Cahaba Brewery – Birmingham, AL

Craft breweries have been popping up in cities all over the United States. Birmingham, Alabama is no exception. This visit I headed to Cahaba Brewery. One of the main reasons I enjoy Cahaba is because they are always getting a variety of Birmingham food trucks. The night I was there Tropicaleo was there with Puerto Rican dishes. I have written about that experience in a previous post (check it out here).

My favorite beer at Cahaba is the Kiwi Kolsch. It is one of their lighter beers that is not super hoppy. It has a faint sweetness.

It paired perfectly with the sandwich I got from Tropicaleo.

Cahaba Brewery is a really fun place to just hang out with friends. It is also a great place parents can go with little kids. There is lots of space for them to run around and play.

I felt like a kid as soon as I saw the skee-ball machines. I played skee-ball every summer on the boardwalk as a kid in Ocean City, Maryland.

The great thing about these is I did not have to search my wallet for quarters, they were all free. It was so much fun, I could have played the machines all night.

   

    

In addition to skee-ball, they have tons of arcade games and board games. You can drink beer and have game night in one spot.

Cahaba also offers brewery tours. I have not done that yet but heard it is really interesting. If you are looking for a fun night out visit Cahaba Brewery. To find out what’s on tap or what food trucks are showing up visit the website at http://www.cahababrewing.com/or follow them on Twitter @cahababrewing

Enjoy!

T

 

 

Tropicaleo – Birmingham, AL

Birmingham has a robust craft brewery scene. These breweries always attract great food trucks on site so that customers can enjoy some unique dishes along with their beer. I was visiting Cahaba Brewery one evening and they were hosting Tropicaleo. They are actually a pop up restaurant that specializes in Puerto Rican cuisine.

The smell from their grill was wonderful when I walked up. It was the first thing that greeted me as I walked up to the brewery. They had several dishes that they were serving up that were written on their chalkboard.

They were also sampling their Toastones (fried plantain chips). This was the best move on their part, as soon as I tasted them I knew I needed to order a side of them. They were nicely fried and kept the great flavor of the plantain. Sometimes plantain chips can be overwhelmed with the taste of the frying oil. These were perfect and still had their sweet taste. These were pretty addicting.

I also ordered the pulled pork sandwich. They used huge chunks of fresh pork that was cooked in a sweet guava bbq sauce. It was served on fresh Morovis bread. Morovis bread is extremely sweet. It felt like a dessert. If you like all things sweet then this sandwich is the right choice.

I enjoyed it and it surprisingly paired well with the beer I was drinking.

Even while writing about this sandwich I kept coming back to the bread. I love all kinds of bread and this is my favorite. It was awesome to eat on its own but I kept imaging this bread as French toast. The natural sweetness of the bread just makes it a natural choice. If the folks at Tropicaleo are reading this blog post – Morovis bread French toast PLEASE! I would line up for that.

Tropicaleo brings a little piece of Puerto Rico right to Birmingham. You can check out their website at http://www.tropicaleo.com/or follow them on Twitter @tropicaleobham to see where they will be popping up next.

Enjoy!

T

 

 

The Keg – Irving, TX

Texas is famous for a few food specialties, Tex-Mex, BBQ, and steak. On a recent visit to the Dallas/Fort Worth area I was hungry for a steak dinner. I made a stop at The Keg in Irving for a bite to eat.

The hostess staff was very welcoming when I walked through the door. The interior of the restaurant was warm and inviting. They have a beautiful stone fireplace that probably looks even better lite when it is not 100 degrees outside.

  

The menu was filled with lots of options for starters and steaks. I started off with the baked brie. The melted gooey cheese came with a basil pesto spread and a red pepper jelly, plus fresh made crostini.

The pesto added a little salty element but it was not my favorite. The pepper jelly was a combination of sweet and spicy. I spread that on the buttery bread and then topped it with the cheese. I thought this was the best way to eat it.

The calamari was another great starter. It had a great herb accented breading that was lightly fried. It came with two dipping sauces, a ginger garlic and a Greek feta. I did not try the Greek feta sauce. The ginger garlic sauce was amazing. It was sweet and had a little heat.

The Keg is known for their prime rib. Though that was tempting, I went with the bacon wrapped filet mignon. They have two sizes but I went with the smaller 7oz. The bacon was not very crispy; it was kind of chewy so I left that on the plate. The filet was cooked to a perfect medium – warm on the outside and pink in the center. It was covered in The Keg’s special seasoning. It had a great pepper flavor and slightly spicy without being salty.

It came with a side of fresh green beans and red peppers. I was also able to select another side. I went for the twice baked potato; it had been years since I have had on of these. It was creamy with chunks of bacon and chives mixed in. There was a hint of sour cream whipped in the potato. They put it all inside the potato skin and then baked until the top was crispy.

