This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
To be technical, Chef Rick Moonen would be coming to L.A. then back to Vegas then back to L.A. then back to...you get the point...as the man in charge of a rail venture between the two cities.Despite objections from Union Pacific that they won't share their tracks with any gaming-themed train between Los Angeles and Sin City (and a battle with rival Z-Train) the X-Train has announced "Mr. Rick Moonen's management company, Rick Moonen, Inc. [will] develop The 'X' Train's Food and Beverage operation."
Moonen operates a successful high-end seafood restaurant in Vegas, and is currently in contention for the title of Top Chef Masters champ, where L.A. restaurant maven Susan Feniger is among his competition. Last season's winner, fellow Rick (Bayless, that is) opens his first L.A. restaurant, Red O, this week.
The X-Train folks say they're in the final planning stages of the project, which would offer a "party atmosphere on wheels" travel option to Vegas. They say they will launch in 2011.
