Magician Mat Franco talks about his resaurant find: VegeNation
Today we welcome magician Mat Franco, who won “America’s Got Talent” and has just had the casino’s theater named after him. It’s a remarkable journey to fame and fortune; yet to prove Mat has nothing up his sleeves, his guest column subject is not about magic but discovering some other gems since moving here as a new resident:
Las Vegas is a city known for having marketing everywhere you look. Buildings wrapped with people’s faces, cabs laden with colorful calls to action and thousands of ads in virtually any Las Vegas Strip sightline.
However, as locals know, there is much more to be experienced than the glitz (and grime) that has made our city so famous. Here is a couple of my favorite “hidden gems” I’ve discovered since I began my residency in Sin City.
First off, my favorite dining place: VegeNation. The menu consists of foods that are 100 percent plant-based — but don’t let that fool you! Its buffalo cauliflower appetizer will rival any traditional chicken wing you’ll find at your favorite pub.
The first time I ate there, I did not believe that the “sausage” on my pizza wasn’t real. Its slogan is: “Eat here and feel really damn good.” Having been there countless times now, I must admit it is true.
The head chef and owner, Donald Lemperle, is most often found on-site juggling kitchen duties and shaking hands with his loyal customers. The staff is genuinely friendly and efficient. The walls are covered with thought-provoking art from local painters and the anonymous graffiti artist known as Banksy. The ambiance of the restaurant is like no other, thanks to the vision of Lemperle and his creative director, Kelly Bennett.
A trip to VegeNation on a Sunday will treat you with 2-for-1 bloody marys and mimosas. And, they have a new special item on the menu every day. Their devoted regulars have probably tried nearly the entire menu, so it’s fantastic to stop in to discover the new “pop-up” of the day.
Nestled in between a barbershop and the now-closed restaurant, Glutton (ironic), downtown on Carson Street, this place is truly a hidden gem. With options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even a kid’s menu, this niche restaurant has somehow managed to include something for everyone.
Pro Tip: If you give the server your ticket from the parking meter, they will subtract the parking fee from your bill. Now, that is great customer service!
Being a regular at VegeNation, I must have walked by the exterior of Downtown Container Park a hundred times. It took me two years of living in Vegas to actually stumble inside. Sure, I had heard of it, but I really didn’t understand what it was and what it has to offer.
Downtown Container Park is an odd choice to write about, because it’s difficult to put the experience into words. It’s an eclectic mix of shops, restaurants, and events all housed inside of large storage containers stacked alongside and atop each other like a giant game of Jenga.
The outdoor, multilayered strip mall vibe is a breath of fresh air from the smoke-filled casino scene. It’s family-friendly, but also can make for a great night out with friends. Being downtown, the location is within walking distance from the more common tourist destinations like Fremont Street, so even if Container Park is just where your night begins, it’s worth experiencing first hand!
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Don’t miss our other guest columns today (July 21) from Myron Martin the Smith Center for the Performing Arts. Be sure to check out our guest columns on Sunday (July 23) from architect Leonard Bergman on how our city manages to keep on reinventing itself to stay “leader of the pack” and the fascinating story of how the Sugar Factory American Brasserie has grown from a Vegas flagship to more than 20 locations across the globe. And follow along all next week with more guest columns as Robin begins to wind down his Italian travels with a truffle hunt outside of Rome followed by a tour of the Vatican and the Sistine chapel.
