Brian Howard is known for creating delicious dishes using unexpected spices and ingredients that are often addicting. Now that he has been cooking in Las Vegas for nearly two decades, he is noticing that his food and sensitivity are becoming simpler and more mature.
“But every dish still has to have that wow moment, it’s unique,” says the man behind the Chinatown hotspot Sparrow + Wolf (4480 Spring Mountain Road # 100, 702-790-2147).
This philosophy is fueling the expansion of its hospitality company Spaghetti on the Wall and its new concept, Halfbird, a chicken takeout that could debut in Spring Mountain and Wynn as early as December.
“Everyone’s making chicken now, but we’re not doing what everyone else is doing,” says Howard. “I fell in love with roasting birds in Bouchon. I’ve been doing this every day for five years, probably 40 or 50 a day. “
Halfbird serves original sandwich creations and fun side dishes. His spicy chicken won’t be Nashville-style, but with green curry and Szechuan peppers.
In his fifth year at Sparrow + Wolf, Howard continues to focus on building the corporate culture and looking after regular and new customers. When he got through the pandemic, he was tempted to go back to the original menus and prices to get back in touch with the locals, but quickly realized that we want more.
“I wanted to do a $ 39 tasting menu and put a burger on the menu, but people wouldn’t order it,” he says. “Our guests asked for more. I couldn’t put a chicken or salmon on the menu here which is cool because it speaks for what we do here and how much they like the concept. We have to develop further. “
You won’t find signatures like Bone Marrow Dumplings or Clam Casino on the current menu either, but you have to have Hamachi with candied rhubarb and fried capers ($ 19), Korean barbecue-style grilled octopus ($ 16), and oxtail ravioli. try miso and horseradish ($ 24).
“These are all typical dishes,” says Howard. “None of this matters. It has to be finesse, it has to look good on the plate, people should want to take a picture of it, and it has to taste really good. It just has to make sense. “
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