José Andrés May Convert Bazaar Casino Into a Swanky Cocktail Lounge

Fans of José Andrés may have a new private dining experience from the chef as soon as October or November. The Sahara plans to convert the Bazaar Casino next to Bazaar Meat into a new chichi cocktail lounge and small plates restaurant from the chef with a lower priced menu, somewhat like his Barmini in Washington, D.C.

The restaurant, which does not have a name so far, would serve small plates, cocktails, and desserts, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.

Andrés uses Barmini as a cocktail lab next to Minibar in the Penn Quarter of D.C. with a menu of 100 cocktails organized by spirit. The seasonal menu specializes in classics reinvented with a modern twist. Some arrive smoking, others changing colors, and even more use cotton candy as a centerpiece. Small plates of snacks such as a grilled cheese with Gorgonzola, Brie, and white cheddar cooked in truffle butter as well as Ibérico ham on toasted bread make the menu.

UPDATE: ThinkFoodGroup says that there are no firm plans for a new cocktail lounge in the Bazaar Casino space. “While we’ve had very preliminary conversations with our partners at Sahara about the possibility of additional concepts beyond Bazaar Meat, no commitments or decisions have been made about our involvement or what that could potentially look like,” the parent company of Andrés’ restaurant group says in a written statement.

Andrés also has Jaleo, China Poblano, and é by José Andrés at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

• All Coverage of Bazaar Meat by José Andrés [ELV]