Golden Tiki celebrates tiki culture with Las Vegas mixologists

Fete for tiki founder

Thursday night, The Golden Tiki, 3939 Spring Mountain Road, will celebrate the 111th birthday of the late Donn Beach, founder of modern tiki culture and the creator of the Zombie, Tahitian Rum Punch and one version of the Mai Tai. He opened the original Don the Beachcomber’s in Hollywood in 1933. An all-star lineup of local bar talent, including Rebecca Hayden (formerly of Fleur), Wendy Hodges (Fusion Bar), Adam Rains (Flock & Fowl) and Jessica Lee Westergom (The Black Sheep) will be shaking up some of his most popular creations.

Bocuse

Two Las Vegas chefs — both named Keller, but not related — have announced special menus to pay tribute to the late Paul Bocuse, the legendary French chef who died last month at 91. Hubert Keller, who worked at Bocuse’s Michelin three-star restaurant outside Lyon in the ’70s, is offering a four-course dinner of the chef’s creations, with multiple options for each course, Thursday through Saturday at his Fleur at Mandalay Bay. Thomas Keller will offer a three-course set menu of Bocuse classics at Bouchon at The Venetian from March 1-4.

A Golden recruit

Executive chef John Church will leave Aureole after March 6 to serve as corporate executive chef and head of culinary development for Golden Entertainment. His first project will be re-vamping the Stratosphere’s restaurant lineup, with a new menu for Top of the World and the creation of a pub and a steakhouse, followed by a re-branding of Arizona Charlie’s.

Food Expo’s back in April

Artisanal Foods’ Brett Ottolenghi will bring his Vegas Food Expo back for a second year April 15-16, with more than 100 local, regional and international purveyors of boutique products at the Westgate. As with last year, the second day will be open to the public. Everyone’s invited to kick things off at 11 p.m. April 14 at a Back of the House Brawl cooking competition in the parking lot of the Sand Dollar Lounge, 3355 Spring Mountain Road.

Openings

Veganos Mexican vegan restaurant has opened at 3149 Rancho Drive (at Cheyenne Road), serving plant-based versions of usual favorites such as breakfast burritos, tacos, sopas, quesadillas, chilaquiles and more. 702-838-1031

Peng Zu, named for a legendary figure said to have lived more than 800 years, has opened at the Suncoast. It serves Asian cuisine inspired by the philosophy of using food to promote long life and good health. 702-636-7111

Sightings

Pentatonix at Tao at The Venetian. L.A. Lakers head coach Luke Walton and Denver Nuggets player Richard Jefferson with friends, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in a separate party at Beauty & Essex at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

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