$2.5 Million Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill Looks to Fall Debut at the Venetian

Announced for spring, then planned for summer, Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill is now officially promising a "sometime this fall" debut for the replacement of the shuttered V Bar on the Venetian’s "Restaurant Row."

A sister venture to SushiSamba, one floor above at the Grand Canal Shoppes, Sugarcane will fit into a L-shaped, 6,710-square-foot space. Last November, the project allocated an estimated $2.5 million in construction costs to create a "kick back, stay awhile" atmosphere.

Their original restaurant opened in Miami in 2010, with an interior of "salvaged ironwork, reclaimed shutters and vintage ‘found objects’" inspired by "South America’s Colonial Spanish-style architecture."

Much of the "globally-influenced" Florida menu will make the expansion with executive chef and partner Timon Balloo, with the exception of sushi and sashimi. Featuring a separate bar and lounge, open kitchen, a robata grill and a very visible open wood fire, Balloo has considered preparing large cuts of meat, "like bone-in rack of ribeye and roulades of heritage pork porchetta."

In Las Vegas, guests can expect a new selection of crudos and shellfish, beef short ribs Korean-style or octopus with aji panca, plus "goat cheese croquettes with membrillo marmalade." Previous Balloo favorites are also on their way, like "bacon wrapped dates with linguiça and manchego" and his "duck & waffle," created with a "crispy leg confit, duck egg and mustard maple."