Food & Drink: This sandwich could change your life

THE ART OF SANDWICH

Ismaele Romano’s new Via Focaccia is a must-eat situation

Via Focaccia’s Genovese sandwich (Wade Vandervort/Staff) BY BROCK RADKE

Las Vegas residents or visitors might have sampled Ismaele Romano’s food at Eataly at Park MGM, the short-lived but exceptional Contento Pizzeria & Bar at Jerry’s Nugget or at the recent Vegas Unstripped event in the Arts District. But the Sicilian-born chef and winner of the World Sandwich Championship at the 2021 International Pizza Expo is more accessible than ever at a brand-new venue offering simple-yet-irresistible cuisine very close to his heart.

Romano teamed with the Ellis Island Casino just east of the Strip to create Via Focaccia, a casual counter specializing in incredible sandwiches and also offering “basically all the things you need for an incredible Italian picnic,” says general manager Christina Ellis.

Ellis Island discovered Romano through Metro Pizza founder John Arena, who has operated the other fast-casual kiosk at the casino for years. “We knew we wanted to put something into that space that was homemade with an emphasis on ingredients, and once Ismaele started making the focaccia, it was a done deal,” Ellis says.

Romano grew up eating similar sandwiches for breakfast and lunch, stopping at the neighborhood bak-

VIA FOCACCIA

Ellis Island Casino, 702-733-8901. Daily, 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

ery or deli in the morning to choose one from those countertops, or buying prosciutto, mozzarella and more and building his own sandwiches at home.

“It’s one of the most simple foods with a lot of flavor, if you make it right,” he says. “But the sandwiches we’re making here are very different.”

Via Focaccia’s sandwiches are similar to those from legendary Florence restaurant Osteria All’Antico Vinaio, which has expanded across Italy and held a pop-up shop in New York two years ago. The difference is the bread— All’Antico Vinaio uses its own twist on focaccia called schiacciata; Romano’s is his own time-tested recipe.

“I make focaccia at home, but this recipe is for the store because we don’t have a lot of space or a lot of time,” he says. “We had to develop a recipe that can be produced in a smaller amount of time without destroying the fundamentals of a good focaccia, light and crispy.”

An 18-hour fermentation keeps the bread incredibly light and tasty. It also makes it difficult to stop eating the focaccia. Signature sandwiches include cotto ham and fontina cheese with bechamel ($9); the San Giovanni ($10) with soppressata, arugula and sweet pepper spread; the Genovese ($10) with roasted eggplant, fresh burrata and pesto aioli; and a heartier option with fried chicken cutlet, eggplant, fontina, arugula and lemon garlic aioli ($10).

Via Focaccia also offers doughnuts and pastries from Henderson’s Carl’s Donuts, salads, beer and cocktails, coffee and a few fried treats like pasta arancini with salumi ragu ($4).

Feasting on this artisanal fare right off the casino floor is a rare experience anywhere in Las Vegas. “When you make good bread and a good sandwich in Sicily, it doesn’t matter if you’re poor or rich, you need to have good food in your life,” Romano says. “That’s one of the most important things. And this is good, very simple, easy and affordable.”

Chef Ismaele Romano (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

FOOD & DRINK

(Wade Vandervort/Staff)

A SMOKED MEAT REBIRTH

n The neighborhood barbecue joint on Warm Springs near Eastern was once the standard bearer for the Valley, one of the busiest and most popular locations of Memphis Championship Barbecue. Whether or not it was your favorite, we can all agree it had a significant impact, and that barbecue in Las Vegas has come a long way since this restaurant shuttered. Since December, the spot has been home to L2 Texas BBQ, a big-portion, bold-flavor spot from the same folks behind the Texas Meltz sandwich L2 TEXAS BBQ 2250 E. Warm Springs Road, 702-260-6903. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.8 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. spot on West Sahara. This space was built for family feasts, and L2 acknowledges that legacy with all-you-can-eat barbecue for $34 (with a one-hour time limit) offering access to all the meats, sides and desserts you could ever hope to consume. You’d better be serious if you’re going that route. I’m more than satisfied after a three-meat dinner platter ($25) with a cornbread muffin, baked beans and collard greens on the side. My favorite L2 meats are the thick-sliced, medium-fatty beef brisket (also available at $20/pound) and the super savory pork hot links ($18/ pound). At this point in my Vegas barbecue quest, brisket matters most, and I’m not sure there’s a better bite than this. In addition to the obvious ribs, chicken and pulled pork, L2 serves fried catfish, smoked ham, other sausages, Texas toast, tater tots, fried okra, dirty rice, bread pudding, peach cobbler, burgers, sliders, salads and all those toasty sandwiches from the other eatery. They’re really doing all the things, and the neighborhood is taking notice. –Brock Radke