Italian-Japanese pop-up extends its run on the Las Vegas Strip
If you haven’t had a chance to do Wafu-Italian in Las Vegas, you’ve got another month to try cacio e pepe gyoza, temomi ramen shrimp scampi and mochi ramen carbonara tsukumen.
PastaRamen, which braids together Italian and Japanese ingredients, techniques and flavors, opened May 15 for what was to have been a one-month engagement at Bar Zazu in Resorts World. But the restaurant, created by executive chef Robbie Felice and Montclair Hospitality Group, is extending its run through July 12, according to a statement provided to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
The statement said popular demand led to the extension, and that tracks with online enthusiasm for the Wafu-Italian spot, with “wafu” being the Japanese term for “Japanese-style.”
PastaRamen began as an invite-only omakase concept in Montclair, New Jersey, featuring a Wafu-Italian menu. From there, PastaRamen expanded to publicly available pop-ups in Miami, Seattle, Los Angeles, New York and the Hamptons. A bricks-and-mortar restaurant also opened in Montclair.
Vegas redux; soy sauce sips
Felice joined with Nicole Brisson, chef-partner of Brezza in Resorts World, to present the pop-up. Vegas is a homecoming of sorts for the chef, who spent 4½ years splitting his time between Babbo in New York City and the old B&B Ristorante at The Venetian. During that time, Brisson was making a name for herself at the old Carnevino Italian Steakhouse, also at The Venetian.
Derek Crow, a leading Vegas mixologist, delivers a cocktail program that features the Ooo Mami D-Lite (espresso liqueur, Irish cream, crème de cacao, heavy cream and, yes, Kikkoman soy sauce), a Matcha Mia! (vanilla vodka, Licor 43, matcha, Irish cream, vanilla, heavy cream), and a duo of dessert cocktails that can double as nightcaps.
PastaRamen is open 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday at Bar Zazu. Visit resy.com for reservations, barzazulv.com for menu and details.
Contact Johnathan L. Wright at jwright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @JLWTaste on Instagram.
