Esther’s Kitchen to serve free ice cream on National Ice Cream Day

Esther’s Kitchen chef/owner James Trees is reaching out on National Ice Cream Day, which is Sunday, for help planning the menu at his upcoming Tivoli Village restaurant. All guests who order at least one food item that day will receive complimentary house-made ice cream in a variety of seasonal flavors. The staff will ask for feedback so Trees can decide which to serve at the new space, expected to open this summer.

Donate water, get pizza

Metro Pizza is again spearheading a campaign to keep Las Vegas’ homeless population hydrated. Throughout July, it will give a free small cheese pizza to anyone who donates a case of at least 24 bottles of water at one of its four full-service locations. The goal, says manager and partner Chris Decker, is to double the 2,500 cases collected last year for distribution through local nonprofits.

Friday Family Meal series

Fans of chef Sonia El-Nawal who have been awaiting her Rooster Boy Cafe, opening this summer in Desert Shores, will get a preview Friday at Cured & Whey, 6265 S. Valley View Blvd. El-Nawal, who has worked in top kitchens in New York, San Francisco and Paris, is best known to locals for her time running The Perch in Downtown Container Park as well as her Rooster Boy line of granola. Friday, she’ll create several family-style dishes to launch Cured & Whey’s Friday Family Meal series. Service starts at 11:30 a.m.

Cocktail menu on the way

Speaking of Desert Shores, Marche Bacchus, 220 Regatta Drive, has used the reconstruction of its entranceway after a pickup hit the building in February as an opportunity to create a full-service bar. New offerings include a selection of high-end whiskey, Scotch and tequila as well as premium signature cocktails. Work continues, but the bar will be open Saturday for the restaurant’s annual Bastille Day celebration.

Come to the Table

We’re getting some details on the return of the Project Dinner Table, the dining series that regularly brought over 100 guests to a single massive table between 2010 and 2014 to enjoy a meal by top Las Vegas chefs and raise money for charity. Organizer Gina Gavan tells us the series will, in fact, return on Sept. 29 at Tivoli Village, as previously teased. (Tivoli was unable to confirm the date.) She says it will feature “a variety of their chefs, always with a local flavor and focus on the art of conversation.” No word yet on tickets.

Sightings

Actor/comedians Kevin Hart and Pauly Shore on separate evenings at Beauty & Essex at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Dallas Mavericks owner and “Shark Tank” star Mark Cuban at Lavo at Palazzo. Former professional boxer Ricky Hatton at MB Steak at the Hard Rock Hotel.

Have an item for Kitchen Confidante? Email hrinella@reviewjournal.com or amancini@reviewjournal.com.