INTERNATIONAL REPORT—Hotels here and abroad are enhancing their F&B outlets. New restaurant openings and upgrades, plus unique foodie experiences are all part of the mix:
Circa Resort & Casino to Bring Five Restaurant Concepts to Vegas
When Circa Resort & Casino opens its doors in downtown Las Vegas in December, it will unveil a restaurant lineup with five original concepts from a collection of chefs and proprietors revered both locally and around the world. Curated by developer/CEO Derek Stevens, each offering will deliver something new to the city as part of Circa Resort & Casino:
- Saginaw’s Delicatessen from Detroit restaurateur Paul Saginaw, marking the first new restaurant outside Michigan from the masterminds behind Ann Arbor’s famed Zingerman’s
- Barry’s Downtown Prime, the first Downtown venture from Chef Barry S. Dakake
- Victory Burger & Wings Co. from American Coney Island’s Chris Sotiropoulos and Grace Keros, the first new concept from the brand’s founding family in more than a century
- 8 East, the first pan-Asian restaurant from Chef Dan Coughlin
- Project BBQ by Chef Rex Bernales, the first permanent food truck and Carolina barbecue joint on the Fremont Street Experience
Andrew Weissman Launches Private Dinners with Chef
In a new dining experience for up to four guests called Illustrations of Signature, Chef Andrew Weissman has created a multi-course meal at La Cantera Resort & Spa in San Antonio. A personal, elevated chef’s table with French bistro chairs overlooking the open kitchen provides a never-seen-before close-up view of the chef and his team assembling the best of what’s in season and what is currently inspiring the menu at Signature.
Guests can pay additional to enjoy wine pairings from Sommelier Adam Spencer. At the end of the evening, a 5 x 7 watercolor illustration will be given as a special memento of the occasion, commissioned by a graphic artist specifically for Signature. Illustrations of Signature launches in March.
San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter Opens Texas-Modern Restaurant
San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter, which is undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation, has opened an artisan restaurant, Tributary. The dining destination in downtown San Antonio is a full-service restaurant serving modern cuisine while paying tribute to Texas and Southern classics. Tributary’s menu features seasonal dishes and sources fresh ingredients from local and regional farming partners.
The restaurant is led by Chef Ben Annotti who brings a decade of culinary experience to Tributary and the Marriott Rivercenter. Annotti’s background includes time at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa and serving as executive chef and managing partner of Pinch Boil House in San Antonio.
New Fins Kitchen & Bar Pays Homage to Michigan’s History
The former Sweet Lorraine’s located inside the Detroit Marriott Livonia is now Fins Kitchen & Bar. Connected to Laurel Park Place mall, the new restaurant specializes in contemporary American fare and libations. The name “Fins” has dual significance, reflecting both the fresh fish and seafood of the Great Lakes, and the “fins” or tail lights on cars, a nod to Michigan’s deep roots in the automotive industry. The hotel and restaurant are managed by Crescent Hotels & Resorts.
Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi Offers Guests Codigo 1530 Tequila
Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi in Santa Fe, NM, has partnered with Codigo 1530 Tequila to offer guests a taste of a one-of-a-kind Anejo tequila, Sylvain Grande Réserve M+T. Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi’s new, private label tequila is 100% natural and spent eighteen months aging in a Tonnellerie Sylvain barrel, giving it its signature dark color. The special Codigo 1530 tequila will join The Anasazi Bar and Lounge’s dedicated tequila menu, which includes an extensive variety of spirits. Hand-chosen by Tomas Avila, director of food and beverage at Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi, the tequila has an elegant and expressive flavor profile, with hints of fruit mingling with oak and touches of vanilla and spices.
Italian-Inspired Restaurant Opens at The Meritage Resort and Spa
Mangia! Italian-inspired restaurant Olive & Hay has opened at The Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa Valley, CA. The new concept, featuring a casual yet refined Tuscan-inspired atmosphere, an open kitchen and outdoor dining space complete with lemon trees, is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The ever-changing menu, developed by Executive Chef Jose Mejia, will reflect the best of the season’s offerings. The restaurant’s debut selections will feature winter-inspired dishes such as house-made porchetta, cioppino, panzanella salad and house-made focaccia alongside a selection of hand-picked, award-winning Napa Valley wines.
Westin Grand Cayman Enhances Dining Outlets
Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa has made improvements to the oceanfront resort’s existing dining outlets. The new food and beverage experiences will gradually roll out through the height of the Caribbean travel season. Enhancements include the introduction of woto, a diverse restaurant serving only sashimi-grade seafood specialties from a menu crafted by Executive Chef Sandy Tuason, a new million-dollar kitchen at Tortuga Beach Grill & Bar, and a broad expansion of Cayman Coffee Exchange. The culinary expansion follows a recent $50-million renovation.
The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences Unveils New Marley Coffee
The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, has opened Marley Coffee. With the aroma of Jamaican soil and the rhythm of reggae, Marley Coffee extends its roots with The Fives Hotels & Residences through the opening of the brand’s second flagship coffee shop to offer the experience of Bob Marley’s One Love movement to guests of the all-inclusive resort, as well as the general public. Marley Coffee offers hot and cold brews, teas and smoothies, as well as daily baked goods made on-site.
Ecrin Blanc Resort Welcomes Le Grill
Set in the foothills of the Courcheval 1650 village, the recently opened Ecrin Blanc Resort has revealed its new restaurant, Le Grill. Head Chef David Ayrault, who has previously collaborated with Chef Helene Darroze and Pierre Gagnaire, offers a new menu using seasonal, locally sourced and organic products. Ayrault’s experiences working in Russia along with his French roots allow him to produce a rich variety of continental cuisine as well as typically Savoyard dishes. Le Grill has a traditional chalet-style ambiance with panoramic views of the Alps.
