Cosmopolitan’s new Las Vegas food hall shuns mainstream eateries in favor of regional gems

The tastes of Nashville, New Orleans, New York and Portland, Ore., have arrived in Las Vegas in an eclectic food hall at the Cosmopolitan that shuns big chain eateries in favor of restaurants with regional flair.

Five of the six restaurants at Block 16 Urban Food Hall opened last Friday. They are:

District: Donuts. Sliders. Brew.: With a cult following in New Orleans, District features a rotating selection of donuts, including Bananas Foster. They also serve made-from-scratch biscuits with fillings such as fried pork belly slathered in country gravy.

Ghost Donkey: Opening this fall, the Manhattan hangout for tequila and mescal will feature expertly selected flights of both liquors. Food offerings will also feature a Mexican flair; vegetarians will enjoy the carrot nachos.

Hattie B’s Hot Chicken: A Nashville fixture for spicy chicken plates brings its concept westward, complete with traditional sides such as mac and cheese and Southern greens.

Lardo: Big flavors and big portions are the hallmarks of this Portland, Ore., sandwich shop. Consider a pork meatball banh mi paired with Lardo’s dirty fries. They’re made with pork scraps, marinated peppers, fried herbs and Parmesan cheese.

Pok Pok Wing. Another Portland-based eatery, Pok Pok Wing crafts dishes such as Vietnamese fish sauce wings and vegetarian tofu wings created by James Beard Award-winning chef Andy Ricker. Be brave and try a Som Soda, a blend of refreshing natural flavors and drinking vinegar.

Tekka Bar: Handroll and Sake: The only eatery with its roots in Las Vegas, Tekka’s signature sushi is its tuna roll with spicy sauce. Alcohol choices include a sparkling jelly sake.

Block 16 can be found on the second level of the resort’s Boulevard Tower; hours vary by business.

Info: Block 16 Urban Food Hall

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