Crossroads Kitchen’s Chef Tal Ronnen has expanded on his upscale plant-based flagship restaurant in West Hollywood with two new concepts in Las Vegas.
Crossroads Kitchen and CB | Crossroads Burgers officially opened to the public at Resorts World Las Vegas on May 28. Crossroads Kitchen mirrors the original Melrose Avenue location, while CB|Crossroads Burgers follows a fast-casual format.
“Our expansion within Resorts World Las Vegas points to the evolving mainstream appeal of plant-based cuisine,” Ronnen — a former personal chef for Oprah Winfrey and the author of New York Times Best Seller “The Conscious Cook” — said in a statement. “When Crossroads Kitchen first opened, in 2013, it was a rarity, the first upscale, entirely plant-based restaurant with a full bar. Now, with our new locations, I’m excited to continue shaping the perception of plant-based dining with Resorts World and serve delicious, refined food that appeals to vegans and flexitarians alike.”
Ronnen has aligned his concepts with a brand new Vegas venue. Developed by Genting Berhad, a publicly traded Malaysian corporation registered with the Nevada Gaming Commission, Resorts World Las Vegas features 3,506 guest rooms and suites, a gaming floor, food and beverage outlets, a 5,000-seat theatre and a collection of designer and boutique shops.
The Vegas version of Crossroads seats 162 people and includes bar seating and a private dining room for as many as to 20 guests. It features the dark woods, deep red banquettes, dramatic lighting and music that set the ambiance for vegan diners at the original L.A. restaurant. There is also photography from artist Neil Zlozower displayed throughout the space.
Crossroads Kitchen offers guests the original’s signature Mediterranean-inspired dishes, and there are additional specialty menu items exclusive to the Las Vegas location, such as Chestnut Foie Gras, made with roasted chestnuts and served with a cabernet demi-glace, grilled sourdough, celery leaf, and grapes; and Chips and Caviar, waffle chips served with a dollop of Kite Hill sour cream topped with seaweed-based caviar.
The Vegas version also offers off-menu items from the Los Angeles location, such as Spaghetti and Meatballs, made with Impossible Meatballs; and Fettuccine Alfredo.
Crossroads Kitchen’s casual outpost, CB|Crossroads Burgers, serves custom plant-based sausage, burgers, fries and ice cream sundaes from a quick-service counter. Diners have the option of eating their meals in the 24-seat venue, ordering it for takeout, or opting for delivery directly to their rooms or poolside cabanas through Resorts World’s On The Fly service.
Ronnen’s original Crossroads Kitchen is located at the corner of Melrose & Sweetzer Avenues, where the celebrity chef introduced his refined plant-based restaurant offering a Mediterranean-inspired menu in an elegant setting. Signature items — including the artichoke oysters topped with kelp caviar; Caesar salad with a house dressing; oven-roasted truffle potatoes; and spaghetti carbonara — helped the restaurant gain a celebrity following that includes Beyonce and Lizzo.
Las Vegas will not be the end of Crossroads’ expansion. This fall, a Crossroads Kitchen will open in Calabasas, becoming the first plant-based restaurant at The Commons at Calabasas, the 215,000-square-foot retail center operated by Caruso. The menu will include stuffed zucchini blossoms, beet tartare, and house-made pastas such as tagliatelle Bolognese and fettucine and truffles.
The new location will surely attract Calabasas-based celebrities such as the Kardashians, who have flirted with plant-based diets. Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker — a longtime vegan who just married Kourtney Kardashian — is a partner in Crossroads.
