Rao's in las Vegas.........The Last Supper from this latest Las Vegas trip

I put together a group of friends for our final meal in Las Vegas and we all decided after a few suggestions to go to Rao's.  This was the same group pretty much that went to Mesa Grill so I knew we all would have the opportunity to try many different dishes.

The New York Famed eatery is located in Caesar's Palace on the strip and is decorated from what I'm told, similar to the New York landmark.

We had all heard about the famous Meatballs and the simple order of 6 went out.  These massive meaty spheres came to us bathed in their famous sauce.  Top it off with some fresh grated cheese and you have an appetizer worth oohing and aahing about.  I think at that point was the quietest our table was the entire evening.

After we devoured the meatballs and mopped up all the sauce, we waited patiently for the mains.  Two of us got the Chicken Scarpariello that had tender chunks of Chicken laid next to hot and sweet sausage.

My friend Roger had mentioned to me when we talked about coming here that Uncle Vincent's famous Lemon Chicken is supposed to be really great.  I'm not one for ordering chicken when I go out for a meal just because I make it so much at home.  But this Chicken was so delicious.  It had a refreshing flavor that wasn't sour which is what you might expect from lemon chicken.  Charbroiled chicken sat in a shallow layer of lemony broth that kept the whole dish moist.  If you are a chicken fan, you must try this.

One of the things I really love about a restaurant like this is that if there is something that you want and don't see it, just ask and more times than not, you'll get it.  Such was the case with the Veal Piccata that made it to our table.  Not on the menu, the caper dotted dish was a welcome addition the well rounded selections that we had chosen.

One of my friends who had come here a few days later said that the Osso Buco was over the top.  And I had to agree with him because it was my dish.  Problem is with this dish is that you really need a completely empty stomach to finish this dish without feeling over full when you finish it.  The problem is that it tastes so good that you don't want any of it to go to waste.  leaving any of this dish not eaten is food abuse.  The fork tender veal sits on top of risotto which is bathed in a veal reduction sauce.  Yeah, it's a little rich.

Finally I'm sorry to say that I didn't take a photo of the Veal Parmesan.  This dish is the most popular and after trying it, I can see why.  The door mat size of pounded Veal came to the table hanging over the plate.  This is not an exaggeration.   It was huge.  As was the flavor.  Next time I'm here, that is what I will get.

If you love old school Italian food and happen to be going to Las Vegas, make a reservation and prepare your stomach for a great meal.

For information about Rao's and to see the menu please go here: Rao's Las Vegas

Mesa Grill...........The Southwest Grill Master finds his home in Las Vegas

Bobby Flay as many of you know specializes in southwestern cuisine. His Charismatic dance around the grill makes you want to be his best friend.

Bobby found his Las Vegas home at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas and is showing everyone that visits that he knows what he is talking about when you see him on TV.  His menu is all southwestern with a good mix of burgers, steaks, salads and anything grilled.   We went there for lunch and were at a table that expanded from 5 to 7 as we were joined by our friends.

I started out with a drink that turned into two as it was delicious. I'd love to learn how to make the Cactus pear margarita.  It was sweet but not too sweet.  It went down way too easy as I said I had two.

We decided to get some apps to start our meal and with the help of the server at hand, we decided on the Queso Fundido which is basically cheese dip.  But not any cheese dip.  Goat Cheese dip.  For many, goat cheese is not tops on the list.  For me, it is.  I have really learned to love the stuff.  As you can see below, it's served with blue corn chips.

The other Appetizer that we got was a Shrimp Tamale.  I'm also a sucker for Tamales.  When they are done right, there is nothing more comfort food like.  It is hearty and warming and you can sit in front of a fire with two of them and be so satisfied.  Instead, I was surrounded by 6 close friends.   Fire has nothing on that.

The great thing about our group was that we all really enjoy food.  I think everyone got to try everyones dish. forkes were being passed around with things to try.  we were all oooh-ing and aaaah-ing over the meal.  A big surprise in the lunch was the pressed Cuban burger.  Tender burger topped with ham and swiss cheese with a pickle.  It was really delicious.  The Mesa burger was also really good as it was served with Vidalia onions and a horseradish sauce.

I don't know why I can't turn the picture.  turn your head.  It tasted as good as it looked.

There were three of us that got the lamb cobb salad.  Instead of the traditional turkey, we got grilled lamb.  The lamb was so good.  It had no gamey taste that you sometimes get with lamb.  The best is that it sat along side two thick slices of hardwood smoked bacon.  I just can't get enough of that stuff.

If you have ever watched him on TV and said, "I'd love to try what he cooks" you would be happy if you went to his restaurants.  Bobby Flay does a good job of creating a great atmosphere and a fabulous menu.  I looked at his Dinner menu and it looked great too.

Mesa Grill can be found at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.  For more information go to www.mesagrill.com

SW Steakhouse.............You will Wynn when you dine at this Wynn location

As much fun as i'm having here in Las Vegas at my Machinery Dealer's convention, I have been taking advantages of any meal opportunity I have been given to me.

Last night was a smart move on my part to join my parents and two other couples that we are friendly with.  The SW Steakhouse is located downstairs near the lake of Dreams. When you take the circular (yes circular) escalator down in front of the small lake, you have SW on one side and Daniel Boulud on the other.  The Space is very Steakhouse like with a lot of dark colors but very well lit.

The Menu was also very Steakhouse like with your usual raw bar selections as well as some high end additions like a Caviar plate and Kobe beef Carpaccio.  They had an excellent selection of Salads.  Two of us got Caesar Salads, two of us got the Roasted beet salad, and the best looking salad was the chopped salad with Avocado topped with crisp thin potatoes.  I got the Beet salad and it had an excellent amount of these tender morsels.  there were three different vibrant color beets to choose from as well as it being bathed in a hazelnut dressing and sliced hazelnuts mixed in.

