Las Vegas cereal bar serves 130 types, in bowls and shakes, and a LeBron James Taco
LeBron James, the next time you’re in Las Vegas, there’s a sweet “taco” with your name on it. It’s one smothered with ice cream and the L.A. Laker’s favorite cereal, which also is the pattern on his Nike-collaboration sneakers: Fruity Pebbles.
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The creation debuted Nov. 19 at one of the Vegas area’s newest eateries: the Cereal Killerz Kitchen. The restaurant opened in late July in the food court of a mall in suburban Henderson, Nev., and plans a second location along the Strip in the spring.
What does it serve? Cereal, of course, 130 varieties in all. Owner Chris Burns (who likes the comical word play on “serial killers”) says guests are encouraged to mix various types of cereal into their bowls. Alongside Rice Krispies and corn flakes, visitors will find specialty brands such as Baby Shark, Cotton Candy Crunch and Hostess Donuts.
“We allow you to do things your parents would never allow you to do,” the 32-year-old says. “Here, we let you use your imagination. You can mix three to five different options in the same bowl.”
A three-item bowl costs $5; a mix of five cereals costs $7, milk included. Chocolate, strawberry and nondairy milks are available for an additional charge. “Whatever you can dream up, we can do it,” Burns says.
But don’t let the crunchy stuff fool you; only about 30% of Burns’ business comes from cereal eaters. He also creates dreamy shakes by using a drill-style milk shake machine to blend cereal, ice cream and other ingredients. Chocolate, strawberry and vanilla shakes with up to three cereals mixed in cost $7 each. Add $3 for Burns’ one-of-a-kind creations, such as the Pop-Tart Shake.
“It is crazy,” he says. “We’ll take ice cream, any Pop-Tart cereal that we have, and then we’ll throw a whole Pop-Tart in there. Then we’ll top it with a whole Pop-Tart and fresh strawberries.”
The Peanut Butter Lover shake uses “seven different peanut butter cereals mixed in with Reese’s Pieces [and] topped with a Reese’s [peanut butter] cup and Reese’s whipped cream,” Burns says, adding that a scoop of peanut butter is blended in.
Burns, a self-confessed big basketball fan, created the LeBron James Taco to honor one of his favorite players. He starts with a taco-shaped waffle cone, slathers it with white chocolate. As that shell chills, Burns mixes Fruity Pebbles and ice cream in his special, $10,000 blender and fills the “taco,” topping it off with whipped cream, more Fruity Pebbles and a drizzle of strawberry syrup.
The dessert fit for an NBA superstar is priced at $8. “We gotta’ get him over here,” Burns says.
Cereal Killerz is located in the Galleria at Sunset in Henderson, and come April or May, will be at a shopping mall on Las Vegas Boulevard. ”It’s definitely going to be big,” Burns says. “With all the tourists from foreign countries … we’ll be offering something that they can’t get at home.”
Burns — who said he would eat cereal for breakfast, lunch and dinner if his wife would allow it — spent several years coming up with a concept for his own business, finally settling on a cereal cafe. “It was just something everybody could connect with,” he says. “It’s not like Mexican food or sushi, so it’s just something literally everyone can connect with.”
There are 15 to 20 cereal eateries around the country, including Gizmo’s Cereal Bar in downtown L.A. Burns believes he offers the largest selection of cereals, noting that the Cereal Box in suburban Denver comes in second with more than 100.
“They’re definitely starting to pop up. It’s one of those new trends,” he says.
Info: Cereal Killerz Kitchen is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
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