August, 2024
World-Class Culinary Experience Now Available within The Shops at Crystals on the Las Vegas Strip
LAS VEGAS (Aug. 7, 2024) – José Andrés Group has debuted Bazaar Mar, a seafood-driven interactive restaurant to Las Vegas, now open at The Shops at Crystals on the Las Vegas Strip. Bazaar Mar showcases a curated theater of seafood-focused dishes served in the group’s signature shareable style, alongside a complementing Spanish-led wine list. Adjacent to Bazaar Mar is Bar Centro – an elevated bar serving coffee and pastries in the morning, Spanish pressed sandwiches for lunch and showstopping cocktails, caviar and desserts in the evening – which will open later this month.
“We are proud that our Vegas restaurants have contributed to the city’s position as a top culinary destination for many years,” said Sam Bakhshandehpour, CEO of José Andrés Group. “The opening of Bazaar Mar is our first collaboration with Simon Property Group and one that emphasizes our deep commitment to push culinary boundaries at premium properties as we grow across Las Vegas and the West Coast.”
A Seafood Celebration with Bazaar’s Signature Flair
Bazaar Mar’s avant-garde culinary menu, led by Manuel Echeverri, concept chef and partner of José Andrés Group, is centered around seafood dishes, rooted in Spanish flavors and served in playful and artistic styles that evoke the sea. José Andrés Group takes their commitment to serving top quality seafood seriously and as a result, offers some of the best fish found around the globe, such as Open Blue Cobia (Panama), Ora King Salmon (New Zealand) and Balfegó Tuna (Spain).
Dinner offerings begin with a Little Snacks section that showcases the team’s seafood-inspired interpretation of tapas, such as the California “Funnel Cake,” which is a playful nod to the classic summer fair dessert, featuring traditional California roll ingredients. Selections from the sea shine in the Oysters and Raw Bar section, as well as the Sea What Else category, which features dishes like the Cobia “Rosa” Ceviche with “rose” of leche de tigre, nasturtium leaf, sweet potato, and corn nuts and Bluefin Tuna and Fried Egg with chu-toro sashimi, quail eggs, and soy dashi. The menu’s most playful dishes include an Oyster Mushroom “Sea Anemone,” made with mushroom essence, anchovy aioli and pickled sea beans; and a unique cone, which each Bazaar location offers. The River Trout Cone is a crunchy snack featuring a flower made from Smoke in Chimneys trout from Virginia, served with preserved Meyer lemon and dill.
Guests can enjoy fish from an alluring display through a variety of preparation options, including grilled in a wood-burning oven, baked in salt, fried, or prepared as sashimi – and then served with an impressive tableside presentation. A selection of vegetables, salads, and meat dishes is also available.
The beverage program, led by Daniel Grajewski, José Andrés Group’s Senior Director of Wine and Beverage, features a Spanish-forward wine list. The list showcases a large selection of white wine producers and bottles from small, family-operated wineries that José Andrés has built relationships with over the years. Exceptional craft cocktails will also be served, mirroring the theatrics of The Bazaar with elements of clouds, airs and smokes, created to pair with culinary offerings.
Designed by Spain’s Lázaro Rosa-Violán Studio, Bazaar Mar, located on the main level of The Shops at Crystals, has a theatrical atmosphere that playfully brings elements of the ocean indoors. An oversized custom mural, depicting a surreal seaside scene, welcomes guests at the entrance and trellises and decorative gates enclose the restaurant, creating a defined area of the 7,428 square-foot space. Inside, the tapas bar serves as the focal point of the room, featuring handmade 3D tiles shaped as vegetables. Situated in front of the open kitchen is an alluring fish display, offering tableside presentations for fresh entrees. Additional design elements include custom seafood realism-inspired artwork and an upside-down orange tree that draws the eye to a private dining room.
A Bar Above the Rest
Located on the mezzanine, Bar Centro will operate as a Spanish bakery and coffee destination throughout breakfast and lunch, seamlessly transitioning to a craft cocktail bar with elevated tapas and desserts in the evening. During morning hours, classic sweet and savory Spanish dishes like Ensaïmadas, Molletes, Xuxos, Basque Cheesecakes and Ice Cream Sandwiches made with a warm pressed brioche roll will be served alongside high-quality coffees and teas, as well as beer and wine. In the evenings, Bar Centro will transport guests from the retail center to a Spanish hideaway, as backlit menus automatically change to artwork, the lighting dims and coffees shift into cocktails. The destination bar will offer expertly crafted cocktails from experienced bartenders, as well as an elaborate bubbles program, featuring French champagnes and Spanish bubbles from boutique producers. Elevated bites with an emphasis on caviar and an extended dessert menu will also be available.
Central to Bar Centro’s design is its striking pastry display, offering views into the open kitchen to see chefs at work throughout the day. Comfortable, low-profile lounge seating, custom banquettes and booths showcases custom pattern seating. An awning and trellis define the space with slatted wood and shutters, creating an intimate area with custom light fixtures that include feathered elements, a nod to the peacocks inhabiting Seville’s parks in the south of Spain.
Hours of Operation:
Bazaar Mar
Sunday – Thursday: 5 PM – 9 PM
Friday – Saturday: 5 PM – 10 PM
Bar Centro (*to open later this month)
Sunday – Thursday: 10 AM – 9 PM
Friday – Saturday: 9 AM – 10 PM