Most of us ordered the steak as well that is what we came for.  Both my father and Susan (one of the women with us) don't eat meat, so they ordered fish.  My father got the Halibut and I got to try a small piece before he completely devoured the dish.  It was juicy and flaky and just down right delicious.  It was soy glazed before the sear so it had a nice sweet flavor.  It mixed well with the miso lemongrass sauce it was sitting in.

I ordered the Bone in Rib-eye.  I'm always a big fan of a bone in rib-eye because the bone adds so much flavor.  Both my mother and I got that dish. Now I know I often talk down about steakhouses because....well, there isn't much to it and they don't differ really from one place to another.  the steak that is.  What you need to make a good steak is first good quality meat, and freaking hot ass broiler.  Many of the high end steakhouses have a line to top brands and quality of beef.  The ovens on the other hand does the magic.  If you had an oven that can produce a heat of 1250 degrees, you too can make a great steak.  That super high heat will char the outside while leaving the inside nice and pink.  That char is where you get all the great flavor.

One of the people with us, Frank, got the Tomahawk Filet.  A rare selection to find and if you do, please get it.  Yes, it's above the top when it comes to pricing it.  At almost $80, you best enjoy steak.  The Tomahawk cut is a bone in Filet Mignon.   It gets the name from.......well take a look:

I normally don't get the Filet because I find the rib-eye is much more full of flavor.  But this steak was awesome.  I got to taste a little bit and really enjoyed it.

Now what really sets a steakhouse apart are what it offers in addition to the steak.  The side dishes were fantastic.  We ordered a very regal Black Truffle Creamed corn.  Very rich in truffle flavor and the right amount of creaminess to it. We also got Balsamic glazed Chipoline onions and jalapeno peppers.  The bite of the jalapeno against the sweet balsamic was an excellent mix.

For dessert we pre-ordered a chocolate soufflé.  I'm not a big soufflé fan, but I had a taste of it and it was very good.  the accompaniment of sour cherries I thought was an excellent touch as well as it looking beautiful

All in all a great meal and I would definitely recommend it if you're looking for a good steak house out here in Las Vegas.

SW Steakhouse can be found in the Wynn Hotel or online at www.wynnlasvegas.com

Day one in Las Vegas again..................Lunch for two....for one at Carnegie Deli

Yes, I'm back in my favorite city again.  This will be the last time I'm here till November.  This was a unique year for me as I was able to go to Las Vegas so often in such a short time.  I belong to two business organizations that move their yearly conventions from one place to another.  both of them coincidentally had them here.

So I got in met up with a fellow machinery dealer who I have been friends with now for many years.  We each got in early today (Wednesday) to have a little bit of extra fun.  We started off the day by going to the famous New York eatery Carnegie Deli located at the Mirage Hotel.

It is smaller than the original but the taste was the same.  As you walk past this place the smell draws you in.  You can't beat true New York style Corned Beef and Pastrami.  Yes a stumbling block for my low salt diet but I have been super good the past few weeks and felt I can afford a cheat.  I wanted a corned beef and pastrami combo.  it's called the "Woody Allen".  It should be called the meat towers.  It was ridiculous.  As were most things coming out of the kitchen.  This place takes portion control and annihilates it. The sandwich is so big that it is held together with Skewers.  I took a photo but it was blurry.  But I can easily say, it was stacked about 10" high.  A true Dagwood.

The Pastrami was juicy and peppery the way pastrami should be.  The corned beef was very lean and therefore dry in my book. I like a fattier piece of corned beef.  I think my mother and I are the only ones who order corned beef fatty.

We both ended up controlling ourselves and eating just 1/2 the sandwich and taking the other 1/2 back.  I think I can make three sandwiches with what I brought back.

If you go to any type of New York Style Deli, bring an appetite.

Carnegie Deli can be found on the Strip in Las Vegas at The Mirage Hotel.  www.mirage.com

Vegas Trip in March...............Quick trip and good eats

It was supposed to be a nice long weekend.  Part fun, part work.  My original plan was to go out on Friday night and just Chill Saturday and ½ day Sunday before my convention started.  The convention was to take place at the Ritz Carlton in Lake Las Vegas from Sunday night to Tuesday night.  I didn’t want to stay 30 minutes away from the strip as that is where all the action is.  So I chose my usual Bellagio location and for the first time rented a car to drive back and forth.  Taxi’s would have cost $70 each way so the car was the cheaper move by far.  I had made a reservation at L’Atalier de Joel Robuchon where I enjoyed a fabulous meal in November ( search through here and you will see what it was like and why you should go).  I made a reservation for 4 just in case I was able to find some people who were going into Vegas Early for some fun and wanted to have dinner with me. 

All that fun and planning came to an abrupt crash when two weeks before my trip on the first run of a beautiful warm ski day, my 6 year old hit a jump and came down hard breaking his femur in two.  Long story short, got to the hospital where we eventually had to wait till 7:00 pm before he could go into surgery to repair the break.    Over a month later he is doing amazing now and will probably be running around like nothing happened in 6 weeks or so.

But then, I had all the plans to cancel my trip.  My wife had said I shouldn’t and to take one day at a time.  Which I did. Since he and we were doing great up to when I was leaving, I changed the trip to go out on Sunday instead of Friday.  I canceled L’Atalier and made another one for Monday. 

