1st look at chef James Trees’ planned Vegas casino steakhouse
Chef James Trees is standing on the staircase that leads from the terrace of VooDoo Steak to the roof of the Masquerade Tower of the Rio, just beneath circular cages that formerly showcased go-go dancers, more than 400 feet above the streets of Las Vegas. The surround-sound views encompass Tivoli Village to the west, where the chef has Al Solito Posto and Ada’s Food + Wine, and downtown Vegas to the north, home of his Bar Boheme and Petite Boheme and flagship Esther’s Kitchen.
Trees stretches his arms wide. “This!” he exclaims.
But this, the chef explains, means more than the obvious: the views. This means the history of VooDoo Steak, its longtime staff, its place at the property. This means Trees’ latest restaurant — a transformation of VooDoo Steak into High Steaks Vegas, with an October opening planned.
VooDoo Steak has been open for almost 30 years, more or less debuting when the Masquerade Tower opened in 1997. The restaurant will close July 5 after service so work on High Steaks can begin.
The voodoo theme, all involved acknowledged, has grown tired, but “the bones are good,” Trees said of the restaurant. “The vibe is good. There’s the view. The employees have a lot of pride in their jobs and this special place, and they want it to be special again.”
An unexpected location
That James Trees, famously a champion of independent establishments, is now launching a place in a casino, and a steakhouse at that, might surprise many Vegas restaurant watchers, the chef acknowledged.
“For the last couple of years, I’ve wanted to do a steakhouse. Now, I have the right chefs in my company to do it with me.”
The chef also spoke to what he called an excellent relationship with Patrick Miller, president and CEO of the Rio, and Eric Birnbaum, founder and CEO of Dreamscape, owner of the property, both of whom recruited Trees, with discussions that began about nine months ago.
“This is the first deal where I’m not the owner of the restaurant. A management contract is a new thing,” Trees said. “I couldn’t do this if I didn’t have trust that they are not here to tell me to put chicken Parm on the menu or what cut (of beef) to use.”
Trees said the provenance of the room and the fact the Rio is an independent property, not part of a hotel chain, also played into his decision to open High Steaks in a casino.
“If it wasn’t this space, I wouldn’t do it. We are developing the restaurant based on this space, this vibe, the needs of the guests and locals. This is the best view of the city. This is a premium space.”
Lion toss; not much wagyu
The reimagining of that space will cost about $3 million, Trees said.
The other morning he walked through what will become High Steaks, ticking off some of the major changes ahead: a black and green color scheme, new carpet and art, new booths and fixtures, new chairs. Especially new chairs. The hodgepodge of seating now includes cheetah-print fauteuils and chair backs inset, like crazy cameos, with the faces of snarling lions.
“We want to throw the lion chairs off the building,” the chef said, laughing.
A glass case at the entrance holding, for some reason, bottles of tequila and flavored vodka will become wine storage.
“We’re not going to be highlighting Absolut Raspberri,” Trees said.
The kitchen will be extensively remodeled, too, with Joe Swan, now executive chef of Bar Boheme, coming aboard to helm the operation day to day. The menu? “We’re taking a different approach to the meat program in a steakhouse,” Trees said.
For one, wagyu steaks won’t dominate, as at many steakhouses.
“We might do a bit of American or Australian, but we’re not going to be crazy focused on wagyu. It isn’t special anymore.”
Game meats; thick slices
Instead, some of the focus will be on wild and farmed game, often sourced from ranches and other suppliers Trees has dealt with for years. Look for bison or elk backstrap (loin) from Wyoming, red axis deer from Maui or wild boar chops from Texas.
That said, the classics won’t be forgotten. Like a cart arriving to offer smoked prime rib sliced 2 inches thick. The dish, the chef said, draws inspiration from the brawny prime rib a 15-year-old Trees ate at the old Kokomo’s in The Mirage.
“Nostalgia is not lost on me,” said Trees, a Vegas native. “Those old Vegas memories I have — this is an opportunity for me to put that in my version of the best version of a steakhouse. We have an opportunity to do something special here. Getting back to the basics of hospitality.”
This.
Contact Johnathan L. Wright at jwright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @JLWTaste on Instagram.