15 Apr Beer VS Booze? Dinner at Public House at the Venetian Las Vegas

During a recent trip to Las Vegas for Nightclub and Bar Convention & Trade Show, Public House at the Venetian hosted a Pop-Up Showdown between booze and beer. Public House Certified Cicerone Russell Gardner took the lead on the beers as the US Grant Hotel San Diego’s Director of Food and Beverage Jeff Josenhans created the cocktails.       While I am more of a cocktail drinker than a beer drinker, it was a treat to pair each dish with both a beer and a cocktail to see how both enhance in the food in different ways.   The Asian flavors of the Crispy Duck Roll paired well with both the Asian Cowboy Sour (Death’s Door white whiskey, Cointreau, agave, Meyer lemon, purple basil, egg white) and the Jolly Pumpkin 3 AM bier.   The Octopus Salad (which was perfectly tender) was paired with the Venetian Arrangement (Sarpa di poli grappa moscato, Carpano Antica sweet vermouth, Brachetto, Fee Brother’s lavender water, genea lemon, muddled rosemary) and Grimbergen Blonde beer. The Deschutes Black Butte Porter Braised Short Ribs was paired with the Spirit Grocer’s Soiree (Templeton rye, smoked dark muscovado simple syrup, Fee Brother’s old fashioned bitters, Guinness foam) and Aect Urbock, which had a bitterness that paired well with the richness of the short ribs.   The Cheese Plate was presented with the Three Little Jigs [Tito’s vodka, St. Germain, tangerine, champagne, cardamon; Beefeater gin, Graham’s tawny port, bruised parsley, lime, Luxardo maraschino; Pusser’s 15-year-old rum, sauternes, pineapple] and three beers [Tide and Its Takers Tripel, Firestone DBA and Sculpin IPA]. We left before the Chocolate Tart, which was paired with a Smooth Criminal (St. George Breaking and Entering bourbon, creme de cacao, raspberry puree, cinnamon infused whipped cream) and Speakeasy Double Daddy. But, it was fun to taste the successful pairings of a certified cicerone and a mixologist with the flavorful food of Public House. Public House Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian 3355 Las Vegas Blvd S. Las Vegas, NV 89109 (702) 407-5310