Cocktail bar of theyear
Velveteen Rabbit How did this Arts District bar become so beloved? Graceful, dazzling, lovingly precise cocktails Some cocktail lounges shift
focus to the wrong end of the equation — all atmosphere and clientele and vibe, with a few fancy bevvies to keep the shakers shiny. But at Velveteen Rabbit, the cocktails are front and center, discovered, perfected and finally spotlit like MGM starlets. The bartenders have a graceful touch with the classics — a gimlet is expertly balanced, icy-cold and served in a stainless steel coupe that maintains the chill and adds a fillip of Holy Grail glamour. But Velveteen Rabbit truly dazzles with its house cocktails, a seasonal menu of exotic libations unlike what you’ll find anywhere else — from the served-in-ateacup Moon Shine to the Mezcal-andRye Spaceship to the now-legendary whiskey/Bukowski homage, Crucifix in a Deathhand. Velveteen Rabbit is less than a year old, but is already a well-loved mainstay
of Downtown and its denizens. “We’ve been so well-received. People are excited to come here, they’re excited when they see we have a new menu,” says Pamela Dylag, who co-owns and runs the bar with her sister, Christina. Their success came as a bit of a surprise. “We didn’t expect it. The day before we opened, I was having a nervous breakdown: Are people gonna like this?” They certainly do, and the Rabbit draws regulars who live and work in the neighborhood, as well as visitors from Henderson, Summerlin and far further environs. Even during a weekend rush, the cocktails are always made to exacting standards, regardless of earthly pressures. “It’s about consistency,” Dylag says. “We do the recipes over and over, we measure everything, even the small stuff. ... Then muscle memory kicks in.” A clientele that comes for the exaltation and the exhilaration of the cocktail gets that Benedictine honey syrup and curry bitters involve more care than a blue daiquiri from a hose. “It can get three people deep,” she says, “but people are patient. They understand that it takes a little more time to make our drinks.” — Lissa Townsend Rodgers
Where I eat “With three kids, we mostly eat in the neighborhood and of the moment. Being spontaneous seems to be our best bet. I’m often at Mastrioni’s. You would think, as a chef, I’d try everything on the menu but I go for my favorites. Clams on the half shell, really well-caramelized with drawn butter. My kids love the marinara sauce, and you can really taste the not-fully-cookedoff garlic, and then I get the chicken Francese. Every time.”
Megan Romano chef/owner, Chocolate & Spice
1218 S. Main St., 685-9645
Plush life: Velveteen Rabbit
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