A throwback feast for the senses awaits at Retro by Voltaggio at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.
Brothers and chefs Bryan and Michael Voltaggio; the Cheese and Crackers plate includes barbecue pork rinds, whipped brie and pimiento vinaigrette.Brothers and chefs Bryan and Michael Voltaggio
It’s a family affair for brothers and celebrity chefs Michael and Bryan Voltaggio, who debuted their first Las Vegas dining concept in early May at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino (mandalaybay.com/restaurants). Enter Retro by Voltaggio, a nostalgic love letter to the cuisine, culture and sounds of the ’80s and ’90s. “We want guests to recognize the dishes they’re reading on the menu, then be totally surprised and intrigued by what is delivered to the table,” says Bryan. Here, the culinary stars dish out what to expect from their one-year residency at the Stripside hotel.
What inspired you to open Retro by Voltaggio in Las Vegas? MV: We had a shared vision for our first Las Vegas restaurant to deliver an entirely different guest experience to the Strip’s dining scene, while also paying tribute to our shared culinary journeys. Retro brings our story to life.
The Cheese and Crackers plate includes barbecue pork rinds, whipped brie and pimiento vinaigrette.
What does it mean to you to open your first Vegas concept in a former Charlie Palmer space given your previous experience working in his kitchen? BV: From providing guidance throughout our careers to cooking with him in the kitchen at Aureole, we learned skills that fueled our passion to showcase culinary excellence in all we do. We are grateful to Charlie for passing the torch and are committed to delivering the same first-class hospitality for which the venue has been known.
Tell us about the ambiance and design. MV: Growing up as kids, we moved around a lot and each time we were in a new house we made it our own by putting posters up on the wall, along with other personal touches that made it unique to our personalities and style. We carried that same mindset to Retro. In collaboration with MGM’s design team, and my friend Keith Magruder, who makes nostalgic art out of paper and watercolor, we created a playful, fun and high-energy environment. It was important to have bold colors and lights, recognizable display items that would transcend through generations, and a music playlist that featured all the best hits of the era. Inspiration without intimidation is how I look at it.
The playful VoltaggiO’s feature housemade O’s, arrabbiata butter and a giant meatball
What are some must-try dishes and cocktails on the menu? MV: VoltaggiO’s, a giant meatball surrounded by handmade anellini-ringed pasta covered in a delicious Pomodoro sauce emulsified in brown butter; the Caesar salad served with a side of Parmesan churros; and the chicken pot pie, which are croquettes with a buttery cracker crust and black truffle coulis. To drink, the Brass Monkey, a shareable 40-ounce malt liquor that is meant to be passed around the table for guests to pour into individual passionfruit-orange sorbet-filled glasses, and the Appletini that’s topped with egg-white foam and matcha powder.
BV: For me, it’s the melt-in-your-mouth pepperoni rolls, wagyu beef pot roast (slowly cooked beef cheeks served alongside Nantes carrots and cippolini onions), and Cookies and Cream (chocolate ganache pudding made with frozen cookie butter and creme fraiche rocks). To drink, the shareable Jungle Juice that’s served in a large punch bowl and the Retro Farms Wine Cooler that’s ceremoniously uncapped tableside.
The Appletini is topped with egg-white foam and matcha powder
If you had to choose one dish to eat on the menu, what would it be and why? MV: I can’t pick just one so I’ll give you two. First would be the shrimp cocktail. Our version has poached wild Baja shrimp that arrives on a bed of ice, bathed in a Thai coconut-like soup that provides an extra layer of flavor, and is served alongside housemade cocktail sauce. Next would be the VoltaggiO’s.
BV: The wagyu beef pot roast. It reminds me of my mom making us homemade, hearty dishes as a kid. I see the CorningWare it is served in and it brings up great memories around the dinner table with her.
Vintage records line the walls at Retro by Voltaggio.
When you’re not building your restaurant empire, where would we find you dining in Las Vegas?
MV: Michael Mina is always pushing the boundaries for culinary excellence and I love to see what he is up to at his restaurants. I enjoy dining at StripSteak at Mandalay Bay and would recommend ordering the caviar jelly doughnuts, hamachi nori tacos and duck fat prime rib. Over at Michael Mina Bellagio, a few of my favorites are the ahi tuna tartare, lobster pot pie and black cod.
BV: If I’m heading off the Strip, I really enjoy Lotus of Siam. The fresh chili fried rice, roasted duck curry and Northern larb are all really flavorful, well-presented dishes.
Photography by: PHOTO BY ANTHONY MAIR