Sunday night found me on the old strip of Las Vegas’ Freemont Street.  Our convention started at the Golden Gate Hotel, home of the original $ 0.99 Shrimp cocktail.  One of the members of our organization is now the owner of this hotel and hosted a cocktail party out in front of the hotel on the now pedestrian only street.  I haven’t been there since they first put the cover on the street and closed it to cars.  Back then it was cheesy and dirty and not anywhere near as flashy as what the new Vegas had become.  Now it boasts the world’s Largest HD TV in the world.  The canopy that covers the street is a huge TV. How huge?  How about 4 blocks huge.  At 7:30 and every hour after that the screen fills up with music and videos from the Doors, to CCR and Kiss.  One of the cool video portions was a rocket that started at our end of the street and went all the way down to the far end.  I have to admit, it was real cool.  Derrick the owner, said that they (meaning everyone who has properly on the street) have done a lot to bring people back to this area.  Including three concert stages with great acts.  I’m told that year round, Friday and Saturday nights are similar to Times Square on New Year’s Eve.  I’m glad I went not just for the business end but to see what Old Vegas has done.   I would say I would probably come back one day.

Now at a cocktail party like that, I don’t tend to eat a lot.  Even though there were some good food being passed around, I try not to eat so that I can pay attention to conversing with others.  Plus I would hate to talk and all of a sudden I’m spitting food on someone that I want to sell a quarter of a million dollar machine to.  So I sip my drink and talk.  After a few hours of this the crowd dispersed for everyone to go their own way.  I went back to the Bellagio where I found myself hungry.  I walked around and decided to go to Fix.  It is located near the stores that lead you over to the Caesar’s.  It is also located across from a very popular sushi place called Yellowtail.  The place was bustling so from where I sat across from there, I had a great view of some very beautiful people getting ready for a late Sunday night frolic.  I think it was stripper night at the night club there because the last time I have seen so many tight outfits propped up on 4” heels was at a strip joint.  

So at Fix, I just wanted a little nibble, so after my drink came, I ordered the Kobe Beef slider appetizer.  It was three small sliders done up with caramelized onions on small buns.  They were very tasty but I have to admit I think the “Kobe” is wasted on sliders.  Because the burgers are done small, there is a tendency to overcook them.  Now the onions and ketchup bring moisture back to the burger, you don’t get it from the beef at all.  I have had regular Kobe beef burgers that needed no condiment on them at all.  The interlaced fat retains all the delicious juicy flavor that you need.   I have had one at Burger Bar at Mandalay and it is spectacular.    So after my burgers and $100 donation, I went to bed early.

Monday was meetings and golf all day and I couldn’t find someone to join me on the strip for dinner that night.  Most people wanted to stay local, so I went back and tried to figure out what to do.  I cancelled my L’Atalier reservation because I didn’t know if I wanted to get in a taxi.  The beauty of the Bellagio is it’s location. I can walk to Caesar’s, Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Paris, Bally’s, Harrah’s, Imperial Palace, Flamingo, the Orleans, and the Venetian.  There is lots to see and lots of places to eat all within a 15-20 min. walk.  I was in the mood for Steak or at least I thought I was.  I first went to Jean-George Vongdericten’s Prime in the Bellagio.  It was now 8:15 and the first table for one would be available at 9:30.  Monday night with a long wait like that, I was happy to see Vegas is coming back.  But I didn’t want to wait.  So I know there are a few places in Caesar’s.  So I make my way over the bridge and into the Palace.  While walking around, I noticed the famed New York Eatery Rao’s.  I glace over and it looks like they have availability, but at that point, steak was still on my mind.  I made my way to the forum shops of Caesar’s where it is home to many shops and restaurants.  At the end on the 3^rd floor is BOA Steakhouse.  I walk over and notice it’s a dark looking place and as I get closer, aside from the hostess, the place is empty.  Not a good sign.  I didn’t even stop to glace at the menu.  So I took the circular escalator, yes circular it’s really cool, down to the first floor where it is home to Joe’s Steak and Crab.  This is satellite restaurant from the famed Joe’s Stone Crab in Miami.  If you have never been there on south beach you have to make it there one day.  I hope to get there again soon to write about it but better yet, to eat there. 

The location where Joe’s is, is mostly out in the mall area.  While it’s good for people watching, the location isn’t very good for high traffic and I wasn’t in the mood for a brightly lit area while eating.   So what do I do?  Should I make my way back to Prime and wait another 45 min. at this point?  I remember Rao’s.  I walk back there and see that I could just come in so I glance at the menu outside.  It is classic Italian fare but I have heard done better than anyone else can do it.  So I go up to the front and was seated in a minute.  The menu looked great.   All Classic Italian dishes.  My problem was what to try.   I changed my plan from Steak to Veal.  Yes I know it’s the same animal but we all know it’s different.  All veal dishes looked amazing and I was really having a hard time deciding.  I saw at the last minute that there was Osso Buco on the menu and that was a heavy contender.  Glancing at the appetizers I saw Clams Oreganata.   When done right, the clam is left whole and the topping is a breading mixture of oil, clam juice, lots of finely chopped garlic and parsley and then topped with even more butter.  It is baked and then broiled for a minute to crisp up the tops.   Growing up in Long Island, there were lots of Italian places that did these right.  We used to get an extra loaf of bread to mop up the juices.  The plates would literally come back stark white.  Not clean mind you, but stark white.   But in Connecticut, I am yet to have a clam done like I did growing up.  Yes they have the clams casino and the big heavy stuffing chopped up baked clams.  But a Clams Oreganata done right is probably the best thing you can put in your mouth. 

Just a short story about Clams Oreganata.  Our entire family plus spouses had gone to my grandmother’s unveiling of her cemetery stone in Long Island a year after her death.  There is usually a small ceremony and that is it.  After, being that every fairly large event in the Jewish religion revolves around food,  we decided to go eat at La Parma.  Another classic New York Italian family style eatery.  There were 10 of us all together.  I think we were all drooling at the idea of the clams as they do them fabulous there.  When the waiter came, we ordered 6 dozen.  Yes 6 dozen for a group of 10.  Normal families usually have 1 or two clams as a morsel to start the meal.  We don’t believe in morsels.  We asked for many loaves of bread to so we can mop up the juice when we finished the clams.  If there were professional clam eaters, my family would be champions.   We devoured these clams so that there wasn’t any bits of mollusk or bread crumb left.  There were noises coming from our table that would sound like it was meal in the medieval days.  One of us was facing the servers who were watching all of us and noticed one of them saying to another, “look at those pigs”.  We were all hysterical.  But we were happy and we were together so they could have called us whatever we wanted. 

