Columnist Muriel Stevens: Benefit for PAWS goes vegetarian with great results

Friday, March 3, 2000 | 9:18 a.m.

Muriel Stevens' dining column appears Fridays. Her shopping column appears Wednesdays. Reach her at muriel@vegas.com or 259-4080.

It's a rare benefit that features a vegetarian meal, but there were no complaints at the ARK 2000 benefit for the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) at Spiedini Ristorante at the Regent Las Vegas recently.

PAWS was founded in 1984 by Pat Derby and Ed Stewart, former Hollywood animal trainers, to monitor the treatment of performing animals and those no longer able to perform. Think of PAWS as the animal version of the movie industry's retirement home for aging members. When operational, the PAWS Ark 2000, a 2,300-acre site in Calaveras County, Calif., will provide cage-free sanctuary "for elephants, large cats, bears and other captive wildlife in need of refuge." Meanwhile, a smaller facility does the best it can to keep up with the demand for additional animal space.

It takes scads of money and many good friends to help fund such an effort, but the evening was a success, thanks to some very special hosts -- Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin and Janie Greenspun Gale and Jeff Gale. With friends like these, anything is possible.

The many gifts for the silent and live auctions were contributed mostly by Basinger and Baldwin, who generously provided personal movie memorabilia, clothing, art and plenty of warm memories.

Auctioneer supreme Bob Diero, who is mostly retired these days, hasn't lost any of his charm and expertise. Thanks to Diero's ability to keep the auction lively and entertaining, more than $200,000 was raised.

Of course, the delicious dinner put everyone in such a good mood that the guests bid with benevolent abandon.

Spiedini chef/owner Gustav Mauler and his staff created a vegetarian dinner that was so pleasing that not one of the carnivores at my table realized they had become vegetarians for the evening.

Diners had a choice of a soup of Swiss chard, barley and cannelloni beans or Caprese salad made with buffalo mozzarella and heirloom tomatoes. Both were excellent. A Grizzly Tuffy's Icy Smoothy intermezzo was made from the new Absolut Mandarin vodka, lychee sorbet and orange juice -- this delicious refreshment could be habit forming.

A country-style entree plate of Tuscan specialties included: canneloni Magro, pasta filled with fresh arugula and oven-roasted tomato sauce; an original version of eggplant Parmagiana; spinach pasta ravioli filled with butternut squash, sage and truffle oil; and oricchiette, derby-shaped pasta, with a sauce made from 10 different vegetables. It was a wonderful, healthy meal. Both the Swiss chard and the arugula had been picked from the Gale's organic garden earlier that day. Call ahead if you would like a similar Spiedini menu.

After dinner a final item was auctioned -- a private dessert reception with the ever-willing Kim and Alec. These two high-powered stars were so gracious and down to earth. They posed for pictures, mixed with the guests and even bid for and won some of the items they had contributed!

While the private dessert session with Kim and Alec was taking place, we were enjoying our own desserts -- a delectable warm liquid center chocolate bread pudding accompanied with a crisp coconut tuile cookie topped with coconut sorbet and fresh raspberries. This was followed by another gorgeous confection created by the pastry chef at Paris. What a display of culinary talent.

The wines served with dinner, Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio and Merlot, were contributed by the ever-generous Southern Wine and Spirits.

It takes beaucoup bucks to fence the vast acreage comprising ARK 2000. If you would like more information about ARK 2000 or would like to support PAWS, call (209) 745-2606 or write to: Performing Animal Welfare Society, P.O. Box 849, Gault, Calif. 95632. Contributions of any size are welcome.

Four Seasons kosher kitchen: Four Seasons has opened the first kosher kitchen in a Las Vegas hotel. The first event for United Jewish Communities, a group from Jewish cities all over North America, was a great success, said Tamir Shanel, Four Seasons director of food and beverage. The group ate every meal but one at the hotel.

"Our new kitchen is as kosher as you can get," continued Shanel. "This is the first time a Las Vegas hotel has dedicated a separate kitchen for kosher events."

The enthusiastic Shanel truly believes that as the word spreads, Jewish groups from all over the world will be drawn to Las Vegas for these supervised kosher meals. It must be so. The year is still young and 14 events have already been booked.

The extensive menus are a combination of traditional and contemporary Jewish foods. Shanel says, "The quality is top notch, and since everything has to be brought in, prices are a little higher than normal."

Along with chicken soup with matzo balls there is: wild mushroom soup under a pastry crust; chopped liver is available plain or on seared polenta with a portobello mushroom ragout; and an oven-roasted baby chicken is served with roasted garlic, sweet onion confit and whipped potatoes. The pistachio bread pudding is, of course, made from challah (egg bread). Who knew kosher food could be so exciting?

For additional information on the Four Seasons kosher food service, call 632-5000.

Short Orders

Le Montrachet to close: Bistro Le Montrachet, the longtime gourmet room at the Las Vegas Hilton will close its doors March 9. No word yet on what will replace the venerable dining room.

Malibu Chan's wine dinner: Malibu Chan's will showcase the wines of Robert Mondavi Wednesday at its first winemaker dinner. Mondavi's Sam Pratt will be the guest speaker. The four-course dinner with wines is priced at $100 per person (gratuity not included). Reservations are required. Have a credit card ready when you call 312-4267.

Pick Up Stix: Saturday, Pick Up Stix Chinese restaurant will celebrate the grand opening of its new Seven Hills outlet at 10612 S. Eastern Ave. in Henderson at the corner of Horizon Ridge Parkway. Included in the festivities from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m are visits with their mascot, Stixman, music, prizes, giveaways, tastings of their signature House Special Chicken and a raffle to win a mountain bike. For more info, call 617-9803.