James Tree promises Esther’s Kitchen will be affordable family-style Italian restaurant

Las Vegas native James Trees, whose resume includes Aqua, Bradley Ogden, Alex and Alize, is returning to town after nearly a decade to open a farm-to-table family-style Italian restaurant downtown. He’s promising that Esther’s Kitchen, on Casino Center Boulevard, will be a family-style restaurant featuring pizza, pasta, porchetta and whole fish, with all items priced less than $30 and all bottles of wine less than $40.

Lupo’s Jenna Boyer won the first round of the Downtown Summerlin Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill’s Sommelier Smackdown. Boyer got off to a rough start Feb. 7 when diners felt her 2015 Spanish Morgadio Albarino Rias Baixas didn’t pair as well with charred octopus salad as the 2015 Triennes Rose selected by Jason Jones of the MGM Grand’s Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill, but she swept the next two pairings. The next round March 7 will pit Luis de Santos of Southern Glazer’ s Wine & Spirits of Nevada against Sarah Pollock of Bellagio’s Jasmine.

How sweet it is: Congratulations to high school seniors Maria Miranda, Geovanni Saucedo, Jasmine Ramos and Diego Salcedo, who all received full scholarships to UNLV to pursue hospitality, food and beverage, or culinary degrees. The funds were awarded by the Epicurean Charitable Foundation, comprised of 25 of Las Vegas’ top hospitality executives. Applications for next year’s scholarships will be accepted through March 13, and can be found at ecflv.org.

Opening: Another Viva Las Arepas has opened, at 1134 S. Rainbow Blvd. The flagship of the restaurant that was born as a kiosk in the parking lot of Dino’s lounge remains, at 1616 Las Vegas Blvd. South.

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