More: New Dining: Dan Krohmer + Crystina Nguyen’s Vietnamese Collab at Durango Social Club

Durango Social Club, the Spring Valley restaurant from Chef/Owner Dan Krohmer and Executive Chef Crystina “Mama” Nguyen, has expanded its Vietnamese comfort food menu with new appetizers, main dishes and desserts alongside signature favorites, daily specials and seasonal offerings.

Located at 3655 S. Durango Drive in the shopping center at Durango Drive and Twain Avenue, Durango Social Club offers approachable à la carte dining in an intimate, 55-seat setting. The restaurant shares the center with Krohmer’s Other Mama and accepts reservations and walk-in guests Wednesdays through Saturdays.

“I’m really confident in where the menu is now and the variety we’re able to offer,” said Nguyen. “These are dishes I would serve my own family, with an emphasis on fresh ingredients and making the majority in-house. I want people to experience the herbs, flavors and details that make Vietnamese food what it is, while feeling like they’re being welcomed and fed in my own home.”

The expanded menu builds on Nguyen’s personal approach to Vietnamese cooking balancing traditional preparations and familiar flavors with her perspective and years of culinary experience.

Expanded appetizers include Bánh Bột Lọc ($16), traditional tapioca dumplings with shrimp and pork, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed, then served with scallion oil, crispy baby shrimp and nước chấm and Bánh Ít Ram ($16), soft glutinous rice dumplings with pork, shrimp and mung bean served over a crispy rice cake with scallion oil, shrimp floss and nước chấm.

Additional starters include Sea Snails ($26), featuring whelks simmered in a sake, lemongrass and Thai basil broth with ginger fish sauce; Hainanese Chicken Skins ($12), crispy chicken skin chips served with ginger-scallion dipping sauce; and Chả Giò ($16), crispy fried turkey spring rolls served with lettuce, herbs, pickled vegetables and nước chấm.

Main dishes include Thit Kho ($28), coconut braised Duroc pork belly with egg served with white rice and pickled vegetables; and Cà Ri Vịt ($23), crispy duck breast served over thick egg noodles in a rich yellow coconut curry broth with crispy noodles, pickled red onions and greens.

Also: Cơm Gà Roti ($28), five-spice Cornish hen served with tomato jasmine rice, cucumber salad, pickled vegetables and Thai chili chimichurri; and Bò Né ($31), marinated filet with sunny-side-up eggs, chicken liver pâté, blistered tomatoes and pickled vegetables, served with a baguette or French fries.

Guests can also choose from Mama’s Gỏi ($21), featuring shrimp, fried tofu, cabbage, herbs, crispy shallots and roasted peanuts tossed in house vinaigrette; and the Bò Lúc Lắc Salad ($26), featuring filet, watercress, red onion and cherry tomatoes.

A rotating Vietnamese-inspired soup of the day and catch of the day, as well as additional daily specials, allow Nguyen and the kitchen team to continue introducing new dishes and seasonal ingredients throughout the year.

For dessert, the menu features Bánh Café Trứng ($10), a Vietnamese egg coffee pie, alongside Cafe Sua Da and Mochi Donut ($13), Vietnamese drip coffee over ice, served with a mochi donut. 

Known to many Las Vegas diners for her time at District One Kitchen & Bar in Chinatown Las Vegas, Nguyen approaches Vietnamese cooking through the lens of food that is comforting, approachable and brings people together around the table.

“As Crystina and I continue to grow into this collaboration, it’s been exciting to see the menu really take shape and become a reflection of what we want Durango Social Club to be,” said Krohmer.

“There’s a strong foundation now, but still so much room for creativity, whether that’s through new dishes, seasonal ingredients or daily specials. I think we’re just beginning to show people what this restaurant can be.”

The culinary experience is complemented by a mixology-forward cocktail program, as well as a curated selection of wines by the glass and bottle, beer, zero-proof beverages and seasonal offerings.

Durango Social Club is open from 5-9 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays at 3655 S. Durango Drive, in Las Vegas, Nevada 89147. Reservations are encouraged and may be made by calling (725) 205-9846 and visiting DurangoSocial.com.