I tried these spots yesterday at dinner. They probably deserved their own visits, but, I am only paying for parking and fighting rush hour traffic once (they are mostly only open at night). Why I hadn't jumped on them to begin with. The first is at the corner of Summerlin and East Central. Part of the Good Salt Restaurant Group (Seito, Osprey, Reyes, Monroe and Sparrow). The other is a block north on Summerlin at East Washington. I believe this is the group with Alfie's, etc. All those Mills locations. I parked in the building across from June. $8 for what I think was an hour plus. The first thirty minutes is free.
Osteria Ester - They had a card that explained that Chef Michael Cooper says "that this is my love letter to that feeling". This being "neighborhood red-sauce joints" from New Jersey. Not exactly reaching for the stars, but, I get it. In that vein, I eschewed the $27 sea bream and went for the chicken alla parmigiana at $24. It was good. Three large, crispy cutlets without any nasty oil flavor. A red sauce that was mostly just tomato. It had a sweetness that I would be impressed to learn was God given. The mozzarella was a bit tough. They tossed on some purple basil. The flavor profile of that didn't hep the dish. It has an uncomplimentary flavor compared with the real stuff. They most likely salamandered it. Came in the dish it was cooked in. They brought over a helpful steak knife. More than enough for one. You don't need the pasta side they were pimping. The menu had all the courses. Apps were around mid-teens. Primos in the mid-twenties. Secondi were mostly above the high twenties. An outlier was a $37 lasagna. They seated me in the bar area. They said the rain forced them to cram the patio parties inside. At least they didn't try and "bar" me. There were three or four tables for two in there. Ten person bar. Wood. A type of gray with orange areas. Black gauze drapes. The decor didn't scream Italy. The main dining area seemed similarly arranged. It is a two hostess joint. Nearly full. The service was top notch. The meal came out quickly. Water was refilled. I wasn't abandoned. Friendly vibe. Nice and casual. Some at the bar were in shorts. Rod Stewart, etc through the speakers. I never found out if they validate. It was an enjoyable dinner. Open for a few months.
June - I believe it is a Mexican menu. However, the thing I ordered to go for $15 (fried chicken) was more Panda Express. Sixteen tiny, fried nuggets of chicken in a sweet sauce with sesame seeds. Fine. I'll have it with my own rice tonight for dinner. The menu seemed written in invisible ink. Made harder by the rendez-vous lighting. It was this or a similarly priced tostada. I think I saw duck on the menu. It wasn't very large. Maybe a dozen things. The place looks great. Wood. White washed stone, Two bars. Cactus on string. Around twenty five tables. Almost full. Hip crowd. Lots of young staff in unis. Deserving of a second look that will never happen. Opened last summer. I'll see if either of these make the Favs. I am being harder on them than usual. Because of the lack of parking, hours and value. I suspect I won't find many better in their category for the rest of the year and they will sneak in. Neither disappointed.
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