5 vegan restaurant choices for those attending CES
Considering the amount of energy it takes to power through the annual juggernaut that is CES, you’ll need to eat well to stay up to the task. Luckily, Las Vegas has a growing number of vegan restaurants, and some are not far from the 11 CES venues. Here are five to try:
VegeNation
Chef/owner Donald Lemperle’s menu is 100-percent plant-based, and if that scares you off at all, you haven’t had Lemperle’s vegan brownie sundae, in which frosty ice cream piled atop a rich, fudgy brownie is topped with a should-be-illegal fudge sauce and clouds of whipped cream. And it’s all plant-based. Other menu highlights include a meatball grinder topped with cheese and chicken pot pie gnocchi.
616 E. Carson Ave., 702-366-8515, vegenationlv.com
Tacotarian
One of the partners in Tacotarian is John Simmons, whose Firefly made tapas accessible to Las Vegans, in part, through creative coupling with other cuisines. Tacotarian is another creative coupling — plant-based and Mexican — and presents all of the old favorites, such as carne asada, al pastor, barbacoa and chorizo, without involving animals and without making that obvious. They say they have “the largest selection of vegan tacos in the universe,” but also serve burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas and more. The downtown location is an offshoot of the west-valley original.
1130 S. Casino Center Blvd., 702-366-9116, tacotarianlv.com
Simply Pure
Simply Pure is a diminutive spot, like virtually all of those in the Downtown Container Park, and its plant-based offerings provide a respite from the barbecue, hot dogs and pizza that surround it. Veteran vegan chef Stacey Dougan serves raw and cooked dishes, most of which are gluten-free and many of which are allergy-friendly. Look for dishes such as Mama Mia Lasagna, green-chile enchiladas, Thai basil spring rolls and grilled cheese with pesto and tomato.
707 Fremont St., 702-810-5641, simplypurelv.com
Pancho’s Vegan Tacos
That Pancho’s tacos are the real thing is underlined by the fact that the company now has three locations in Southern Nevada, one of which is convenient for convention-goers. Vegans don’t have to forgo breakfast burritos because the one here is made with scrambled tofu, onions, tomato, cilantro and jalapenos; other selections include chilaquiles, tortas, chiles rellenos and enchiladas.
1775 E. Tropicana Blvd.; 702-898-9001, panchovegano.com
The Modern Vegan
The Modern Vegan has a broad, almost intimidating menu, but what may be most fun are the junk-food offerings — well, they’d be junk food in almost any other setting. Look for jalapeno poppers, popcorn chicken, Canadian poutine, fried jumbo shrimp, biscuits ’n gravy, French toast bacon grilled cheese, crabcake Benedict, a Philly cheesesteak, lobster roll and pulled-pork sandwich.
700 E. Naples Drive, tmvrestaurants.com
Contact Heidi Knapp Rinella at Hrinella@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0474. Follow @HKRinella on Twitter.