So knew I was ordering the Clams, but what to have for the main.  As I usually do, I ask the help of the server.  He said if this is your first time, it has to be the veal. I said I was only looking at the Veal.  He said then the choice is between the Veal parm or the Osso Buco.  I said the Osso Buco it is. 

The clams arrived and they sat in an oblong ramekin in a bath of butter. The tops were browned perfectly.  But they were scalding hot. So I had to just wait a moment before diving in.   The crumb topping was perfect with just the right amount of seasoning and moisture that you would expect in dish.  I would say I have two gripes with the way they prepared the dish.  One was that the clams weren’t shucked so if you didn’t eat them right, you would have to take two bites, one with all the topping, then another with the clam.  The way to get the most out of the dish is to have them together in one smooth motion with your front teeth acting like spoon removing it from its shell.   Then you can go after and get any last remaining bits.  So this one required some work with a knife and fork.  But in the end it was still worth it. My second gripe was the fact that none of the topping spilled over into the dish for mopping.  The bottom of the dish was basically clarified garlic butter.  Delicious yes, but not for mopping.   Would I order it again, I’m not so sure If I would for two reasons, one it’s $17.00 for 6 clams.  And two there are probably other things on the menu that are amazing. 

The main dish came and it looked pretty as a picture.  I still kept in my new no picture policy at restaurants and this one I should have broken the rule.  This massive bone in Veal shank sat atop a bed of saffron risotto and looked so beautiful. I was given a steak knife and I don’t know why.  It was so tender, and when it is done right it should be, that you only needed a fork to remove the meat.  The dish was cooked in a veal reduction sauce that enhanced the flavor that much more.  The sauce mixed in the risotto making it creamy and rich in flavor.  The portion was huge.  I didn’t finish the rice but I did finish the meat.  And yes, I did get a small spoon for the buttery marrow inside.  Truly a decadent dish.  I would highly recommend this to everyone. 

No dessert as I was filled to the gills.   I had a nice walk back to walk off the meal.   I am looking forward to another visit there.

My final food experience was at a place I went to the last time I was there.  Hot and Juicy Crawfish.  I really went there for a t-shirt because they didn’t have my size last time I was there.  And sure enough, they didn’t have it this time as well.  But I got an amazing meal of spicy crawfish for lunch.  They were just as good as the first time and I guess I’ll be back for that shirt in a few weeks when I return. 

I’m not sure where I’ll eat then but I’ll be sure to let you know.

MIX in Las Vegas.....The Vegas trip ends with the Big Bang

MIX is located on top of the The Hotel at Mandalay Bay Casino and is the Genius that has been created by famed French Chef Alain Ducasse.  I personally have gone here about 5 times and it never gets old.  First if you come here you have to stop off at the lounge to get a drink.  The Lounge has a view that is next to none of Las Vegas.  From this angle you can see the entire strip all the way up to Freemont St.  After getting a drink, and I know this will sound weird, go to the bathroom.   The Bathrooms have floor to ceiling windows that allows you to do your business like your sitting on the edge of building.  If your constipated for some the view will scare the crap out of you.  And what a better place right?  Come on, you knew it was coming.

When you walk from the Lounge to the dining room you pass the  very large open kitchen where you can see the magic happening.  Then you come to the dining room, you see that the room is surrounded in almost floor to ceiling strings of glass balls of different size and shape creating the look as if your jumping into a glass of Champagne.  The five of us were seated and given the menu's to glance over.

While sitting and waiting, we were served a selection of warm breads that were excellent.  But what made them great was the butter that was served. One one side was a rich and creamy butter and on the other side was a fresh peanut butter.

We talked about sharing some appetizers and most of us did.  Two of us got the Bigeye Tuna Tartar with Mango Chutney and taro chips.  The tuna was fresh and bright tasting with hints of pepper.  They were great when you used the taro chips as an edible spoon. The mango Chutney added some nice sweetness to the dish but it would have been fine without it.

Another one of us got the seared Duck Foie Gras with warm Lentils.  I have to say, this is one dish I will definitely try again.  The outside of the Foie Gras was caramelized so well that it had such a different flavor from the inside of the liver.  It was like having two different dishes in one.

Also on the appetizers were Potato Gnocchi with pumpkin and crispy bacon.  Unfortunatley I was too involved in my Tuna to try this and my cousin said I was an idiot for not paying attention.  He said they were really great and adding the bacon made the dish, as bacon will do with just about anything.

 The last appetizer that was ordered was the Chicken/coconut Thai Soup.  It smelled and looked amazing.   I was told it was as good as it looked.

Now come the Mains.  I'll list them in the order in which you see the photos below.  I didn't get to try them but I can say they looked better in person than they do here.  Beef Tenderloin was done traditionally "Sauce Au Poivre" (pepper sauce) with mixed Vegetables, Pork Loin & Belly (my favorite) with grits, swiss chard and BBQ Sauce, Salmon with Apple mustard and Jasmine Rice and finally the Rack of Lamb with Japanese eggplant and tomato.  I had the lamb and it was done differently than I have had it before.  In the past I have had it served in the traditional way that had about 6 ribs with the bone frenched.  This way was served just the medallions.  I had ordered it medium rare and it was so tender.  It obviously made it easier to eat since you had no bone to deal with, but that also takes the fun out of eating the last bits off the bone.  But perhaps they was what I looked like when I was there last time gnawing on the bones like a Labrador retriever.

