Dining out
at FIRST Bite
Quiet storm The unassuming David Clawson Restaurant in Henderson hides many pleasant surprises — and celebrates a return to unfussy, well-crafted cuisine B y M i t c h e ll W i lb u r n
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ince October, there’ve been whispers about an unassuming little spot in the deepest part of Anthem. With no splashy PR events or phoned-in celebrity chef interviews, the buzz about David Clawson Restaurant has truly spread via word of mouth. That’s good, because it’s unlikely you’re going to stumble upon the place yourself. Surrounded by the big-name behemoths of modern consumer society — Subway, Alb- any of the 28 menu items that bear mini- And yet for all its astounding richness, it ertsons, Starbucks, Bank of America — the malist names like “Lamb” and “Rice” and highlights the oysters wonderfully. The restaurant wedges itself in a nondescript “Soup.” Yet, behind those simple names are same goes for the crab cake. It’s made strip mall with some curious branding. some surprisingly complex flavors. For in- with as much lump crab and as little The big blue sign shouts, simply, “DAVID stance, there’s nothing as sophisticated in binder as they can manage — and a bit of CLAWSON.” No doubt passersby have the suburbs as Clawson’s lamb T-Bone. A Old Bay seasoning and basil — and there shrugged off the new development in their fist-sized, grilled porterhouse with a Syr- you go. It’s a classic, unfussy dish whose neighborhood as an artist’s gallery or may- ian red pepper paste, it’s an inventive dish secret ingredient is the careful attention be a real estate agent with an especially enhanced by the menu’s suggested pairing they apply to it. large ego. Hopefully, though, at least some with a Ramey Syrah from Sonoma. And sometimes Clawson’s deceptively of them will be curious enough to walk Their “Rice” dish is an interesting simple names hide some dishes that may through the door. They’ll be rewarded for concept as well: Niigata koshihikari rice turn you into a drooling, unrepentant their curiosity with terrific dishes from a (prized in Japan), sea urchin, salmon junkie. I have in mind the dessert titled classy, modern — but thoroughly unpreten- roe, and a Parmesan Reggiano cream “Fruit,” a sticky toffee pudding with rum, tious — dining establishment. — something more along the vanilla cream and a highly addictive subWhich isn’t to say it’s without lines of what you’d expect stance called “sticky apricot love.” Yes, David frills or novelties. For instance, from a big-name Strip restau- I know Gordon Ramsay Steak’s sticky Clawson the otherwise intimate restaurant. Like other dishes, Claw- toffee pudding is an object of worship of Restaurant rant has an interesting kind of son’s plainly named “Soup” among local foodies (including us: We 2840 Bicenten“stage” where the chef puts his hardly does justice to what honored it with a Restaurant Award in nial Parkway 702-466-2190 finishing touches via tweezers you get: a bold, robust clam 2012), but this blows Ramsay’s version david-clawson. and plating spoon on the dishes chowder that must have a met- away by a country mile. Make sure you’re com coming out of the kitchen. The ric ton of butter in it. (Trust close to full when you order this, because stage is where they finalize me, I’m not complaining.) you’re liable to eat five. HOURS Tue-Sat, 5-10p
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