Like many Americans, Sunday is usually our lazy day. We sleep in a little late and more times than not head to a buffet for lunch. However, this past weekend, we wanted to do something different. So we invited some friends of ours to take a trip to Henderson and try a unique restaurant we had heard a lot of great things about. 
Bratalian by Carla Pellegrino is an authentic Italian cantina that will send you to Europe from the moment you step on the patio and notice the little handwritten menu board and outdoor seating. Opening the door, the first thing I noticed were the clothes hanging from the ceiling, reminiscent of what you would see Italian families do by stringing up their laundry to dry in the fresh air. It was a great conversation piece for our group. The rest of the decor is warm, and inviting, just as you would expect it to be in some cute little restaurant in Italy. It was like we were on a vacation, but we had only gone to Henderson!
Decor is nice, but we were ready to eat. The breakfast menu looked incredible, and we were only hoping the food tasted as good as it looked. It didn’t take long for us to find out.
They brought out the brioche French toast to serve as an appetizer for the table. As a group, I think we all decided this was the best French toast we had ever had! It was different than I am used to in that it was incredibly light. Usually when I eat French toast it is fairly dense and i can taste the egg quite a bit. This was something completely different. It almost seemed like it was going to float off the plate, and although obviously French toast, tasted so much better! It was topped with a citrus vanilla stirred custard, strawberry custard that compliments it perfectly. Even though I am normally not in favor of sweet things with my breakfast, this was spot on and made for a wonderful start to our meal.
Now it was time to get serious and order the main course. I went for the steak and eggs, while the others enjoyed the Shrek skillet, The Canadian, and an omelette.
As we waited for the food to arrive, we enjoyed the company of each other, and also the staff who was super attentive and as friendly as could be. Chef Carla was also on hand and came by a few times to join in the conversation and tell us all about this restaurant she is clearly so proud of. She is a ball of energy and it is infectious!
The food arrived and we took turns admiring the plates delivered to each other. We all wondered if we ordered the right thing as all of the other plates looked so great. Mine was a beautiful looking 7. oz skirt steak topped with a sunny side up egg and a side of vegetables I couldn’t wait to try. Once I dove in, I knew I had made the right choice. It was incredible!
The pancakes on The Canadian looked incredible. They look a little different than traditional pancakes you may be used to. They were much thicker, almost looking like oversized biscuits. However, much like the French toast, they were as light as could be. And I was told they tasted as good as they looked. It was all I could do to not reach over and grab a bite for myself.
We all raved about the food we were eating and promised to come back to check Bratalian for dinner, sooner rather than later. chef Carla said they would be bringing in some live music soon, so that would be a great time to come back and check it out. If it is even close to as good as the breakfast is, it will be our new spot to eat when we head to Henderson. In fact, it will give us new reasons to make the trip.
Las Vegas is great at giving us things that are over the top. Almost everything is designed to overwhelm you and be bigger, better and louder than you find anywhere else. I love that about this city. But sometimes you need a break from that. Bratalian is the perfect escape. While the “better” part of Las Vegas certainly applies here, the rest is completely opposite. Once you enter the restaurant, things slow down, you relax, and feel like you are at home (if home were somewhere in Italy).
As we wrapped up our delicious meals, we discussed the particular highlights of our breakfast. We all agreed the company and food we shared on this Sunday was definitely something that should be repeated soon and often. The prices are very reasonable, the place was adorable, and the staff was exceptional.
As we got up to leave, we said our good byes to the staff and thanked them for their hospitality. Chef Carla was so gracious as she thanked us individually and told us to come back soon. Don’t worry, we will!
We would like to thank all of the staff at Bratalian for the amazing hospitality shown to us. They really made it a special meal, and created a great memory for myself and my friends.
If you are in Henderson, you would be crazy not to try Bratalian out. If you are in Las Vegas, you would be crazy not to make the trip! It is definitely worth the drive. If you want to look around a little bit before you go, check out their site HERE.
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