Special menus offered to celebrate Hanukkah in Las Vegas
Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights, will start at sundown Sunday. It commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem after it had been desecrated by Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who had tried to Hellenize the Jews. Victorious after a three-year struggle, Judas Maccabeus ordered the restoration of the temple.
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the Talmud relates the tale of Judas Maccabeus entering the temple and finding only enough oil that had not been defiled to burn for a single day. It miraculously lasted eight days, until more consecrated oil could be found. This, in part, led to the eight-day duration of the festival and the tradition of fried foods such as latkes being served.
Several local restaurants and lounges are celebrating Hanukkah with special menus. All will be served from Sunday through Dec. 30.
La Cave Wine & Food Hideaway at Wynn Las Vegas will serve a traditional dinner of braised beef short rib with heirloom baby carrots and apple-potato latkes with sour cream, for $24.
Crush at MGM Grand is going a less-traditional route, serving Arctic char with roasted cauliflower, pine nuts and raisins, topped with caper vinaigrette, for $22.
And Greek Sneek at MGM Grand will serve lamb loin with roasted kale, butternut squash and cranberries,
for $36.
Regular menus also will be available.
The Golden Tiki, 3939 Spring Mountain Road, will celebrate with its second annual Oy to the World, from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday. The event will include a menorah lighting, Ketel One vodka specials and free latkes. It will be followed by a 9 p.m. celebration at Miracle on Spring Mountain at the Sand Dollar Lounge, 3355 Spring Mountain Road, which will have two special pizzas by James Trees of Esther’s Kitchen and Ada’s, special Hanukkah cocktails and free sufganiyot pastries (doughnuts filled with jam or custard).
Contact Heidi Knapp Rinella at Hrinella@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0474. Follow @HKRinella on Twitter.