To round off the mains, we got Asparagus spears which were great but I wanted to call attention to the mac and cheese.  yes mac and cheese.  This is a side that I get every time I am here.  If ordered as a main dish, you wouldn't be able to eat the whole thing because it's so rich.  Elbow macaroni is swimming among a rich cheesy bechamel sauce that is dotted with small cubes of ham.  You would be doing yourself injustice if you didn't get this with your meal.

The dessert menu had a good selection but the item that has been there the most is the Mix Candy Bar.  I'm not sure exactly what is in it but the photo that you see below didn't last long.  Minutes later the plate was bare.

I highly recommend going to Mix if you have the opportunity.  If for nothing else, go to the lounge and order a cocktail and drink in the view.  it will be well worth it to step back and admire the lights dancing below.

Mix can be found at The Hotel at Mandalay bay.  For more information, go here:
http://mandalaybay.com/dining/mix.aspx

Craftsteak at MGM Grand.... Top Chef's Head Judge cooks up a winner

MGM Grand is full of some great names for dining.  Emril Lagasse has his fish house there, Joel Robuchon has two places there and so does Michael Mina.  But if your looking for a good steak at that hotel, you stop at Craftsteak by Top Chef's head judge Tom Coliccio.

Craftsteak is set up among the long hallway in the back of the casino with the other restaurants.  As you walk down the aisle from the casino, it's lays dead ahead.  Like most steakhouses I have been to, it's all ala carte.  One of the specialties the Chef Coliccio has in his menu is the Wagyu beef.  He has an assortment of cuts from USA Wagyu and Japanese Wagyu.  I've had Wagyu beef in Japan on some of my trips there and it is heavenly.  Supposedly the beef is massaged and the steer is fed beer and the finest of grains.  The meat melts in your mouth.  It even tastes better when someone else flips the bill so there was no Wagyu melting this evening.  Come on, 1/2 of the cuts were over $100 and the Japanese Wagyu topped off at $240 for an 8 oz. steak.

So this night, we went the cheap road.  Well not so cheap.  I'm yet to go to a steakhouse where the average steak is less than $40.  And let me tell you, this was real good.  I can't imagine that the Wagyu was worth paying double because the steaks that we had were phenomenal.  Let me walk you through our evening.

My cousin Mike and I were accompanied by two very good clients of ours who like us, were craving a nice steak.  We were seated in a very comfortable round booth and figured out what we would order.  One of us started with a Shrimp Cocktail that looked like the size of a small fist.  You heard the flesh snap as he bit into it.  We ordered two salads for the table.   One Farmers Market Salad and the other was Arugula and Preserved Lemons.  Both were excellent and bright tasting.  The portions for both were enough for all four of us.

The main dishes consisted of really two types of beef.  two of us got the 10 oz. Filet Mignon and the others got the 16 oz. bone in Rib Eye.  The Filet's were served to us in cast iron skillets and the Rib Eye's were served to us in Copper pans.  It was certainly an impressive display as the meat comes out this way.  I had gotten the Rib Eye and it was very tender.  The great thing about having the steaks served to us this way was that you can cut a piece and dip it in the juice that came with the pan.

The Filet was even more tender as that is the general nature of the cut.  One of the guys we were with had me try his since he was getting too full.  His steak was ordered medium well which is not the way I generally get my steak.  It was funny when he ordered it as he told the server the chef will hate him for what he was going to do to his steak.  But even cooked Medium well, the steak was so soft and tender and full of flavor.

Now as great as the steak's were and the way they should be, the sides were really spectacular.  One of our four said he really wanted the Sweet Potato Puree.  I'm not a real sweet potato guy so I ordered the Yukon Gold Puree.  We also got the chantrelle mushrooms and the asparagus to round off the sides.  The Asparagus were cooked perfectly and real soft and had some sprinkled Parmesan on the top.

The Chantrelles were a bit disappointing as they really lacked flavor.   The Yukon Gold Puree was really great and there is nothing better than mashed potatoes with a good piece of steak.  But the shining star for the sides were the Sweet Potato Puree.  As I mentioned before, the Sweet Potato is not one of my favorites.  But these were incredible.  They were cooked with Maple Syrup, brown sugar and fresh chopped thyme.  If you go here, you have to get the Sweet Potato Puree.

We also got the Maui Onions that were almost as sweet as the Vidallia onions we get in June.

We were almost full at this point.  But when we saw the dessert menu, there were too many things not to pass up.  So here is what we got.

The most unique dessert was the Orange and Basil Sorbet.   It was savory and sweet and just really delicious.    we also got an assortment of Sorbet's and a Chocolate cake that had the rich chocolate ooze out when you cut into it.  It looked so good, the only thing that got in the way was the plate.

This was truly a memorable steak dinner.  The atmosphere there as well as the servers were all excellent and always available for any questions or requests that you might have.

Craftsteak can be found at the MGM Casino.  You can get more information here: http://www.mgmgrand.com/restaurants/craftsteak-steak-house.aspx

Hot and Juicy Crawfish……..Get Ready To Get Down and Dirty Naw’lins Style

In a fairly tone down strip mall a few miles west of the strip, lies a restaurant whose bold flavors should make the roof blow from the top.  Hot and Juicy Crawfish is located on the edge of Las Vegas’ Chinatown.  It’s spaces is decorated very mildly with a few beer posters hanging on the walls.  Tables in rows are all covered in White plastic and each table has a paper towel roll and holder on each of them.  I had read this is a place you don’t go for the décor.  You go for what goes on the table.

