Andiron images: Bill Milne

There’s a reason that restaurateur Elizabeth Blau is lighting-up the airwaves, as one of the investors (alongside Joe Bastianich, Tim Love, and Antonia Lofaso) on CNBC’s popular Restaurant Startup (Wednesday nights, at 10pm E/P).  Actually, there’s more than one, but I was referring to the success of the restaurants she’s opened with her partner and husband, Chef Kim Canteenwalla, in Las Vegas; most recently Andiron Steak & Sea.  I’ve been twice to Andiron, of late; and both times were terrific.

The first was a screening party, at Andiron, for Blau’s debut on Restaurant Startup; where I filled-up on Andiron’s take on Pigs in a Blanket (the sausages are wrapped in a flour tortilla that manages to be crispy without flaking apart – don’t ask me how) and the delicious Wagyu Burger.  While there, Blau told me the follow-up to a cute story about our dear friend Amy Sacco.  Long story short, Sacco had met with the producers of Restaurant Startup, but didn’t think she was a match.  So she told them, “This isn’t right for me, but my friend Elizabeth Blau is exactly who you guys should be talking to: She’s perfect!”  As a cute tribute to Sacco – a la Carol Burnett’s ear-tug to her grandmother – on her premiere episode, Blau had worn her ‘Sacco dress’ (originally made for Sacco, by designer Nicole Miller, Blau had loved it, and asked Miller to make one for her), and had me keep an eye out for it.  As one would expect, she looked her usual dynamic, smart, and successful self – the perfect combination for a show that’s essentially a culinary Shark Tank.

Fast-forward a month, and I was back at Andiron, celebrating Valentine’s Day (playing the third wheel to a very charming young couple, from Athens, G-A), over brunch.  The first thing that you notice, upon entering Andiron, on a Sunday afternoon, is the Candy Table – a fond tip of the toque to our late friend, and Blau’s longtime partner, Chef Kerry Simon.  Immediately to the right, the Bloody Mary Bar features a panoply of seasonings, spices, and fixings – including some enormous Shrimp, crispy rashers of Bacon, and cups full of Olives hand-stuffed with Bleu Cheese – all before you’ve even passed GO.

One thing that I particularly enjoy about brunch at Andiron, is that – due to its Downtown Summerlin location – the vibe is what I’m gonna refer to as upscale suburban casual.  Everyone looked nice without looking too costume-y or uncomfortable (if perhaps moving at three-quarter speed, due to having not yet fully recovered from their Saturday night festivities).

Over the next two hours, my friends and I grazed on such goodness as the Charcuterie & Cheese (with meats, cheeses, honeycomb, huckleberry, and grilled bread), the Avocado Toast (with grilled wheat bread, tomato, pickled Fresno chili, and arugula), the Donut Plate (a selection of seasonally-inspired fresh donuts), the Breakfast Sandwich (with shaved porchetta, over-easy egg, and aged cheddar, on a brioche bun; with fingerling potatoes), the Smoked Fish (hot & cold smoked salmon, sturgeon, capers, shaved onions, tomatoes, cream cheese, and bagel), the Chicken Caesar (with shaved parmesan, rustic croutons, and crispy capers; which I asked them to chop, with crispy bacon and tomatoes), the Chef’s Pancakes (with maple syrup cooked in the batter), and the Shrimp & Grits (Anson Mills grits, aged white cheddar, jalapeño crème fraiche, and crispy bacon).

The Breakfast Sandwich was perfection (I got mine sans egg), and the Chicken Caesar was exactly what I was craving when I polished it off, at 2am, that night.  As he’s from Georgia, I asked my friend to pontificate about the grits, and was informed that they were definitely homemade and most assuredly not Uncle Ben’s.  And we all agreed that the Chef’s Pancakes benefited from the maple syrup being mixed into the batter.

More than just a glamazon with a pretty face, Elizabeth Blau’s the full-package.  And it’s a package that is filled with lovely restaurants serving food that clings to your bones, in all the right ways. 

Restaurant Startup | CNBC – Click HERE for info
Sunday Brunch | Andiron Steak & Sea - Click HERE for info

Get into it!
#ElizabethBlau