Even in Las Vegas, a city that sees sunshine the majority of the year, winter can get a little tiresome. But at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, you can capture that outdoor vibe even on a cloudy day at Kassi Beach House. That Mediterranean seaside feel pervades this restaurant, conceptualized and brought to life by Nick Mathers, an L.A.-based restaurateur who has opened a number of SoCal hot spots.
With Kassi, you’ll enter through an archway that leads past large vases and through an intimate bar with booths and seating on one side and a bar top on the other. As you exit the bar, it’s as if you’ve entered the patio area of a large home. During brunch and lunch, the main dining room of Kassi Beach House is a sun-washed paradise, with several “rooms” and different types of seating throughout. Some rooms seem to be in the shade, while others look out at floor-to-ceiling windows and the pool complex beyond. A small area for DJs faces the windows, too. There are several long wooden tables, while an abundance of seating puts you in comfy seats and couches throughout. During dinner, subdued lighting helps extend that beachy scene.
On the opposite wall from the windows is a huge oven, from which the fragrance of freshly baked bread and pizzas wafts through the dining room, and a pass-through that yields peeks of the busy staff. Tucked in the center of the room opposite the kitchen is an additional bar, perfect for sitting for a drink or two before your meal. Once you’re seated, order a cocktail or three, like the new Free Bird with tequila, lime, watermelon and mint, or a margarita (Kassi features five versions), or a nice glass of prosecco. During brunch, you can also indulge in bottomless rose for $45 a person. Bargain! And if you don’t want the alcohol, you’ll find several versions, from the iced matcha latte to the spritzes, which combine flavors like ginger and lemon, pineapple and lime and watermelon and mint. They’re all incredibly refreshing.
For brunch, there are plenty of delicious breakfast items like avocado toast, smoked salmon and ricotta pancakes, but you’ll want to start with the mezze platter, a shareable appetizer for the whole table, with whipped eggplant, whipped ricotta and white bean dip—all served with oven-roasted puccia bread, which comes out puffy and tender. You might also want to indulge in the grilled octopus, served with hearts of palm and red onion.
For dinner, a charcuterie platter presents a range of meat and cheese as well as cornichons, marinated artichokes and grilled bread.
That delicious puccia bread is also used for the crusts of the pizzas, available for brunch and dinner. For brunch, check out the breakfast pizza, with three cheeses, scrambled egg, guanciale and green onions—you can even get it with sausage and hash browns! You can get several different pizzas on both menus, and two of the newest are the Bianca, with prosciutto di Parma, lemon, EVOO and balsamic vinegar; and the pear and formaggio, which layers on three cheeses, honey and chives plus Bosc pears. Delightful!
At dinner, entrées are substantial, with offerings such as rotisserie chicken diavolo, eye-opening with its chili and garlic; filet mignon (add on lobster for decadence); and a 32-ounce tomahawk. The Italian-style family meal is three courses of chef-selected goodies—prepare to be wowed. (A quick note: there is a four-person minimum to order the family-style menu.)
Pasta lovers will find items like cacio e pepe, squid ink gemelli with crab, lobster tagliatelle and a newer addition to Kassi, mushroom carbonara, with campanelle pasta and royal trumpet mushrooms, served with a 62-degree egg and Parmesan cream, and the egg adds such richness to the sauce.
For dessert, indulge in the housemade ice cream sandwich while you can—it won’t be around forever. With pistachio gelato, marshmallow and chocolate, it’s an impressive sight that is worthy of a post or two.
From Feb. 10-14, you can order from the special Valentine’s Day menu—start with arancini with caciocavello and artisanal caviar and cheekily named cocktails like The Honeymoon, with Haku vodka, white chocolate, raspberry and alcohol-infused whipped cream—heady stuff! Pan-seared scallops with cauliflower purée and braised short rib with polenta and truffle butter are your entrée choices, while chocolate pot de crème comes with brandied cherries.
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, virginhotelslv.com
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