Chef gets in the Mood to create masterpieces

Eric Nenneman is a painter who works in oils. And vinegar. He's the executive chef at Mood in the Artisan, 1501 W. Sahara Ave., the restaurant where fake Warhols, Cezannes and Chagalls watch you eat.

Art has themed the Artisan since it was converted from a Travelodge in 2001. The Siegel Group (as in Suites) took over in January and provided much-needed renovations. It kept the novel theme, though, which Nenneman complements. The former executive chef at Bear's Best Country Club and Red Rock Country Club (and instructor at the Culinary Training Academy) considers aesthetics as important as taste in what he refers to as his "modern twist on American cuisine."

"The plate's like the frame and the food is like my canvas," he says.

Nemmeman zigzags bright green aioli across the deep ruby sauce blanketing his crispy calamari, for example, filling in the blank space with red and green sweet cherry peppers.

White rectangular plates are used for every dish, Nenneman says, so the food "really pops out."

"I get a lot of people who don't want to cut into the food," Nenneman says, "they want to take a picture of it."

Mood -- which seats 65 in its dining room and 12 at its chef's table -- is open 8 a.m.-11 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and 24 hours on Fridays and Saturdays. Reservations are recommended; call (702) 214-4000.

Signature dish: Braised short ribs, $23.

Starters: Truffle hummus plate, $10; Thai chicken cakes with cilantro pesto, $10; Kobe beef sliders, $9

Soups and salads: Artisan salad, $10; grilled salmon salad with pesto, $12; wild mushroom soup, $6.

Entrees: Blackened swordfish with mango chutney, $20; pan-seared rack of lamb, $33; seared ahi tuna, $21.

Desserts: Three-way crème brulee, $6; Granny's apple tart, $6; Red Devil's Cake, $6.

By COREY LEVITAN