I had heard about this place also from the show Man V. Food on the Travel Channel episode of Las Vegas where I learned about a place called Hash House A Go-Go.  I had written about that earlier in a previous entry you should see below.  The show talked about how with an eclectic mix of herbs and spices they make a sauce that tops the boiled up Crawfish that is so full of flavor that your mouth will thank you for months.

I had done some reading on other blogs that had said, in addition to the crawfish, we should try the shrimp and the Dungeness Crab.   I love Dungeness crab and it’s not common for me to see it on menus other than locations on the west coast.  Native to the San Francisco bay area, Dungeness crabs stay mostly on the west coast unless you find a few other places with an appreciation for it.  When we inquired about it, we were told they were out of the Dungeness for the day.  Bummer, but I’m sure I’d find something else to replace it.  We decided to get the Crawfish, the Shrimp, and the King Crab.  We asked about sauces that can be put on the seafood.   You had a choice of Louisiana style, Juicy Cajun, Garlic Butter, Lemon Pepper, or the most popular Hot and Juicy Special.  We were told that the Hot and Juicy Special is basically all the others combined.  

You also had to select a level of spice for each of the sauces you picked.  You had Mild, Medium, Spicy and Extra Spicy.  My cousin Mike who was with me is more human than I am when it comes to spice.  It is very rare that I say that something is too spicy.  For me, the more heat the better.  But not everyone is like that.  Our Server Noemy, who was on the show, told us that their spices are hotter than most and to order one level down from what you would normally order.  So we ordered Mild for the shrimp, Medium for the Crawfish and because Mike doesn't like crab, I got them Extra Spicy.

The Crawfish came out first.  All the food is served in a plastic bag that holds the seafood with the sauce.

The crawfish comes with two pieces of Corn and two red bliss potatoes which are also in the bag.  When you look inside, you see the crawfish swimming in this rich bold sauce and they are speckled with fresh garlic.  When you open the bag up, your table is overwhelmed with the scent. 

 We then reached in and grabbed our first of many crustation.  Now for those you not fortunate to have seen a Crawfish, it’s basically a small lobster.  But the only thing worth working to eat for are the tails.  Yes there are some where the claws are big but the shells are so thick that its difficult to break it open to get the corn kernel size piece of meat.  So as you know, the shell is not edible but the entire is covered in the incredible sauce.  So watching others in the place found me putting the entire head into my mouth  to suck off all the garlic and juice that was layered in it’s legs.  (sounds really barbaric doesn’t it).  As you remember, we ordered this dish with medium spice.  It was hot but not to the point that you were reaching for your beer.  The rich flavor was enhanced with the heat and the heat didn’t over power at all.  But I was thinking if this was Medium, I might be in trouble with the King Crab ordered Extra Spicy.  Then keeping in “Conan the Barbarian” form, you tear the tail from the body.  You suck out the juices from the head portion, (yes, you’re sucking on all it’s guts at this point. But it’s so good!!!!!  Then you squeeze the tip of the tail so the meat pops out of the top of the tail.  With your teeth, you pull the meat from it’s shell.  How much meat do you get?  Well its probably equivalent to a piece of meat a little larger than a cashew nut.  Yes that is right, all that work for that size meat.  But that is why you get lots of them and you get other things.

Like Shrimp which came out next.  So when you finish a crawfish, you have the body and the tail shell left over.  We asked Noemy what we do with the shells, she said that is why the tables are covered in plastic.  Just put them on the table.  So we did.

The shrimp were ordered in Mild spice.  It too came in a plastic bag. The shrimps were cooked whole meaning, they had the heads on them as well.  The sauce was much thinner than the Crawfish and because the shell on a shrimp is much smoother than a crawfish, the sauce didn’t stay on the shrimp so well.   You take the shrimp and obviously remove the head.  The inside of the Shrimp isn’t filled with the juice as well as the crawfish so you don’t suck the heads of this one.  But you peel the shrimp as you would in any peel and eat shrimp and dip the shrimp back into the sauce.  I found without the heat it was more buttery tasting but had a nice mild flavor.  And was a good change from the medium heat. 

Then comes the king crab.  Noemy said that she was worried for me because not many people order the extra spicy because of it’s mega heat.  So I opened the bag and sauce was much deeper in color than the crawfish.  Plus the chunks of garlic were much darker as they absorbed all the sauce into them.

I grabbed some meat from the Knuckle which had a good amount of sauce in it.  Here goes, I said to my cousin as he watched and waited for the burning reaction to my stupidity.   The flavor of the sauce was much much richer than the medium.  The heat was there like the medium and we both waited for my hair to melt from my head.  I made sure to identify where the beer was incase I was suddenly blinded from overwhelming heat that was going to put a hole in my tongue.  We waited.  Hair remained on my head, no hole in my tongue, lips were not on fire and of course there was no sweat on my brow.  So I dove in.  Noemy can over to see how I was coping and she said, you’re not sweating.  I think she was disappointed that she didn’t see a sweaty blubbering mess at the table. 

By the end of the meal, it looked like the aftermath of a Viking meal with carcasses thrown astray on the table.  It was really a funny sight.  Now you look at the photo and you think, well Al is officially a disgusting pig and we should question what he things is good or not.

But when you look around at the other tables, you see the same pile of shells everywhere.  But the best is watching them clean up.  Lift the plastic from the corners and ball it all up for the trash.  Wha-la. 

If you like seafood and you like with bold flavors, you will love Hot and Juicy Crawfish.  It’s worth the 15 min. taxi ride from the strip. 

Hot and Juicy Crawfish can be found at 4810 Spring Mountain Rd in Las Vegas.  702-891-8889. You can also see them online at www.myspace.com/hotnjuicy_crawfish

Sushi Samba at the Palazzo…..Tri –Cultural, Try Everything

Sushi  Samba is a Tri-Cultural mix of Japanese, Brazilian, and Peruvian Cuisine’s all wrapped up into one distinctive menu.  You have your Sake’s and Sushi selections from Japan, Churasco’s (meat selections) form Brazil and Seviche’s from Peru.  Sushi Samba has locations all over the country.  New York, Miami, Chicago, Tel Aviv, and of course, Las Vegas.

