Eclectic restaurant boasts ethnic flair

By Max Jacobson

Thursday, April 30, 2009 | 3:19 p.m.

Greetings, Vegas epicures.

If you're in the mood for some truly eclectic dining, the handsome, new Elements Kitchen & Martini Bar has recently opened at 4950 S. Rainbow Blvd. The restaurant belongs to Argentine chef Jose Luis Pawelek, and his Dutch wife, Catherine, who has been in this country for thirty years. The Paweleks are no strangers to the business. It so happens that they have had several restaurants in Florida. This is their first in Vegas.

The décor, for what is essentially a mini-mall storefront, is impressive and tasteful. The walls and table covers are a pastel brown, and the restaurant has a soft but clubby feel. I'd strongly recommend starting a meal here with a few of the chef's small plates, perfect for sharing. Kobe beef short ribs are one of the chef's specialties, served on soft polenta with a touch of Gorgonzola cheese mixed in.

Everything here is made from scratch, except, perhaps, the Moroccan style merguez, or spicy lamb sausage, that the kitchen pairs with apple pear and mint jam. Main dishes that will bring you back include mini pork osso buco, N'Awlins style jambalaya, and natch, a wood grilled Creekstone farms Black Angus flank steak, served with chimichurri sauce, an herb and olive oil condiment that no Argentine would touch beef without. For more info, call them at 750-2991.

Across town, things are heating up at Thai Pepper Restaurant, located next to the great India's Oven at the confluence of Sahara and Paradise. India's Oven has long been called the "most consistent Indian restaurant in town", and Jitu Patel's lunch buffet features goat curry and undhyoo, a Gujurati vegetable casserole based on eggplant.

Next door, though, Sutima (Cherry) Sapauajeketarin, a candidate for the longest Thai name in the Vegas restaurant firmament, is cooking with gas in uncompromisingly ethnic fashion, preparing a slew of dishes that few, if any, Thai restaurants in Vegas have served before.

One glorious spring weekend afternoon, five of us feasted on crab pad Thai noodles, a ground duck and rice powder dish from northeast Thailand called duck larb, nam kao tod, a crispy rice, peanut and sausage salad, kao low, a beefy soup stocked with meatballs and brisket, sup nor mai, a spicy off-menu bamboo shoot concoction, and last but not least, an elegant sweet and sour catfish. Prices are very reasonable. 2226 Paradise Rd. 696-9107.

Max Jacobson is the principal food columnist in the Las Vegas Weekly, and a Food and Wine Journalist for Vegas Magazine. He can be reached at 702-990-2454 or [email protected].