Kushiyaki Inyo

The New Year often brings many new things to celebrate and 2015 will be no different. Galloping in from the tail end of the Year of the Horse, January 1, 2015 will also bring the opening of Las Vegas' newest food attraction, the Asian variety cuisine themed Inyo (www.inyolv.com).

Located at 6000 W. Spring Mountain Rd. #1B in Las Vegas, Inyo sits on what was once the Maple Tree Café. Foodies may remember the Maple Tree Café as the only restaurant in Las Vegas where the hit television show, Food Network’s Restaurant Impossible had come in and completely redesigned the restaurant. Most of the interior will be kept from the show, while adding an Asian flare to brighten the space.
Inyo will be more than just an Asian restaurant. It will be your Asian experience without the travel. Owner Chih Peter Chen, was born in Taiwan and married a Japanese bride, Mayumi Miyoshi. Having grown up in the restaurant industry, the 30-year old restaurateur learned the business from the inside out, from working at his parent’s restaurant until he recently ended his adventures at the Tropicana Casino. Chih has spent much of his life traveling across Asia, and with his marketing degree, he hopes to bring what people want and create a brand new experience with a diverse menu.

Knowing that a restaurant is only as good as its’ head chef, Chih partnered with Gregg Fortunato, former Head Chef at the high end BLUE RIBBON SUSHI BAR AND GRILL inside the Cosmopolitan Casino and former Executive Chef of Little Buddha inside the Palms Casino. Fortunato has experience opening many Asian-themed restaurants around the country, having opened the Buddha Bar in Washington D.C, Jia at the Beau Rivage Casino in Biloxi, MS, and also served on the opening team for several Roy’s Restaurant locations.

With this restaurant adventure, Fortunato and Chih will focus on bringing together various Asian cuisines, such as Japanese, Chinese, Thai, and Korean dishes into a single harmony. The majority of Inyo’s dinner menu will be priced under $10 dollars as menu items are specially designed to be shared, allowing the guests to order a few items to sample instead of one large order. Guests will also be able to enjoy complementary side dishes, similar to the experience of going into a Korean restaurant.
Unlike typical Asian Fusion Restaurants, Inyo will take traditional, well known dishes and incorporate them into one menu with a very creative spin. For example, one of the world’s best grills, the Japanese robata grill will be used for cooking various proteins and vegetables skewers and pairing them with different dipping sauces, each sauce having its own unique background. Or the lettuce wraps variety. Guests will be able to choose a variety of wraps traditionally offered from Korea, Thailand, or Japan. Inyo will be the perfect place to go to satisfy a night out with friends or family, offering a variety tailored for those that have several cravings.