Don’t let the term ‘small plates’ fool you at Nosh & Swig, an instant local favorite a few miles down from restaurant row on Flamingo. Eclectic global flavors, portioned substantially larger than the average small plate [we’ll call them medium plates?], will electrify the palate amidst a bright, stylish setup. But beyond sophisticated dining comes a truly homey experience, where a husband-wife ownership duo will add laughter and memories to their “food festival of funzies.”
“I love to cook excellent food. Whatever specials I feel like putting into the menu today, it’s there. I just freestyle it,” begins Executive Chef Steve Piamchuntar, whose half-Thai heritage helps inspire his worldly menu. He goes by Steve-O, a name given to him during his tenure as Executive Chef at the Turnberry Towers. Food & Beverage Director of the Strip residency as well, Steve-O applies a wealth of knowledge from diversified fine dining into Nosh & Swig’s more casual concept.
“Seeing the same people all the time meant we had to change it up a lot. 4-5 menus every day, often times I switched them out 3-4 times a week. 20 menus a week, that’s a lot of recipes,” he said, speaking in a fast-paced yet humble tone. He is joined by his wife and General Manager, Lorie, whose creative flare gives the small establishment a distinct sense of comfort. Plush booths, bright tables with cushioned swivel chairs, an open-air kitchen and the ‘Flushing Avenue’ sign that points to the bathroom are a few reasons why customers can lounge here for hours on end.
The menu lists nearly 50 more reasons to relax and enjoy. Steve-O’s recipes are tried-and-true, developed over years of fine-tuning with loyal patrons. To do this place justice, order something from as many of the menu’s seven sections as possible [3-4 plates is usually enough per person]. The pork belly sticky bun tacos and brulee salmon skewers, with honey-miso glaze, each fuse sweet with savory and east with west. The cock-a-waffle-doo adds elegance to chicken ‘n’ waffles with homemade blueberry syrup. Vegetarians will croon over the lotsa mozza, which stacks eggplant, tomato and mozzarella cheese atop a divine cornbread polenta, as well as the elote, or corn smothered in cilantro pesto and chipotle aioli.
“I love making my own sauces. Something new is always coming to the table ” Steve-O said. His concoctions add a dazzling identity to each dish, where ingredients are hand-selected. The Dr. Pepper braised short ribs have quickly become a house favorite with exceptional flavor and fall-off-the-bone tenderness, complimented beautifully by the addictive cornbread polenta. And the night’s special, Moroccan-spiced lollipop lamb shank with twisted tzatziki and seasoned lentils, needs to become a permanent menu fixture.
Desserts are fun and elaborate, keeping up with the motif of delivering light finishes to otherwise heavy food. The cookiemon embodies a classic skillet-baked cookie a la mode and the state fair waffle sandwich combines, put simply, just about everything you’d see at the county fair.
“We just get to be ourselves here,” Steve-O said. “We don’t try to impress. We just make really good food and have a lot of fun. This is the kind of place our customers say they’ve always wanted, and we’re happy to be here for them.”
Nosh & Swig is located at 3620 E Flamingo Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89121. Avg. out-the-door price is ~$25-35/person. Call (702) 456-6674 for reservations or find out more at Nosh & Swig online.
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