When people think healthy in relation to food, one word normally comes to mind: bland. No one particularly enjoys flavorless food--and why should they? Panevino’s Executive Chef Mario Andreoni has created new vegan and vegetarian specials that will debunk the healthy, tasteless food myth.

This popular Las Vegas spot right off the strip emphasizes in Italian hospitality while combining rich Italian food with international flavors. Now, the menu will feature several new healthy options that are sure to deliver and please the taste buds.

“There is a misconception that dining – like vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free – is boring or bland and it’s simply not true,” said General Manager Vincenzo Granata, “We’ve made a commitment to create special selections that are healthy, but first and foremost, taste delicious. Additionally, as a business, and especially in this economic environment, I think it’s crucial to appeal to a demographic of guests who may have never visited Panevino otherwise.”

The gourmet deli is a more relaxed part of Panevino with fresh Italian favorites such as artisan breads, imported cheeses, Italian cured meats, homemade pasta, and more. Now, on the menu are five new vegan and vegetarian salads:

• Pasta Salad: Tri-color spiral shaped pasta, roasted tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, arugula and extra virgin olive oil
• Lentil Salad:  lentils, wild arugula, cherry tomatoes, red onion, extra virgin olive oil
• Orzo Pasta Salad:  orzo pasta, cherry tomatoes, black olives, capers, basil, avocado, grilled asparagus, chopped parsley, extra virgin olive oil
• Three Bean Salad:  green beans, garbanzo beans, cannellini beans, roasted tomatoes, red onion, extra virgin olive oil
• Borlotti Bean Salad:  Italian Borlotti beans, cherry tomatoes, avocado, red onion, garlic, basil, extra virgin olive oil

Each one can be ordered to include gluten-free pasta. The deli also features menu items for guests with gluten-free dietary needs.

The Ristorante offers new entrée options that have no animal products: the Duo di Burger di Vegetali e Brodo Vegetale and the Tortelloni Tricolori.

The Duo di Burger di Vegetali e Brodo Vegetale consists of homemade vegetable burger with porcini and Portobello mushrooms, eggplant, roasted red and yellow bell peppers, mashed potatoes and bread crumbs garnished with white truffle oil, vegetable broth, roasted tomatoes, and grilled asparagus on Focaccia bread. The Tortelloni Tricolori is a dish of homemade pasta stuffed with red bell pepper, asparagus, eggplant, zucchini, onion, yellow squash, and garlic atop fresh tomato sauce. The tortelloni has no eggs: it's made with only flour, water, Durum Semolina, and salt.

The only thing that could be better than healthy food that doesn't spare any of the rich flavors is the Las Vegas skyline accompanied by a meal at Panevino. Voted "Best Restaurant with a View" by readers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Panevino's slanted window walls allows for a view nothing short of spectacular, a great compliment to the cuisine.