Dining Out: Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill

DINING OUT

WOLFGANG PUCK BAR &GRILL, 10955 OVAL PARK DRIVE, DOWNTOWN SUMMERLIN

The world-famous chef opened his first off-Strip Las Vegas restaurant last week in Downtown Summerlin. The interior of the 200-seat restaurant is by EDG, which also did Spago at the Forum Shops at Caesars, and is designed to evoke both the surrounding natural red rock scenery and aspects of the cities of Austin, Texas, and San Francisco and Santa Monica, Calif. There are two patios and private dining rooms, and lunch and dinner are served daily, as well as daily specials such as whole roasted sea bass with garlic spinach ($29) on Wednesdays and fried chicken with a cheddar waffle and black pepper syrup ($23) on Sundays. Here’s a sample of the menu:

Starters: Truffled potato chips with Maytag blue cheese fondue, $9; wood-oven-baked mussels, $13; baby kale salad, $11; tortilla soup, $9; roasted baby beets with toasted pistachios, $13; artisanal cheese and salume board, $16.

Pizzas: Margherita, $9; potato and leek with goat cheese, $10; rock shrimp and spinach, $15; Asian barbecue chicken, $12.

Pastas: Orecchiette with Italian sausage and cherry tomatoes, $14; rigatoni with turkey sausage Bolognese, $15; wild mushroom fettucine with garlic and mascarpone, $16; hand-cut pappardelle with oxtail ragout, $19; housemade spaghetti with meatballs, $18.

Entrees: Wolfgang Puck private-label burger with aged cheddar, $12; Scottish salmon with white bean ragout, $24; sea bass cioppino, $26; free-range half-chicken with potato puree, $24; braised beef short rib with spaetzle, $31; mesquite-grilled filet mignon with Lyonnaise potatoes, $42.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Call 702-202-6300 or www.wolfgangpuck.com.