🏘️ Who’s buying up Vegas homes?

🤢 Black Death on the Edge of Nevada

Someone in South Lake Tahoe tested positive for THE PLAGUE, also known as Black Death 🖤 Don’t panic — at least not yet. It happened on the west side of the state line and Californians don’t visit Vegas anymore. [KOLO]

• Apparently, mosquito-related diseases are the real “ticking time bomb” in Las Vegas 💣 [NBC News]

🏠 The Second-Largest Owner of Homes in Las Vegas Is…

You! 🫵 Or it can be, if you own or buy shares in Invitation Homes, whose stock has been trading under $35 for most of the year. The real estate investment trust owns nearly 3,400 homes in the valley, just behind a New York hedge fund that owns close to 4,500 homes. [Las Vegas Review-Journal]

🧊 Congressman Spends Time in Detention Center

Ignore my clickbait headline. Just know that a month after he was blocked from entry, Rep. Steven Horsford (D) was finally allowed to tour an ICE detention center in Pahrump. Detainees say the food and conditions recently got better. Coincidence? 🤔 [KTNV]

• Discussions are underway to more than double the capacity of the facility. [Las Vegas Review-Journal]

Personally, I can’t wait until Braseria, the joint by the EDO team, opens this fall. But there’s still a lot of great food to try right now. So check out the best new restaurant openings of the past few months.

🍝 ai Pazzi

It feels like every year I’m writing about a new Italian restaurant at the J.W. Marriott, but things seem different this time. ai Pazzi by “Top Chef” alum Fabio Viviano not only pulls the brakes on the Rampart Casino's revolving door of concepts, but stands out in a town already overloaded with Italian restaurants. The tableside presentations seal the deal, especially a fettuccine alfredo done right (for once) and the fantastic caprese, featuring mozzarella hand-pulled on the spot, with thin-sliced heirloom tomatoes, and fresh basil.

🍜 Blue Orchid

The family behind the Thai cuisine of Pin Kaow now has Blue Orchid near Silverado Ranch, serving a more diverse take on Asian food by executive chef Steve Piamchuntar. The restaurant nails Thai favorites like the tom kha coconut broth and the egg noodles in the khao soi, but also shows a Chinese influence in shrimp soup dumplings, an addictive wonton soup, and khao mun gai, similar to Hainanese chicken, poached and served over rice. The soft, chewy brownie — bright green due to the inclusion of pandan — with coconut ice cream is my favorite dessert of the year.

🍺 Bottled Blonde

Bottled Blonde towers in front of the Grand Bazaar Shops with the covered top-floor patio offering views of the Bellagio fountains across the street. Soak in the energy of the Strip on the ground floor with roll-up garage-style windows and a stage for live music. The place is ideal for catching a big game and sharing comfort food with friends, from a Jackpot Tower of bite-sized appetizers to pizzas, spicy cauliflower, and at least one cocktail dispensed by a mini gas station pump. Anything on draft qualifies for a 100 oz. beer tower, including an exclusive by local brewery HUDL. Locals get 20% off the bill.

🍕 Nudo Italiano

Southern Highlands gets a new dining spot, Nudo Italiano, with the name emphasizing a devotion to simple ingredients. Pasta and pizza portions are relatively small, encouraging guests to order and share more items for a complete experience. The deconstructed, build-your-own bruschetta and chicken parmesan, made with creamy burrata instead of mozzarella, are fun reboots of old favorites as well.

🥩 Rare Society

UnCommons has seen its struggles — like the failed Sundry food hall — but Rare Society is a steakhouse Southwest locals can call their own. Yes, the prices are Strip-esque, but the shareable steak boards bring down the check average with cuts grilled over American red oak. You can also try the brand-new happy hour for discounts on classic cocktails, beef skewers, and meatballs.

🍲 Shoo Loong Kan

New York’s Shoo Loong Kan is now in Vegas with an inspired take on Chinese hot pots, served Sichuan style (#spicy 🌶️) on Spring Mountain Road. Dip your choice of meats and veggies into a simmering broth in the center of the table. You can even divide your pot into thirds to sample a few options.

🌮 The Taco Stand

The Taco Stand is almost like the In-N-Out Burger of Tijuana street food. The fast-causal restaurant keeps things simple, but does it well, earning a loyal following with everything made fresh to order in a minimalist environment. (The red and white uniforms only drive the comparison home.) After a Vegas debut at Lotus in Chinatown, the concept is now open in the Summerlin area. You might have a short wait for your food to show up, but that’s what the ice bucket of beer is for. Look for the DIY bottle opener on the counter.

Wash down all that food with the best craft beer in Southern Nevada as City Cast Las Vegas reveals the best local breweries. [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]