Italiano at the Westgate. Creating authentic Italian cuisine at Fresco was not a stretch for Young, as his mother and grandmother are Italian and during his high school years he was tasked with cooking dinner for his family every night and practiced the skills they (especially his mother) taught him. And, his second professional cooking job was working for renowned chef Michael White (known for his soulful interpretations of Italian cuisine) at Due Mari and Due Terre in New Jersey.

The restaurant name means “in the usual placeand the dining room is decked with a fabric sculpture on one wall, tall dark green columns, large windows and hanging Edison light chandeliers. The bar lounge stands out for its voluminous selection of spirits with hundreds of bottles on display on both sides of the bar.

Your meal begins with complimentary house-made focaccia bread served with roasted garlic and olive oil. You could make a meal out of the numerous insalata and antipasti selections, like arugula salad with radishes, goat cheese fritters and lemon vinaigrette; fried burrata scarpetta with tomato pepper stew and fried basil; and grilled octopus with roasted tomato and pepper panzanella salad, green olives, pine nuts and preserved lemon.

Handmade pasta is well represented by rigatoni alla vodka enhanced with Calabrian chili and basil and “The Classics” with eggplant parm and frutti di mare—a conglomeration of lobster, shrimp, mussels, calamari and fettucine nero (squid ink). Other entrée choices include melt-in-your-mouth whole fish (orata, also known as sea bream) with pine nuts, tomatoes and capers; chicken marsala with roasted mushrooms, pearl onions and roasted garlic mashed potatoes; and Prime bone-in NY striploin.

If by chance you’ve saved room for dessert, you can indulge in tiramisu, strawberry compote cheesecake, and bombolones filled with lemon, Nutella and raspberry.

The beverage program includes about 150 wines mainly from Italy, Napa and Sonoma; more than 100 choices of bourbon, rye and single malt; dozens more of tequila, mezcal, rum, amari, gin and vodka; and more than a dozen signature cocktails like the El Solito with Spicy Lunazul Tequila, Cocchi Americano, fennel, cucumber, lime and Chareau Aloe.

> Bob’s tips;
You can make your own Negroni, selecting your spirit, bitters and vermouth.
Noteworthy whiskey brands in the massive spirits selection include winners like Macallan, Glenlivet, Weller, Old Rip Van Winkle, Suntory, Hibiki and WhistlePig.
The restaurant is conveniently located opposite the complimentary valet, steps from the outdoor east side parking lot and across the street from the underground parking garage exit.
Al Solito Posto recently launched weekend brunch and weekday lunch service, with menu items such as lobster Benedict, braised beef cheeks with polenta, stuffed French toast, meatball parm sandwich, roasted pork with au jus dip and a build-your-own Prosecco bar with several fruit purée and cordial options.
This eatery has an outdoor patio that is dog-friendly.

Al Solito PostoGAYOT’s Rating: 14/20
420 S Rampart Blvd #180,
Las Vegas, NV 89145
702-463-6781
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