TASTE
WO L F G AN G PU CK’ S SPAG O
Twenty-five years ago, Chef Wolfgang Puck rolled the dice and opened the first fine-dining restaurant in Las Vegas. He admits that bringing his acclaimed Spago eatery from the Sunset Strip to The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace was a risk at the time. But, with a chuckle, Puck reveals he did it so his friends would have a place to eat when the fights were in town. He’s had the last laugh.
DESTINATION
Dining
TRAILBLAZING RESTAURANT SPAGO CELEBRATES ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY
Not only is Spago celebrating its 25th year in Las Vegas, but Puck also helped usher in a dining revolution, kicking open the door to chefs from around world. As Puck now tends to his global empire, Spago is headed by Chef de Cuisine Dylan Hallas, who after several stops at prominent Southern California restaurants, packed his knives and came to join Puck’s team. “There is a lot of history here, and there are big shoes to fill,” Hallas admits. But he’s up for the challenge. “I’ve always enjoyed cooking. I have photos of myself at five years old making scrambled eggs. I can barely see above the stove.” While he looks to “inject new life into classic Wolfgang Puck dishes,” like adding Asian-style wings to the menu, Hallas says that many Spago staples will remain. “The smoked-salmon pizza is not going anywhere,” he says of the guest favorite. Instead, he’s reviewing daily lists he receives from meat and produce vendors to select the freshest seasonal ingredients possible to create dishes that are only offered for a limited time. “It gives value to the experience,” he says. “It’s a unique kind of plate that is not necessarily repeatable.”
SPAGO (702) 369-6300
Star
Sunday–Thursday: 11:30 a.m.–11:00 p.m.
TREATMENT Wolfgang Puck was immortalized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Friday–Saturday: 11:30 a.m.–12:00 a.m.
MENUS & SPECIALS
While Spago’s menu is constantly changing, the restaurant offers a number of daily and weekly specials starting with a three-course, prix fixe lunch menu ($30). Sip & Savor Hour takes over the café daily from 3 p.m.–6 p.m. with food and drink specials, including $5 glasses of wine. And Sunday Brunch, which starts at 11 a.m., remains a Spago staple. “We tweaked the brunch menu,” Hallas says. “We’re doing a really nice Bloody Mary cart, delicious crab deviled eggs and an amazing eggs Benedict.” 42
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF WOLFGANG PUCK FINE DINING GROUP: (WOLFGANG PUCK S TA R C E R E M O N Y ) A L E X B E R L I N E R ; ( D Y L A N H A L L A S ) A N T O N I O D I A Z .
Chef de Cuisine Dylan Hallas
6/26/17 1:18 PM