Essence & Herbs could bring new life to Montelago Village at Lake Las Vegas

Chefs tend to be fairly mobile, job-wise, and so it has been with Beni Velazquez.

Velazquez first found a measure of local fame with Bar + Bistro, his Spanish-flavored restaurant that became one of the earliest fixtures in the Arts District, where he was known for fairly novel things such as Hangover Brunch and roasting a whole pig on weekends, which may or may not have been related.

The grapevine had it a couple of years ago that he had decamped for the restaurant row at Desert Shores, where he was linked to several projects, none of which seemed to take hold. Well, Velazquez has moved on again, and here’s hoping he can help bring some life to the moribund Montelago Village at Lake Las Vegas in Henderson.

When we reviewed Sonrisa a little more than a year ago, Montelago Village was a pretty depressing place, a dark, nearly silent version of what it once had been. Most of the storefronts were empty, including the space that now houses Sonrisa sister Essence & Herbs, where Velazquez presides in the kitchen.

Things have gotten only slightly better, though there were reassuring signs of life on the lake in the form of the centipede-esque paddlers on a dragon boat and a guy doing flips and spins with a water-jet pack, as well as residential construction going on nearby.

And Essence & Herbs. It’s a cozy place, with maybe a dozen tables and a little bar that apparently started as a steak and seafood spot. With the Velazquez stamp the specialty is tapas, the Spanish theme continuing with paella and a dinner of whole roasted pig for which three days’ notice is required. That sensibility is reflected in the decor, with bright spots of color, including a large, multihued cow head on one wall.

Tapas are not only a social way of dining but also offer much in the way of variety.

A serving delay was eased with plantain chips, thickish but crisp, lightly salted and a nice counterpart to a glass of wine or sangria. The untranslated Latin Cangrejo ($15) turned out to be crabcakes with no discernible filler, panko-crusted for crispness, seasoned with piquillo peppers and scallions and served atop smears of a lime-sweet chili sauce and a delectable honey mojo mayo.

Cubanitos ($7) were, as expected, mini Cuban sandwiches, layered with roasted pork and Black Forest ham and flavored with pickles and melted Swiss.

Velazquez Fire & Ice Lobster ($15) was obviously a chef specialty and deservedly so. This one had chunks of fresh lobster meat in a light broth, with accents of jalapeno ginger providing the fire and a creamy coconut sauce the ice.

The chorizo in the Spanish chorizo and egg ($9) had been cut rather finely; every attempt to spear a chunk brought forth a piece of spicy potato instead. Still, it was a successful dish, with a lightly fried egg on top for richness and sliced scallions for a bright punch.

And still more richness in the Crema Catalan ($8), citrus-infused and tantamount to creme brulee, although it would’ve been a lot better if the caramelized sugar on top hadn’t solidified into a wafer.

Service throughout was pretty good, the server attentive and frequently refilling water. The order of service from the kitchen seemed a little skewed, though, with one table at a time getting all of its dishes, which caused long lags for others; an alternating order would’ve been more balanced.

Those are quibbles, though. Overall, Velazquez and Essence & Herbs have lots to offer, including the potential for better days for Montelago Village.

Las Vegas Review-Journal restaurant reviews are done anonymously at Review-Journal expense. Email Heidi Knapp Rinella at hrinella@reviewjournal.com. Find more of her stories at www.reviewjournal.com and follow @HKRinella on Twitter.