The Popup ChowDownTown Comes to Le Thai

Grid View

• Rob Gurdison, Ly Dao and Daniel Coughlin, owner of Le Thai.
• The scene at the ChowDownTown including Tony Hsieh, founder of Zappos.com, on the right.
• Cured salmon, grapefruit, avocado and smoked paprika.
• The scene at the ChowDownTown
• Breads from Bread & Butter
• The scene at the ChowDownTown.
• Asparagus with lemon, olives and chile.
• The scene at the ChowDownTown.
• Chef Joshua Clark, back, and his team work on the dishes for the ChowDownTown.
• The team works on the dishes for the ChowDownTown.
• The chef team works on the dishes for the ChowDownTown.
• Guests brought their own wines to the dinner.
• The scene at the ChowDownTown.
• Chef Joshua Clark, left, in the kitchen.
• Beef tartare, pho flavors and rice crackers.
• Thai whiskey.
• The kitchen crew.
• Dishes ready to be taken out.

The latest edition of the new popup dinner the ChowDownTown took over Le Thai in Downtown Las Vegas on Sunday night with dishes to go along with the eatery’s Thai roots. Chef Joshua Clark, who once worked at Bradley Ogden at Caesars Palace and gave it all up to try to venture out on his own, and Jolene Mannina, the former owner of Sloppi Jo’s food truck, teamed up for the second such popup dinner.

Forty people landed spots for the $50 dinner. Roy Ellamar, executive chef of Sensi at the Bellagio, chef Jason Johnston from the Bellagio, Gina Gavan from Project Dinner Table, Michael and Jennifer Cornthwaite from Downtown Cocktail Room and The Beat Coffeehouse, and Tony Hsieh, founder of Zappos.com, were just some of the notables in the crowd.

Six courses made up the dinner that started with an amuse bouche of cured salmon, grapefruit, avocado and smoked paprika. Then came a spicy dish of asparagus, lemon, olive and chile, followed by a beef tartare with pho flavors and rice crackers, each taking on the personality of Le Thai.

An octopus bolognese dished over pasta with an interesting furikake crunch and a pork tenderloin and confit with spring vegetables and fennel jus followed. The finale — rhubarb with meringue, lime and rosemary.

Bread & Butter, where the first ChowDownTown took place, provided the bread while guests brought their own wines.

Mannina says the next event will be held in the swanky digs at The Ogden in Downtown Vegas or at Rainbows End Natural Health Store on East Sahara Avenue, where the dinner will feature vegan dishes.
· All Coverage of the ChowDownTown [~ELV~]