Double Helix’s mission uncertain with confusing menu, odd service

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If you asked the people behind Double Helix, I’m guessing they would say I just don’t get it. And they’d be right, because I don’t. (But then I’m not sure I get the name Double Helix. Doesn’t that refer to DNA — which always makes me think of crime scenes?)

My confusion actually started with the menu, which is divided into “One Hand,” “Two Hands,” salads and desserts. “One Hand” is subtitled “perfect for sharing,” but there are only a handful (one handful) of selections, unlike a tapas bar, which generally has dozens. It would be difficult for two people, let alone three or four, to put together a shared meal from what’s there. “Two hands” has a few sandwich-type things and a few things that sound like entrees, but the relatively minisized prices were a hint that these were relatively minisized dishes, and that was indeed the case.

Then again, we don’t eat as much as we used to, and this year have resolved to downsize our portions even more. So is this just a reflection of the zeitgeist? Has Double Helix responded to the outcry against oversized portions? If so, we offer congratulations, because a shared One Hand and two Two Hands were a satisfactory, light dinner. But longshoremen and trenchermen, take warning.

Our One Hand shared starter was a riff on a classic, arancini ($9), which the menu called “risotto fritters” but which every Italian I know calls rice balls. These were smaller than most, formed around a creamy core of mascarpone with tender roasted mushrooms and what the menu said was a white-truffle aioli. I couldn’t detect any hint of truffle — and maybe the aioli is a de facto reason for that — but the six little arancini offered pleasing contrasts in textures and flavors and the aioli, truffle taste or not, was so good I scooped it up with a fork after the rice was gone.

Brie in a Blanket ($9) was fairly standard but quite acceptable, the pocketlike “blanket” way less greasy than the billed puff pastry should have been (that’s a good thing), the pools of guava a perfect complement and a nice departure from the more common raspberry or apricot. The caramelized onions, though? Must’ve been forgotten in mine.

Props to whomever came up with the name of Shrimp Hailing a Cab ($13), which was billed as shrimp scampi on pasta made of Cabernet grape skins. The pasta itself was, as I had suspected, too true to be good; of course the grape skins were pretty much undetectable except as a dusky coloration in the linguine. It wasn’t a true scampi, as the sauce was creamy, and the shrimp were slightly overcooked, rendering them a bit too firm, but only a bit.

Service throughout was sort of odd. The hostess and our server were quite pleasant, but the former brought only one set of menus for two people and the latter delivered only forks and paper cocktail napkins with the small plates brought in anticipation of our arancini. (And the handles of the forks are exceptionally long, so long as to be almost awkward to use. What’s up with that? Does Town Square have a cutlery-theft problem we hadn’t heard about?) A runner brought spoons and knives along with our entrees, but we had to ask for grown-up napkins.

So the final analysis is … confused. The wine selection is good and decently priced. Double Helix, which is in the former site of the likewise grape-minded The Grape, is comfortable, and our food was good if not exceptional. The restaurant is across from the movie theaters; is it designed for pre- and post-show meals? Or as a place mainly for beverages, with food as an afterthought? For light eaters? The health-conscious?

The test always is this: Would I return willingly? I would indeed, but I have to add that I’m not sure what the occasion would be.

Las Vegas Review-Journal restaurant reviews are done anonymously at Review-Journal expense. Contact Heidi Knapp Rinella at 383-0474 or hrinella@ reviewjournal.com.