Due to some changes with a couple of travel itineraries, I found myself in the unusual position of being in Las Vegas for my birthday, with no plans.  Luckily for me, Alanis Morrisette was performing at Pearl Concert Theater, and seeing as I hadn’t yet checked-out Greene St. Kitchen (the latest dining experience from Clique Hospitality that, like everything else at Palms, is filled to the brim with sensational offerings of contemporary art), it seemed like the perfect opportunity for a dinner-and-a-show kind of evening.  So, I grabbed my pal, Dawn Hume, and we did just that.

One enters Greene St. Kitchen by entering a video arcade with a fun Pac Man-inspired tile floor, and walking speakeasy-style through a vintage refrigerator door, and into a street art-filled Narnia.  The first works one encounters are SLICK’s sculpture LV Hands AKA Logan 5 positioned on a ledge surrounded by CES’ graffiti-installation Process of Predomination, and the two are paired to perfection.  Hats off to the curatorial savvy of Palms’ Creative Director, Tal Cooperman, who continues to meticulously weave the art into the resort’s narrative.

We were taken past the bar, crowned by RISK’s King of the Cage with its Bob’s Big Boy sculpture wielding a can of Rust-Oleum; and seated in a booth in the corner of the main dining room.  We got started with one of the house specialty cocktails for Dawn; an Angels in Heaven (Grey Goose Vodka infused with lemongrass, pineapple, cilantro, ginger, lime, and a flower sphere), and according to Dawn it was refreshing, and made a great accompaniment to our dinner.

So, of what did that dinner comprise?  (I’m so glad you asked.)  We began with a quartet of appetizers.  First came the fresh and flavorful Tuna Pizza (black garlic soy aioli, pickled pearl onions, and white truffle) - that, upon tasting, caused me to once again muse that Las Vegas must consume more truffles per capita than any other American city; and the shawarma-spiced Jidori Chicken Kabobs (with tzatziki sauce and fresh-baked pita), that Chef Joe Zanelli has seasoned into succulent and savory morsels.  These were followed by the Duck Pancakes (with julienned cucumbers and scallions, and hoisin sauce) which was presented à la Peking Duck, but without all the pomp and pageantry (or fat, for that matter; but with all of the delicious parts); and the Baked Crab Handle (with crispy onions and zesty aioli) which I can only describe as a comfort-food take on a sushi-burrito hybrid, and that’s a decidedly good thing.

As our entrée, we opted to split the Spaghetti Lobster-Homard (half-lobster with applewood smoked bacon, cream, and fresh cut chives, over spaghetti), which was rich and creamy and pretty fantastic (sadly, we were getting pretty full, so to make sure we had room for dessert, we asked that the remaining half of the Spaghetti be boxed to-go; at which time the restaurant very kindly offered to hold our doggie-bag at the hostess station, to be retrieved after the concert).

And then came the dessert.  An absurdly tasty frozen dessert served on a raised platform from which dry ice spews forth its thick fog, its sense of drama and mystery juxtaposing hilariously with the Sesame Street-inspired monster of meringue that is The Space Invader (cereal milk ice cream Baked Alaska with fruity crème Anglaise and strawberry coulis).

Meanwhile, if you have a leisurely moment or three on your way in (or your way out), stroll by the private dining room and peruse the mural by Dabs Myla that incorporates the shelves and the books arranged upon them; and gaze across to the wall opposite, where a mural by Kenny Scharff, with his cheery intergalactic characters, will fill you with joy. Trust me, a meal at Greene St. Kitchen is time well spent, for all of your senses.  Just don’t forget to check-out the Banksy!

Greene St. Kitchen
Palms Casino Resort
Click HERE for info

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