Started from the back of a car, Southern tamale eatery opens takeout shop

In the latest from the Las Vegas restaurant front:

■ Downtown Louisiana Tamale Shop offers hot tamales and other dishes from its takeaway-only shop at 2256 Losee Road, Suite E, in North Las Vegas. Joy Craney, a Vegas native and a mother of nine, started out selling from the back of her car — her husband, Darren flagged, down customers.

Southern-style hot tamales filled with ground chicken, turkey or beef lead the menu; you buy them in bundles of three. Tamale bowls feature three tamales covered with housemade chili; with beans, red rice and cheese; or with chili, Tapatío Doritos, avocado and diced onions for a loaded version.

Southern staples such as gumbo, salmon croquettes, fried catfish, dill potato salad, and mac and cheese also populate the menu, along with hot wings, hand-cut fries and breakfast items.

“I make food that reminds people of Grandma,” said Craney, whose grandmother was her tamale teacher.

Downtown Louisiana Tamale Shop also offers catering services for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Shop hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays; Craney suggests calling ahead to 702-623-6696 for wait times.

Visit dtlatamaleshop.com to order. Delivery is available within a 10-mile radius on orders of at least $25, with a $5 delivery fee.

■ Federal Donuts &Chicken will open Tuesday in the food court of Red Rock Resort. Michael Solomonov, the Philadelphia chef and multiple James Beard Award winner, and his business partner, Steve Cook, are launching the first Federal Donuts outside Philly with the Red Rock debut.

The menu showcases tender cake doughnuts in plain and fancy styles, crisp twice-fried chicken (wings, tenders, sandwiches), and hot and iced coffee drinks.

■ Yaqui Zen Kitchen, a purveyor of vegan Mexican food, is popping up at F the Bar in Fergusons Downtown, 1028 E. Fremont St., through March 17.

Yaqui Zen is serving tacos, sopes, mulitas, burritos and more from 3 p.m. to midnight on Thursdays and Fridays, noon to midnight on Saturdays, and noon to 10 p.m. on Sundays. Menu: fergusonsdowntown.com/menu-2.

■ Chyna Club and Washing Potato, two destinations from restaurateur Alan Yau, are serving at the Fontainebleau. Chyna Club opened in early February, Washing Potato at the end of 2023.

The Chyna Club menu, anchored by Cantonese cooking, presents dishes such as scallop shumai, lobster with ginger and scallions, and Peking duck. Washing Potato explores the possibilities of dim sum, including steamed prawn and chive dumplings, char siu pineapple buns, taro croquettes and venison puffs.

■ Bistecca is now open at the Tuscany. The old Tuscany Gardens Italian Steakhouse was renovated and rebranded as Bistecca. The dining room features original contemporary artwork.

The menu offers signature dishes from the former steakhouse, including Sunday gravy pappardelle and veal osso buco, and new cuts of beef such as a hanger steak, a Scotch filet (boneless ribeye) and a 36-ounce porterhouse. Visit tuscanylv.com/restaurant/bistecca-italian-steakhouse.

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Casa Playa, the coastal Mexican restaurant in Encore, welcomes Maty’s, the hit Peruvian restaurant from Miami, for a pop-up menu on March 14. The pop-up brings together Casa Playa chef Sarah Thompson and Maty’s chef Valerie Chang Cumpa, one of Food &Wine magazine’s best new chefs of 2023.

The à la carte pop-up menu features highlights from both restaurants. “I’m looking forward to seeing where our styles align, and even more intrigued to see where we differ,” Thompson said. The menu will be served from 5 to 10 p.m. Reservations: wynnlasvegas.com/dining/fine-dining/casa-playa.

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The Golden Tiki, 3939 Spring Mountain Road, has expanded its menu of tiki treats and bar food classics with six chicken wing varieties, three slider trios, three salads and a kalua pork plate lunch. The menu is available 24/7, except during weekend brunch (noon to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays).

The bar has also expanded its happy hour menu, served daily from 4 to 7 p.m., with select beer for $5, six tiki cocktails or spiked Dole Whip for $8, and six food favorites for $5 to $9, subject to change and availability.

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