I could not pass up a chance to try some desserts. The table got two so we could each have a taste. The Billy Miner Pie was a mocha ice cream on a chocolate crust that was drizzled with hot fudge and caramel sauce and sprinkled with sliced almonds.

The ice cream was light and fluffy. It melted quickly in my mouth and on the plate. The chocolate crust tasted like chopped up Oreo cookies. I could have eaten just that chocolate crust as a dessert. The hot fudge and caramel added extra sweetness and the almonds simply added crunch.

The other dessert was the Margarita Key Lime Pie. I could not wait to try this because they make it from scratch with fresh key limes. It had a graham cracker crust and raspberry coulis (sauce) drizzled on the plate. The key lime was tart but extremely smooth. It was so fresh because of the texture of the filling. It was amazing.

If you are wanting a great steak dinner while visiting the Dallas area then check out The Keg. They also have a few other locations across the country. See for yourself at www.kegsteakhouse.com

Enjoy!

T

 

Jean Philippe Patisserie – Las Vegas, NV

With all the travel I do, sometimes I get a sweet tooth. While staying at the Aria Hotel and Casino I noticed they have a pastry shop called Jean Philippe Patisserie that is open 24/7. I decided to check them out on two different occasions.

This shop is run by award winning executive chef Jean-Philippe Maury. Once I started walking around I realized they had more to offer than just French pastries.

 

They have a large selection of chocolates, gelatos, crepes, and sandwiches. You can eat them there in the shop or get them to go.

 

The first visit I decided to get my dessert to go. I figured that after a long day of work I could relax in my room and enjoy their fresh made Napoleon. The puff pastry dough used in the Napoleon layers was very flakey. The vanilla cream was like a sweet pudding. It was generously proportioned out between each layer of dough. There was a fondant icing decoration on top. It was sweet, creamy, and melted in my mouth. It was the best fondant that I have ever had. This was the perfect treat to end my day.

On another night I decided to make a second visit. This time I ate in the café area. I went for a crepe. They have savory and sweet options. The fruity raspberry crepe sounded like it would hit the spot. They make each crepe to order. I was fun to watch them make it right in front of me.

 

 

The crepe was cooked perfectly – almost paper thin and crispy on one side. The sweet raspberry jam melted nicely into the crepe itself.

The crepe batter was semi-sweet so it was great that it was sprinkled with powdered sugar. I enjoyed each bite and it was not overly filling.

There are so many dessert options at Jean Philippe Patisserie that it would take several visits to try everything. I am adding them to my re-visit list. If you have a sweet tooth you should check them out. And remember they are open 24/7.

Check them out at www.aria.com

Enjoy!

T

 

 

Julian Serrano Tapas – Las Vegas, NV

The origin of tapas comes from Spain. The idea of small bites or small plates of food was all created for a king that was sick and could not eat much food. Thanks to his unfortunate illness we can now find tapas restaurants all over the country. Tapas is always fun to enjoy with a group of people. It is a great opportunity to try different culinary creations.

Award winning Chef Julian Serrano has a Spanish tapas restaurant inside the Aria Hotel and Casino. It is appropriately called Julian Serrano Tapas.

The décor of the restaurant is beautiful. There are colorful columns, mosaics on the wall, and a bar area that is decorated with filled glass apothecary jars.

  

  

To make sure I stuck with the Spanish origin of my meal, I ordered a drink that also originated in Spain, the sangria. I chose the sparkling sangria. It blended vino blanco, orange juice, peach brandy, and spumante. Surprising to me, this sangria was not overly sweet, even with the use of spumante that is very sweet. It had a slight sour taste. What was the most enjoyable was the chopped up fresh strawberries and red raspberries that were in the drink. They were extremely sweet.

Dish number one was the Pan Manchego. It was a fresh baguette with fresh crushed tomatoes spread across it. Then it was topped with a slice of aged Manchego cheese.  The tomatoes were extremely sweet and complemented the slight smoky flavor of the cheese. The entire taste made me think about a summer afternoon and picking fresh tomatoes from the garden. The dish was the perfect starter.

The second small plate was called Tender and Crab. It was a prime tenderloin topped with roasted peppers and sprinkled with Dungeness crab meat. The tenderloin was the star of the dish; it was tremendously tender and cooked to a perfect medium. The flavor of the meat shined through, the crab meat only added texture.

The third bite was the Bang-Bang Shrimp. The blue foot shrimp sat in top of little gem lettuce wedges spread with avocado. The shrimp were breaded and fried. They had a huge heat kick at the end of the bite. That’s where the bang-bang came from. The creaminess from the avocado calmed down the heat. After all the shrimp were gone I was able to eat the lettuce wedge with the avocado just like a salad.

I only got to try a few of Chef Serrano’s tapas dishes. The menu was filled with so many other choices that sounded delicious. I would definitely go back to try them all. If you are feeling adventurous and want to share some great food with friends, check out Julian Serrano Tapas at www.aria.com

Enjoy!

