Closing date of legendary Strip restaurant remains a mystery

Beginning at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 9, Picasso in Bellagio is presenting a tribute dinner to chef Julian Serrano as he retires from the legendary restaurant he opened almost 26 years ago. With the departure of the James Beard Award-winning Serrano, Picasso itself is also closing in August, although exactly when remains unknown.

The evening starts with a cocktail reception and toast on the Picasso terrace, then proceeds to a four-course menu of classic Serrano dishes and dishes created for the dinner to showcase the chef’s signature flavors and style. Each of the first three courses features several options to choose from; dessert features selections by the chef.

The evening also includes photo opportunities, models, visual arts and live music. Cost: $195, with optional wine pairings for $50 and $100. Required reservations: bellagio.mgmresorts.com. While the restaurant is still open, any bottle of Spanish red wine is 25 percent off.

As of production time, the Picasso website was not taking reservations after Aug. 16. A spokeswoman for MGM Resorts declined to identify the final night of service.

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Sin City Saints Booze-Free Bottle Shop is set to debut July 15 at 1300 S. Main St., Suite 140, in downtown Las Vegas. Founder Eryn Korby is a longtime Las Vegas hospitality figure. The shop features nonalcoholic and zero-proof beverages from domestic and international producers.

Among the alcohol-free retail offerings are $5 beers (including a create-your-own six-pack), $7 to $8 single-serve wine and ready-to-drink canned cocktails, $18 to $75 bottles of wine and $25 to $75 per bottles of nonalcoholic spirits. The shop also offers local delivery, happy hours and tastings at downtown bars and restaurants, and gift and souvenir items.

Sin City Saints Beverage, the sibling operation to the retail shop, provides beverage consulting and training for bar staff in nonalcoholic drinks. Saints Beverage is creating specialty drinks for downtown purveyors, the first of which is the Get Declawed consisting of Amethyst zero-proof spirit, fresh juices and a topper of zero-proof White Claw.

Visit @sincitysaints.store on Instagram.

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Aromi Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar, 2110 N. Rampart Blvd., Suite 110, Summerlin, just introduced its Tour of Aromi Wednesdays featuring a four-course prix fixe menu of some of the restaurant’s greatest hits.

Each course consists of two dishes: burrata arugula salad and polpo grilled octopus with roasted potatoes, short rib ravioli and squid ink spaghetti with lobster tail, agnello breaded lamb chop and veal loin Parmigiana, and ricotta chocolate cannoli and white chocolate panna cotta. Cost: $65. Wine pairings that change: $29.

Chef German Castellanos co-founded Aromi in 2021 after success on the Strip, including a 12-year run at the old Valentino, the acclaimed Italian spot in The Venetian from restaurateur Piero Selvaggio. Visit aromilasvegas.com.

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Carversteak in Resorts World is offering its Sizzling Summer Feast, a three-course prix fixe menu (with optional wine pairings) served 5 to 6 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays for $110. Wine pairings are $25.

The first course features choice of compressed summer melon salad. yellowtail sashimi, lobster bisque or wagyu skewers grilled over binchotan charcoal. Atlantic salmon, organic roast chicken or steak frites are the main course choices. For dessert, there’s strawberry cheesecake or vanilla crème brûlée. A truffle supplement is $45. Visit carversteak.com.

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Through July 14, Basilico Ristorante Italiano, 6111 S. Buffalo Drive, Suite 1o0, in Evora, is celebrating the Campania region of Italy with a four-course prix fixe menu. The first two courses each incorporate two dishes, including ricotta-stuffed zucchini blossoms (first) and sungold tomato and seafood risotto (second). Veal pizzaiola touches down for course three; orange ricotta cake finishes the meal. Cost: $59.

From July 17 to 28, the restaurant is showcasing the Lazio region of Italy with a four-course prix fixe menu. The first two courses each incorporate two dishes, including braised Roman artichokes (first) and rigatoni Amatriciana (second). Veal saltimbocca stars in course three; a maritozzo sweet pastry bun rounds out the menu. Cost: $59. Visit basilicolv.com.

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