Front Yard at Ellis Island to celebrate beer with food, 30 taps

The Front Yard at Ellis Island Hotel, Casino and Brewery, which is scheduled to open Dec. 6, will have a menu that’s a mix of Ellis family classics and beer-infused selections. “It’s a combination of family favorites that my dad cooked for us growing up and my grandma cooked for my dad,” said Christina Ellis, director of marketing and daughter of owner Gary Ellis. “Great things we found that we love to eat and love to make — a colossal meatball, charcuterie. We’re smoking our own bacon and brisket. And we’re incorporating our beers in every way we can, such as fondue with beer cheese, beer cheese on burgers. All that fun stuff.” There also will be two bars, with 18 beer taps on the first floor and 12 on the second, whose beers will include some specialty brews available only in the Front Yard.

Get your donuts here

Fans of sweet fried foods may not want to miss the first Las Vegas Donut Fest, scheduled for 3 to 5 p.m. Nov. 17 at the Hofbrauhaus, 4510 Paradise Road. Those attending the family-friendly event will get to sample the wares of Pinkbox Doughnuts, Secret Creamery, Golden Puffs, Carl’s Donuts, Sisters’ Organics, Glaze Doughnuts, The Dapper Doughnut, Donut Bar, Vegas Cake Pops, Cookies by Dolce and Real Doughnuts No. 1. The $30 tickets include a sample from each booth, a 17-ounce Hofbrau beer, photobooth and doughnut-contest opportunities and more; it’s $15 for kids and designated drivers. Tickets at eventbrite.com.

Dine for memories

More than three dozen local restaurants and bars are observing National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness & Family Caregiver Month by participating in a fundraising initiative for Keep Memory Alive and the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. During the campaign, dubbed Month of Memories, the businesses will donate a portion of their proceeds to fund research for a cure and raise awareness for the disease by designating a specialty item, rounding up the check or hosting other promotions. For a list of participants, visit keepmemoryalive.org.

Sours on tap

Saturday will be Sour Saturday at Atomic Liquors, with a celebration of sour beers from 2 to 5 p.m. that will include unlimited pours of more than 50 brews. Tickets, at $45 for general admission and $90 for VIP with opening at 12:30 p.m., are at atomiccitybrews.com.

Impossible pizza

Giordano’s, which has locations in the Grand Bazaar Shops and Boca Park, has introduced Impossible sausage (plant-based) for its pizzas.

Openings and closings

True Food Kitchen has opened in Downtown Summerlin with a health-driven seasonal menu of dishes such as roasted beet and goat cheese flatbread with arugula, pumpkin seeds and cilantro-pumpkin seed pesto, and Thai Coconut Sea Bass with turmeric broth, bok choy, green beans, rainbow carrots and quinoa brown rice. It’s open daily, serving lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. Call 702-863-1000 or visit truefoodkitchen.com.

Vagabond Restaurant has opened at the Excalibur with a menu of American fare such as the Vagaburger, with smoked pork belly, white cheddar, fried onions and barbecue sauce, and Fried Baloney, with an over-easy egg, American cheese, Comeback Sauce and tater tots. It’s open from 4 to 11 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays, 9:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturdays and 9 am. to 11 p.m. Sundays. Call 702-597-7449 or visit excalibur.mgmresorts.com.

Classic Rock Coffee Co. has opened at 1160 E. Silverado Ranch Blvd., at the intersection with Maryland Parkway. It’s known for its spin on coffee-shop classics with drinks such as Sweet Emotion (chocolate and caramel), Crazy On You (caramel) and Sister Hazelnut. Breakfast is served all day, and there are salads, toasted sandwiches, toasted flatbread sandwiches, teas, smoothies and shakes. The shop (which is decorated with a rock theme) and drive-through are open daily from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Visit classicrockcoffee.com.

Two more restaurants — Pizza Forte and Sushi Joe’s — have been announced for the lineup at The You at University Gateway, a new housing and retail complex on Maryland Parkway across from UNLV. They join previously announced Peet’s Coffee, Crumbl Cookies, Ike’s Love & Sandwiches and Roberto’s Taco Shop. Peet’s has opened; the dates for the others are uncertain.

The Naked City Pizza location at the El Cortez has closed. Those at 4608 Paradise Road, 3240 Arville St. (inside Moondoggie’s Bar) and 6935 Blue Diamond Road (inside Blue Diamond Saloon) remain.

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