It is no secret that securing a reservation for dinner at Esther’s Kitchen isn’t easy. But if you are tired of trying, you might want to visit for brunch instead. It is available on Saturdays and Sundays with a variety of both lunch and breakfast items that will give you a taste of what happens at night.
Master Chef and Owner James Trees has a great reputation in the valley. He has been entertaining guests with innovative dishes for a long time. The expanded location downtown at the old Retro Vegas has a light ambiance with a large bar area that many visit to await a dinner table or just to enjoy a beverage.
The brunch menu is highlighted with “Toast” and “Lunch Things”. Yes, you can enjoy immensely popular avocado toast with chives, radish sprouts and pickled onion plus sorrel. Tomato and ricotta are the stars of another offering that includes Saba.
A biscuit pick includes fried eggs, prosciutto, fontina cheese and maple sausage gravy to top things off. Cheesy eggs are accented with house made brioche, chives, and parmesan.
Wood-fired pizzas are made from scratch with a crust that is lighter than most as it is assembled with sourdough flour. Diavola has a south-of the-border twist with Iberica chorizo, chilis and two types of cheese. The brunch edition features bacon, caramelized onions, thyme, cheese and quail eggs.
The large wood-fired pizza oven is part of the spectacle, as chefs continuously slide in handcrafted pizzas that are sure to tempt your taste buds.
Other brunch selections include house made quiche with roasted mushrooms, garlic spinach and frico chips. A benedict is done a little differently as it features an old bay hollandaise sauce.
There is a “proper” breakfast with chino ranch eggs, sausage, bacon, spicy kale with sourdough toast and Calabrian potatoes. One of the very popular items is meyer lemon pancakes enhanced with huckleberry jam, curd and lemon whipped cream.
Lunch fare offers a nice collection of pasta and sandwiches. I really enjoyed the new school chicken parm edition with vodka sauce, pistachio pesto, basil ricotta and arugula.
Fans of meatballs will want to order Esther’s version with basil ricotta and mozzarella sitting inside a sesame bun.
If you are craving pasta you won’t have to look too far as spaghetti pomodoro shows up as part of the brunch agenda. Sungold tomatoes, basil and organic pomodoro sauce make this one a winner.
Polenta is a favorite and is delivered with sunny side eggs, roasted mushrooms and chips. A salad with warm quinoa greens, mushrooms, roasted roots, pinenuts and tomato vinaigrette will keep fans happy.
Seasonal cocktails are part of the weekend experience. The Fig Lebowski is a collection of American gin, Cocchi Americano, Campari and spiced pear. Tinted Window has rum, house Amari blend, black garlic liqueur, mulled wine and syrup.
A mocktail is the Silver Screen that features non-alcoholic gin, orange flower, lemon, honey, cream, soda and fizzy,
If you want the Esther’s experience without the dinner stress, visit for brunch featured throughout the weekend.
Esther’s Kitchen, 1131 S. Main St., Las Vegas. (702) 570-7864. www.estherslv.com.