This is a type of meal that is best when you have multiple people so you can try a whole bunch of great food.  And multiple people is just what we had.  In total, our party was 6 which meant some good eats coming out way.  Now for many, trying an eclectic mix of non-common cultural foods is over whelming, but our group was pretty strong in trying new things.

Being that its got a strong Japanese influence, we asked for some edamame to nibble on while we figured out our  meal.

Both my cousin and I have been to Sushi Samba before and we are both very adventurous eaters.   So for us, we just look at the menu and say "Yes Please" and we are done.  But we did have others with us.  Our server saw that were were pretty undecided and suggested that she put together something for us.  We just needed to tell her what we were interested in.  She made sure that we had enough of each dish we called out so that everyone could get a try.  Some of the sushi wasn't on the favorite's list for a few people so the server made sure that she didn't over order the raw items.  So this is what we got:

We started out with Tuna Tataki which had some tatsoi leaf and crunch hearts of palm in it.  This dish was very tasty and was easy to eat in one bite.

Next we got Berkshire pork Gyoza.  As you can see in the photo below, Gyoza are dumplings, and you can put pretty much anything in them.  The pork that were inside was so tender that it literally fell apart when you took a bite out of it.  The sauce that was in the dumplings were rich so more than just one might be too much.  They were a bit slippery so those of us who were chop stick challenged provided us with some amusing moments with this little suckers.

Next came the Seviche's.  (that is how they spelled it.  I thought it was with a C but what do I know)  Both my cousin Mike and I are a huge fan of these refreshing plates and made sure we ordered both the shrimp and the lobster seviche.  The Shrimp was made with passion fruit and had some cucumbers and  peppers that balanced the sweet fruit with a nice bite at the finish when you eat it.  On top of the Shrimp were fried plantains that you could use to scoop up the Seviche to add a nice sweet crunchiness to the taste.  The lobster was also made with fruit but had Mango instead of the Passion fruit.  It also had hearts of palm mixed into it giving the crunch in your mouth.  Both Seviche's were very tasty but it is my understanding that a Ceviche (how I know it to be spelled) is seafood that is cooked only by the acid in citrus fruits as it marinates for over 24 hours.  Both the shrimp and the lobster were cooked with traditional means in these dishes. Don't get me wrong, they were delicious but not true Ceviche's as I know it.  Maybe that is why it's spelled differently.

Next came the Sushi, but not just any sushi, someone else's sushi.  I have learned that someone else's sushi should taste much better than your own.  I say should because when we have eaten 1/2 of it and asked the server what it was, they say not yours, it's free.  Now that alone should make it taste better right?  In my opinion these two sounded good on paper but lacked the fresh bright bite you get with sushi.  It was a bit bland but the non raw fish eaters enjoyed it.  On the right was the Pacific roll which had king crab, avocado, and asian pear wrapped in soy paper and was with wasabi-avocado crema.  It just lacked the fresh taste you get with sushi.  The left side was the Rainbow Dragon.  Eel was inside with avocado red bell pepper and topped with mango.  I think the Mango was too strong for the eel and you couldn't really taste it.  The good news was that some of the others at the table really liked the strong mango flavor so when our order of sushi came out, we had one of these rolls on it.

Next up were the warm dishes.  Duck breasts was first with a ginger soy glaze.  Two breasts were grilled and glazed with a sweet soy.  Really great flavor.

Next was the pork belly which lately I have a hard time not ordering when I see it on the menu.  This was cooked in a butterscotch glaze that balanced the saltiness that pork belly can have with the sweet soy glaze.  

Finally the last warm dish came out.  Chilean Sea Bass was cubed and put on skewers and covered with a miso glaze.  This tasted sweeter but similar to the duck.  But the really cool addition to this dish was the Peruvian corn.  They were very large very starchy kernals of corn that tasted almost like potato.  They were fun to just nibble on.

Lastly our Sushi came and for me unfortunately, I felt that it really wasn't the best part of the meal. It wasn't bad it just wasn't as good as I thought it could be.  But that aside, there is a big menu to go through that makes up for the sushi in my opinion.  Its a great scene with a great lively environment.  It's worth the visit.  Oh, and if you like Sake, they have many, if not the biggest selection of Sake's in that town.

Sushi Samba can be found at the Palazzo hotel on the Strip in Las Vegas.  For more information, go here:  http://sushisamba.com/index.cfm/id/14/id2/44.html

Pink's Hot Dogs... Famed L.A. eatery done Vegas Style

Who doesn't enjoy a great hot dog.  Whenever I'm having a BBQ at my house, a hot dog is an unspoken appetizer that is always served.  Now being from New York, there is really only one way to have this delicacy.  Mustard and Sauerkraut.  Ok, maybe that's the Jewish Bronx version but it's what I know as an authentic dog.  It kills me to see my kids put, dare I admit this to my readers, Ketchup on a dog.  But they eat it and at this age, I'm happy when they eat anything.  As I have traveled all over I have had the opportunities to try different dogs done in different ways.  The Coney chili dog in Detroit, the famed Chicago dog with neon relish and peppers and so many more.

I have been meaning to go to Pink's on my past trips to L.A. but never had the opportunity until now.  Pink's is located at Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino in las Vegas.  They have a large list of hot dogs to try there.   Their signature dog is a Chili dog but I'm not a fan of chili on anything other than a spoon.  But there were others that looked interesting.  I ordered the Brooklyn Pastrami swiss cheese dog and the big man dog.

