The Delano Plans the Breakfast and Lunch Della's Kitchen

The Delano, the South Beach-inspired resort taking over THEhotel at Mandalay Bay, now has a name for its cafe. Come Sept. 1, expect to dine at the "historic farmhouse meets urban eatery" dubbed Della's Kitchen. The inspiration here? Responsibly sourced ingredients and an industrial feel.

The Delano has its own greenhouse to grow produce to support what it's calling a "desert-sustainable breakfast and lunch menu."

Look for pressed juices, paninis, salads, sandwiches, burgers and entrees that feature grass-fed, sustainable beef and hormone- and antibiotic-free chicken. 

Here are some highlights:

The Fresh Juice Program — Della's Kitchen will press fresh, organic fruits and farm-fresh vegetables daily.

Breakfast — Dishes include banana-berry oatmeal, made with California's Pudwill Farms' fresh berries, steel cut oats and brown sugar; blue crab and smoked pork Benedicts; and carne asada huevos rancheros, made with Idaho's Snake River Farms' sustainable American flank, chihuahua cheese and house-made salsas.

Salads — Look for a Tuscan kale salad combines organic quinoa, Northern California's Laura Chenel's Chèvre's goat cheese, sun-dried cranberries and walnuts. The simple salad blends Ventura County, Ca.'s Kenter Canyon Farms' baby greens, market vegetables and a brioche crouton with house vinaigrette.

Sandwiches — Paninis, sandwiches and burgers all make the cut. Toasted cheese is a tip of the hat to Franklin Delano Roosevelt's favorite sandwich and served with tomato soup and a choice of shoestring fries, potato salad, cup of fruit or a simple salad; and the duck panini, which features fontina cheese, duck confit and wild rocket. The Delano burger uses grass-fed beef, local aged cheddar, house-smoked pork belly, herb aioli and lettuce, tomato and onion stacked between a bun.

Entrees — The braised Kurobuta pork shank is paired with Yerington, Nevada's Peri & Son's rainbow chard, celery root puree and natural jus; while the steak frites plate a petit grass-fed beef filet "smothered" in roasted marrow butter.

Desserts — The chocolate tart features dark chocolate ganache, pralines, pecans and butterscotch sauce or share the For Two, a seasonal cobbler paired with cinnamon ice cream and peanut brittle.

The decor here blends natural elements with industrial materials, and the Delano is hoping that it will be both casual yet "polished" enough for business lunches.

Expect a Sept. 1 opening.
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