Carla Pellegrino, who was the head chef for Rao’s at Caesars Palace and who built a following with her favorite Henderson local Bratalian, is back in Las Vegas and will be back in the kitchen on Friday.
Pellegrino, who left town a few years ago for forays into Yosemite National Park and Los Angeles, will lead the kitchen as head chef and advisor at Dough House Restaurant & Bar, owned by sisters Axenia and Marina Cobzac. The restaurant, 5875 S. Rainbow Blvd., near Russell Road, will have a private opening party on Thursday, followed by a soft opening on Friday and a grand opening on November 4th.
Axenia Cobzac said the sisters had no background in restaurants but were dedicated to business.
“It’s a great city to have a restaurant,” she said. “We like the Italian cuisine very much. Our restaurant will also have a little French. “
The sisters are from Moldova and after the opening plan to introduce a popular Eastern European bread to the community, hence the name of the restaurant. For now, according to Pellegrino, the menu will be Mediterranean in the original sense of the word.
“Italian with a French flair,” said Pellegrino. “My culinary background is French. A little more sophisticated, but it’s always my food. “
Some dishes will be their signature, such as Neapolitan style double pork chops with pan seared chops served in white wine with sweet and hot cherry peppers over mashed potatoes. Some clearly reflect the Mediterranean mission, such as Filet Medallion Piedmontese, filet wrapped in pancetta and served over parmesan risotto with Madeira wine sauce.
Lunch is served, the menu includes a selection such as fresh pea soup with crème fraicheche, a rocket and pear salad, a northern caprese salad with pesto, spaghetti and meatballs, crispy Atlantic salmon over sautéed spinach with a lemon and butter sauce and the dough House burger with Boston lettuce, red onions and beef steak tomatoes.
At dinner, starters will include classic fried mixed seafood with tartar sauce and fresh tomato sauce, minestrone, antipasti and sausages. Dinner starters include shrimp risotto, five-cheese tortellini with radicchio and prosciutto, Mediterranean grouper and grandmere lamb chops with haricot verts, prosciutto and caramelized onions.
“I make a beautiful bar,” said Pellegrino, “with a typical margarita and a classic bellini with white peaches.”
There is a grand piano in the dining room, where a singer will perform on Fridays and Saturdays until 2 a.m., and a DJ in the artfully designed courtyard.
“It’s going to be a fun place,” said Pellegrino.
Pellegrino said she didn’t really plan on going back to Las Vegas, but circumstances led to it.
“I guess Vegas wants me,” she said with a laugh. “I am happy to be back. It’s a women’s project; I like it.”
And the sisters are ready.
“We are very happy about the opening,” said Marina Cobzac. “We worked very hard.”
“We just want to open up,” said Axenia Cobzac, “and be proud when a customer comes in and enjoys the food and the place.”
Contact Heidi Knapp Rinella at Hrinella@reviewjournal.com. Follow @HKRinella on Twitter.
