VEGAS DINING NEWS: Health Dept. Closes Popular Casino Eatery, Netflix Bites Dust, Area15 + 9 New Eateries

Aloha Specialties Restaurant, a beloved Hawaiian institution that opened 40 years ago in the California Hotel downtown, was temporarily closed by the Southern Nevada Health District (SDHD), Las Vegas’ health department, for 31 demerits.

The violations included required handwashing (5), lack of protection from potential cross-contamination (5), poorly cleaned food contact surfaces (3), ineffective pest control (3), and proper temperature control for safety (3) — among others.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the venue is expected to reopen on Wednesday, January 21, following a reinspection.

The California was opened in 1975 by Sam Boyd, the founder of Boyd Gaming.

Area 15 + 9

In addition to the Museum of Ice Cream, which we told you about last January, eight other new dining and beverage tenants are set to open at the Area15 entertainment complex in this year’s second quarter, expanding its current options to more than 20. They are:

1. Fuku: Momofuku founder David Chang opens his third spicy fried chicken joint, featuring sandwiches and tenders, after Allegiant Stadium and T-Mobile Arena
2. Nacho Daddy: Loaded nachos, craft margaritas, and the “never a dry chip” promise from a downtown staple
3. Alien Pizza Party: The team behind Bonnano’s New York Pizzeria serves outer space pies
4. The Bowl: Robot cooks assemble meals right before you
5. Chilangos Tacos: Mexico City street-style tacos from a Dallas favorite
6. Cosmic Pretzel: Pretzels reshaped into UFOs, rockets, and wild space forms
7. Good Company Burgers: Wagyu smash burgers, house fries, shakes, and beer from steakhouse chef Sam Marvin
8. Saint Honoré Doughnuts & Beignets: Brioche doughnuts and New Orleans-style beignets made for smartphone cameras

Dining Ins & Outs

Netflix Bites has closed at MGM Grand after a scheduled one-year run, reverting to its pre-“Stranger Things” existence as Avenue Café, a breakfast spot that also serves fried chicken and waffles, but doesn’t brand it “Eleven’s Feast.”

Zippy’s Hawaiian restaurant will open its fourth Vegas location on January 27 at 10810 W. Charleston Blvd., directly across from Red Rock Casino Resort in the former Hash House a Go Go in Summerlin.

Aroma Latin American Cocina, led by James Beard Award finalist Steve Kestler, shuttered its Green Valley location in December after realizing that most of its customers came from outside the area. This prompted a move to the more centrally located Chinatown, where it will reopen in February at 3355 Spring Mountain Road. Chef Kestler says he plans a refined dinner menu with 10 new dishes while keeping lunch and brunch casual.

Guerrilla Pizza Company, a popular but space-challenged Detroit pizzeria that operated out of the Hard Hat Lounge in the Arts District, now has its own brick-and-mortar a mile away at Soho Lofts, 900 S. Las Vegas Boulevard.

Hedary’s Mediterranean Restaurant, which operated on West Sahara Avenue from 2004 until it became Filo Grill last year, is returning to Las Vegas later this month at 9275 W. Russell Road, in the former Karved space at the Gramercy.

Marufuku Ramen will open its second Las Vegas location in Downtown Summerlin in February. The San Francisco noodlery’s first — at the Bend at 8670 W. Sunset Road in Southwest Vegas — opened last February.