Ice cream brand Salt & Straw arrives in Nevada, opening at UnCommons, the 40-acre mixed-use community in southwest Las Vegas [6815 Tom Rodriguez St., Suite 120]. Salt & Straw is the latest addition to a burgeoning culinary collection at UnCommons, which includes The Sundry food hall, Urth Caffe, SunLife Organics and many more.
Co-founded by cousins Kim and Tyler Malek, Salt & Straw makes ice cream that tells the story of artisans and farmers. Flavors include Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons, Honey Lavender, and Strawberry Honey Balsamic with Black pepper, to name a few. Along with a menu of 13 classic flavors, Salt & Straw also offers monthly rotating menus that reflect culinary trends, seasonality of ingredients, and relevant cultural moments.
Salt & Straw’s first Las Vegas shop opens with a menu of flavors such as Salted Malted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, and Pear & Blue Cheese. The shop will also offer Salt & Straw’s recently launched Upcycled Food Series menu. Available for the month of June, the series features five flavors, each in partnership with brands focused on reducing food waste in the U.S. This menu is also officially Upcycled Certified, awarded by the Upcycled Food Association (UFA).
The Upcycled Food Series includes:
- Day-Old Bread Pudding & Chocolate Ganache: Created in collaboration with Urban Gleaners, the Portland-based nonprofit redistributing food from high-end restaurants and grocery stores to schools and agencies working to end hunger. The custard bread pudding ice cream is layered with housemade chocolate ganache. Salt & Straw worked with Urban Gleaners to gather a year’s worth of bread from around Portland that would have gone to waste to feature in this flavor.
- Cacao Pulp & Chocolate Stracciatella Gelato: Created in collaboration with Blue Stripes, the cacao brand founded by chocolatier Oded Brenner. The cacao gelato, which is made using the whole pod including the shell and pulp, is striped with ribbons of melt-in-your-mouth dark chocolate stracciatella.
- Lemon Curd & Whey: Created in collaboration with The Spare Food Co, the culinary innovation company co-founded by chef Adam Kaye (former Culinary Director at Blue Hill), who reduces food waste at farms and processors by capturing overlooked and unused ingredients. The tart, tangy gelato is infused with whey-based Spare Food Lemon & Ginger sparkling tonic.
- Salted Caramel & Okara Cupcakes (V): Created in collaboration with Renewal Mill, the upcycled food company that fights climate change and global food loss by upcycling byproducts from food manufacturing into superfood ingredients and premium, plant-based pantry staples. Bits of dark chocolate cupcakes, frosted with vegan caramel and made with okara flour, which is flour from soy milk that is normally thrown out when making soy milk, are folded into a salted coconut oat milk ice cream.
- Malted Chocolate Barley Milk (V): in collaboration with Evergrain, a sustainable ingredient business, the chocolate barley milk and candied fig ice cream is infused with malted barley milk made with EverPro, a nutrient-rich barley protein made from upcycled brewers spent grain (BSG) – a byproduct of the brewing process. This is also Salt & Straw’s first ever allergen-free ice cream that’s not a sorbet!
UnCommons, a first-of-its kind mixed-use development in southwest Las Vegas, has begun to open its Phase I office and retail spaces, with Phase II spaces now under construction. When completed, the urban campus is expected to be comprised of more than 500,000 square feet of modern office space; more than 830 inspired residential units; an entertainment venue; health and fitness studios; a pedestrian trail; public art; a multi-purpose conference center; and upscale lifestyle destinations. UnCommons features a lineup of food and beverage options with many restaurants opening soon, including Wineaux by James Beard Award-winning chef, Shawn McClain; all’Antico Vinaio, a Florentine sandwich shop; J. Blanco, a Mexican steakhouse; among many others.
Salt & Straw at UnCommons opens Friday, June 16 and is open daily from 11 AM–11 PM.
