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It’s truffle season! And the distinctive truffles are finding their way into some restaurants in Las Vegas, where their rich and earthy flavor is incorporated into specialty dishes. Italian white truffles only grow in the wild, and the season usually runs from October to late December, and typically only in one region of Italy. They produce a pungent, nutty, and even shallot-like flavor and their scarceness means they usually fetch a pretty price. Chefs currently pay up to $2,800 to $3,000 per pound. While dishes with truffle oil are more common — and inexpensive— this guide highlights dishes that incorporate white and even black truffles.
Eataly
This season, Eataly is showcasing Urbani Truffles, a distributor of Italian truffles for more than 160 years. Eataly’s team has a wide menu incorporating the prized tubers, which can sell for up to $2,499.99 a truffle.
The tagliolino al tartufo bianco is an egg yolk pasta with white truffle butteraged parmigiano reggiano, and shaved truffles. At Toscana in Eataly, white truffles can be added to most dishes for $45 for three grams.
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Ferraro’s Ristorante
Truffles find their way into an exclusive five-course dinner at Ferraro’s Ristorante for one night only on November 12. At $250 a person, the dinner and wine pairing integrates white truffles into dishes like the prime beef tartare with fried dough, truffle cream, and fresh white truffles. The fresh white truffles also make an appearance in a bowl of egg yolk pasta and soft-boiled eggs. To make reservations, call (702) 364-5300.
Ghost Donkey
Tucked away behind a nondescript door in the Block 16 Urban Food Hall, Ghost Donkey’s menu of mezcal and tequila cocktails is complemented by a small food menu. Among the Mexican-inspired dishes is a $23 plate of nachos topped with cheddar sauce, chive, and shaved black truffles.
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Scotch 80
As a side to your wood-fired steak, order the $19 Millionaire’s Maccheroni at Scotch 80. Noodles are blended in a Parmigiano-Reggiano cream and topped with a poached egg, prosciutto, gold leaf, and black truffle.
Vetri Cucina
Marc Vetri’s newly reopened Vetri Cucina at the Palms offers a pasta dish with shaved white truffle. The $34 almond tortellini with parmesan and white truffle is creamy and savory, but it’s best paired with the view of the Strip from the 56th floor. Add shaved white truffles to most dishes for $50.
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Zuma
Through the end of the year, Zuma serves a specialty pairing menu in collaboration with Krug Champagne and Sabatino Tartufi — a brand that currently holds the Guinness World Record for the largest white truffle ever found and sold. The ongoing dining experience pairs truffles with Krug Grand Cuvee Champagne. Truffles appear across the sushi restaurant’s menu, like in a wagyu gyoza with black truffle ($35) and atop a sliced seabass sashimi with yuzu ($23.) Three grams of black truffle can be added to most dishes for $55.