The Brooklyn Pastrami Swiss cheese dog was excellent.  Melted Swiss cheese was on the bottom of the bun and the hot dog put onto the cheese.  Peppery lean pastrami was placed  over the dog and yellow mustard topped it all off.  the second dog, the big man dog, was a hot dog with tomato and onions and I asked them to put sauerkraut on it as well.  All of this was served with some great deep fried onion rings.

I've never met a hot dog I didn't like.  But still to this day, I like a good natural casing dog with spicy deli mustard and hot sauerkraut the best.

Pink's is located outside the Planet Hollywood hotel on the strip in Las Vegas.
http://www.planethollywoodresort.com/din_pinks.php

L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon...........Theatre in the round

L'Atelier in French means workshop.  L'Atalier de Joel Robuchon means one of the finest meals you will ever have.   Plus if you get the right seat, you get dinner and show.  I was very fortunate to have gotten that seat.  The Bonus was getting to meat two very cool people who I sat next to.  Tom and Veronica were friends with a mutual friend and got together while Tom was there to visit on business.  Sitting next to them was extra special as we all hit it off right away and got to enjoy an artistic feast like no other.

For those of you who don't know Joel Robuchon, he was named in 1989 "The Chef of the Century", has many cookbooks and dozens of restaurants all over the world. As of today, he has more Michelin Stars than any other chef in the world.

I learned about his Las Vegas locations about 6 years ago and have always wanted to come here.   He has to locations here in Las Vegas.  One is Joel Robuchon and it has what many have called the finest tasting menu ever.   But with a wine pairing bringing the cost up to almost $500 a person, you should save a long time for that one.  L'Atelier is not a cheap meal but much more affordable than the other.  I have read about the restaurant in a number of places and it is recommended that you get the tasting menu.  Aside from the fact that if you were to order dishes separately you would come up with the same price but the experience is worth it.

One of the great things about the restaurant is that 1/2 the available seating is counter seating.  I truly love counter seating as you get to watch the action in the kitchen.  Where as it's not for everyone, I would take it any day.  I was very fortunate to have been seated at the end where there were absolutely no displays or racks in my view.  I was in full view of all the chefs.

I decided to have the "Chef's Club" tasting menu which looked fabulous.  My only two decisions were if I wanted the Rib-eye or the Scottish Salmon for the main (I chose the Rib-eye) and the choice of assorted sorbets or tarts ( I chose sorbets).

You start with a bowl of small freshly baked baguettes and probably the best butter I have ever had.  Not wanting to fill up, I only had one piece of bread.

I was given an Amuse Bouche that was served in a shot glass. On the bottom was warmed and pureed foie gras, then layered thinly was a port wine reduction and topped with whipped Parmesan.  The picture stinks. Sorry.

The first dish arrived.  Curried Butternut Squash soup with Ginger Cream.  The soup was smooth and silky and the ginger cream had a nice bite into the sweetness of the squash.  The dish was garnished with a dusting of chili powder and had toasted pumpkin seeds nestled into the top of the ginger cream.  Having the crunch of the seeds was a nice addition to the soup.  It was served in one of those Martini glasses that usually you put ice in the bottom but instead had a chili pepper and red straw as a base for the soup.  Very cool presentation.

The second dish was a Crispy Langoustine fritter with Basil Pesto.  I am a big fan of shell fish, especially anything in the lobster family.  For those of you who don't know, a Langoustine is a very small lobster.  It's similar to a hard shell shrimp.  This dish was good but I personally thought the wrapping was a bit oily.  It reminded me of the shrimp chips you sometimes can get at a Chinese restaurant.  The small salad was very bright tasting as it has a lemon vinaigrette mixed into it.  For some reason I can't get the photo to go the right way, so for now, just turn your head.

The third dish was the main dish.  Classic Rib-eye steak cooked to perfection medium rare.  The beef was such a prime selection that the layer of fat that is located almost in the middle of the steak was so tender.  I actually cut out little bits of it to accompany each bite taking it to another level.  This dish was served with Chef Robuchon's signature mashed potatoes.  Both smooth and creamy, the potatoes went so well with the steak.

The fourth dish was a cheese dish.  Personally I can't remember what any of the cheese were called.  So I have named them Cheese 1, Cheese 2 and Cheese 3.  Oh, and I can't tell you which one is which so you'll have to trust me that each one of them were great and went great with the breads that accompanied the plate.

Dessert arrived and it couldn't have been more refreshing.  5 Assorted sorbets were shaped in quenelles and flavored from left to right, cranberry, raspberry, peach, vanilla, and chocolate.  Along with my Espresso, a great way to end the meal.

Now I just wanted to mention some observations that I wanted to share that made this experience extra special.  If you love food, you will love this restaurant.  If you love to cook food, then you you need to come here and sit where I was sitting.  They have an antique Berkel meat slicer that is specifically designed to cut elegant pieces of meat and salami paper thin.  These slicers are not powered but hand cranked and the blades are designed in a concave shape so that only the very edge of the blade touches the meat.  This is done to prevent any heat caused by friction to come in contact with the paper thin meat that is cut.  If you get a chance to see one of these in action is great, but to see them up close is really a thing of beauty.  Where I was sitting, it was closer to the station where the chef's would plate the food. Watching them create art on a round palate was so much fun to see.  The gentle wisps of sauce that were created were not only there for flavor but also to feed the eyes with a painting that you didn't want to disturb with a fork.

Again, I want to thank Veronica and Tom for making my experience there a great one.  Its always great to dine among people who really appreciate great food but it's even better when upon first meeting them, you laugh the entire time.

Please go.  Please go.  Please go.  Its a wonderful culinary experience that would add to any Las Vegas trip.

L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon can be found at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.  For more information and reservations please go to: http://www.mgmgrand.com/restaurants/atelier-joel-robuchon-french-restaurant.aspx