Switch Out for Switch No Big Twist

The Wynn construction sign says, "What was good is about to get better," while the reality may be "...about to get similar." Steps from Encore's pan-Asian venture, Wazuzu, a replacement for the shuttered Switch restaurant is moving forward.

Steve Wynn is notorious for exercising his executive privilege veto on any restaurant detail, from name, design or cuisine and right up to the last minute. But the current plan is for another Asian concept. Wazuzu is even scheduled to relocate some of its kitchen equipment into the new space, including a wok range, fryer and rice cooker. Three sushi prep stations are planned for the new restaurant, one open to the dining room.

The proposed theatrical design allocates 152 dining seats and 11 seats at a bar. The casino floor Switch Bar, which spied into the former restaurant, will remain, but the Switch gimmick of rotating walls and ceilings that changed the European decor every 20 minutes will be abandoned. The ceiling and most of the wall panels are being locked into place and covered over.

Guests enter past a bar that fills the right side of the space. The back bar includes 125 bottles and oversized "eyes" artwork. An animated eye sculpture is also part of the quirky artistic mix. Statues and abstract objects are abundant. A series of chandeliers constructed of origami-style crane birds hang down, as do pendants and mobiles.

The restaurant has three sections, a main central area, a semi-circular section closer to the bar and a wall of six individual rooms. These booths feature unique artwork, hanging mobiles, upholstered walls, and side entrance "shimmer screens" providing some privacy.

The look includes plenty of chrome, brushed bronze, glass and stone tile floors. An imaginative use of LED strips is employed to backlit and highlight many design features. The modern twist away from Switch's former architecture is further emphasized by a group of televisions running video in a similar manner to the waiting line for guests entering the XS Nightclub.

Switch closed in July after an almost four-year run. The replacement is unofficially slated for a December opening and has no chef assigned to the property. A faint rumor suggests that Muse may be a possible name choice. Currently the 4,470-square-foot footprint is marked as unnamed gray blocks on Wynn property maps, but behind the fanciest plywood in the city, the sounds of fervent construction can be heard.
· All Coverage of Switch [~ELV~]