JBF Finalist Dan Krohmer Gets Ready to Reopen His Outstanding Seafood Restaurant Other Mama

Dan Krohmer takes a slower approach to reopening his three restaurants in Las Vegas. In March, he closed his Eater 38 seafood restaurant Other Mama, along with his Japanese izakaya Hatsumi and Mexican La Monja in the Fergusons Downtown. He spent those early weeks at his farm in Pahrump.

Last year, he bought 2.5 acres of farmland with one 100-foot greenhouse and another 60-foot greenhouse from Urban Seed after it declared bankruptcy. He grows tomatoes, eggplants, and cucumbers that he plans to use locally.

“The goal is to growing everything for all three restaurants this year and then to be selling produce to other restaurants later in the year. We want to be one of the first seed-to-table restaurants in Las Vegas,” the James Beard Foundation finalist for Best Chef Southwest says.

Krohmer says he did it for his mental health. “So now I quit drinking, smoking cigarettes, kind of focusing on my health,” he says. “I was dealing with some addiction stuff with pain pills.”

He spent a month at Desert Bloom Eco Bloom, the Tecopa, California, farm an hour west of Las Vegas from Stephen and Claudia Andracki, last year and says it helped him overcome his addictions. “I just found a lot of mental health and peace just being outside after working inside restaurants for 20 years.”

By late May, he was ready to reopen Other Mama for takeout only with a chalkboard menu of dishes that change daily. Now the restaurant gets ready to reopen June 19 for dine-in service with more sushi options on the menu. He says he reduced the number of oysters since many of his providers laid off employees and the varieties are harder to come by, especially in the summer.

“We’re really trying to simplify things at Other Mama and focus on what we’re good at.” Krohmer says. “It’s not about trying to be overly creative right now. Right now, it’s about getting people exactly what they ordered.”

The bar overlooking the kitchen remains closed, with tables spread out six feet apart, something Krohmer calls “romantic seating.” He’s not requiring reservations, but recommending them. “Space is going to be a very big issue for the next six months.”

Hatsumi also reopens just for takeout with five bento box options from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. La Monja will offer the same hours with takeout featuring tortillas, vegetables, and proteins.

“They’re not letting people on the property without a mask and other things like that. That’s fine. It’s not all up to me as far as what the flow looks like,” he says of Fergusons. “It’s going to take a little time with the crowds on Fremont East and the construction wrapping up” to redo the street.

Other Mama, 3655 S. Durango Drive, will be open from noon to 8 p.m. with dine-in dinner and takeout. For reservations or to order, call 702-463-8382. Hatsumi (702-268-8939) and La Monja (702-848-3530) at Fergusons Downtown at 1028 Fremont St. plan to be open for takeout from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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