Las Vegas Weekly

September 3, 2009 · 12:06 PM

Counter Intelligence: Emeril and B.B. King’s new restaurants

By Robin Leach

Bam! It's chef Emeril Lagasse.

Photo: Craig Mathew

Hot off the grill! Superstar chef Emeril Lagasse really kicks it up a notch today when the self-confessed uber-sports fan opens his Lagasse’s Stadium at the Palazzo. It’s the ultimate sports place to dine, play and watch every game imaginable. Emeril has ensured that sports fans will be in the center of the action with stadium sofa seating and more than 100 HDTVs.

There’s everything from patio dining to luxury boxes and betting stations in this new state-of-the-art venue that once housed rapper Jay-Z’s 40/40 Club. Emeril not only promises his world famous cuisine but also will have four-hour tailgate parties each weekday starting at 3 p.m.

It was almost a year ago at Andre Agassi’s Grand Slam charity that Emeril first revealed his plans for the sports restaurant to Vegas DeLuxe, and now two weeks before Andre’s 14th annual fundraiser for his college prep academy, Emeril sees his dream come true!

*Across the Strip, Mirage officials have made it official that legendary blues guitarist B.B. King will open a branch of his blues club restaurant, bar and nightlife venue this winter. Lucille will be so proud! It will be open early morning to late night serving up Creole cuisine and B.B.’s own signature favorites of fried dill pickles, Gumbo Ya Ya Straight From the Bayou, Lip Smacking Ribs, southern fried catfish and banana bread pudding. Also check out his unique drinks the Boll Weevil and the Wang Dang Doodle that are favorites at his other locations. Music -- funky and fast, soulful or smooth -- also will be a seven-nights-a-week ticket with dancing, and B.B. said he would join in every time he comes to visit.

The 558-seat venue will feature four bars, one outside looking into the club and three inside, all with great views of the stage and entertainment. The restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night dining -- open until 2 a.m. on weekdays and 4 a.m. on weekends, or until the last person standing! B.B. King’s Blues Club at The Mirage will be located across from The Beatles Revolution Lounge and next to Samba Brazilian Steakhouse.

*Valentino in The Venetian is celebrating its 10th anniversary in a unique and charitable way. Chef Luciano Pellegrini has organized “Wine & Dine for the Cause”; this month, a portion of the proceeds from his daily specials, tasting menus and select wines will benefit Keep Memory Alive and our downtown Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and Alzheimer’s research. Hard to believe that James Beard Award-winning Luciano has been at the helm of the Italian eatery for the entire decade since the resort casino first opened!

Luciano said: “When we started thinking about our 10-year anniversary and how to celebrate it, we wanted to do more than just a one-night dinner, with the hopes that more money can be raised for Keep Memory Alive.” To learn more, go to KeepMemoryAlive.org.

*Upstairs at the newly opened First Food & Bar, which straddles the point where The Venetian and Palazzo join, the first-ever Shuck & Swallow chefs contest took place. Chefs from neighbors Sushi Samba in the Palazzo and Aquaknox in The Venetian were joined by chefs from RM Seafood at Mandalay Bay and Fiamma at MGM, along with kitchen kings citywide from 10 restaurants. The contest, to raise funds for our local Shade Tree Shelter charity, was a challenge to see how many oysters could be shucked and swallowed in just 10 minutes.

The home team won by a landslide, with First chefs Rob Ryan and Jake Maul claiming bragging rights and a trophy for 96 oysters in the 10-minute race! Said First executive chef Sam DeMarco, who spearheaded the event: “This was great to get chefs out of the kitchen and have a little fun. For a first-time event, it was very successful. It will now become an annual party, and we’ll do more events like this in the future.”

You can see the video of the amazing battle on Vegas DeLuxe’s Video Vault page in the No. 6 spot -- or click HERE.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter HERE.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter HERE.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter HERE.

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