T

 

Border Grill – Las Vegas, NV

Las Vegas always amazes me, not because of the glitz and glamour. What amazes me is how many celebrity chefs have restaurants up and down the strip. I was excited to try Border Grill, which is owned by Chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger. These chefs have been on Food Network’s Too Hot Tamales and Bravo’s Top Chef Masters.

Located inside Mandalay Bay, Border Grill is a modern take on Mexican food.

I started off with one of my favorite cocktails. The Suprema Sangria was a blend of red wine, melon piloncillo, a splash of orange, lime, and pineapple juices. According to the menu it was supposed to come with a cinnamon stick, however mine did not. There was still a hint of spice in the sangria even without the stick. It was a unique tasting sangria. It paired well with the chips and salsa that the waitress brought to the table.

There were several things on the menu that sounded delicious. I went for the Yucatan pork. It was Achiote pork that was roasted in banana leaves and topped with cilantro, radish, and pickled onions.

The pork was extremely tender and pulled apart with my fork. The way it was prepared kept the pork tremendously juicy. The pork was both spicy and salty. It was like Mexican pulled pork barbeque. I tried the pickled onions that were on top. They were extremely tart. I ended up not eating them with the pork. The pork was perfect on its own and the onions took away from the savory flavor.

If you want a unique twist on Mexican food then check out Border Grill. Visit their website at http://www.bordergrill.com/

  

Enjoy!

T

BarMasa – Las Vegas, NV

The Aria hotel is home to the award winning Chef Masa Takagama’s upscale Japanese restaurant BarMasa. They receive fresh seafood straight from Japan daily. They are slightly more expensive than a typical sushi place, but their unique ingredients make it worth the additional money.

The décor of the restaurant was a unique design. There are interesting lights dangling from the ceiling.

  

I started with the miso soup. It had nice pieces of tofu along with Mitsuba, which is Japanese parsley. Instead of sliced mushrooms like other miso soups, they use Nameko, which are small mushrooms from Japan. I enjoyed these bite size mushrooms. They were moist compared to typical mushrooms that are spongy. The Mitsuba did not add a whole lot of flavor. It reminded me of spinach with its texture. The broth had a light salty taste.

I did not want a fancy sushi roll for dinner. I went with the simple tuna roll with avocado. The outside of the roll was sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds for crunch and a nutty accent. The tuna was amazing. I knew it was going to be super fresh based on the dark pink color of the tuna itself. It was like butter when I took a bite, not just because it melted in my mouth but because it had a creamy texture. The avocado pieces added even more creaminess. This was one of the best tuna rolls I have ever had.

If you are visiting Las Vegas and you want a sushi dinner to tell your friends about then make reservations for BarMasa. Even if you are not into sushi, you can sit at one of their Hibachi tables to enjoy some fresh chicken or beef.

Check out their menu at www.aria.com

Enjoy!

T

Citizens – Las Vegas, NV

When working in Las Vegas during a convention I needed to have a quick lunch. However, I did not want typical fast food. Citizens inside of Mandalay Bay was the perfect solution. It was a quick sit down place that offered a variety of choices.

The inside of the restaurant reminded me of a New York deli. Their menu offers an assortment of soups, salads, sandwiches, and burgers.

  

I went for the chicken cobb salad. It was presented beautifully in the bowl. It was a rainbow of colors.

The chicken they used was fresh and shredded. This was nice because it allowed for chicken to be included in each bite. The other elements to the salad included tomatoes, white cheddar cubes, crumbled hard boiled egg, lots of crunchy bacon, and chopped cucumber for additional crunch. This salad was tremendously filling. I knew it would help me get through the rest of my meetings.

The beauty of Citizens is they are open 24/7. So if you are out in Vegas and get hungry after playing the slots, they can help you out. I took a glance at their breakfast menu and they have some great choices. If you are hungry check them out.

http://citizenslasvegas.com/

Enjoy!

T

 

Lemongrass – Las Vegas, NV

Las Vegas has a plethora of things to do for everyone. Some people come to Vegas to check out the different shows. Other folks head to the casinos because they are feeling lucky. I come to Vegas excited to try some new restaurants. Since I have been to Vegas before, I knew that restaurants fill up quickly, therefore I prepared ahead of time and made my reservations before I left home.

The choice I made for my first night was Lemongrass. It is a Thai restaurant that marries authentic dishes with a modern twist.

  

Patrons are greeted by beautiful flowers when they walk up. The flowers were a vibrant pink and the size of the arrangement made a powerful statement.

Throughout the restaurant there were beautiful, delicate orchids.

To start with, the table got the vegetarian spring rolls. They came with a sweet chili sauce. It was a classic spring roll that was crispy outside and had flavorful shredded vegetables on the inside. The sauce was better than a typical sweet and sour sauce. I liked the heat from the chilies in the sauce and since the sauce was sweet, the heat was toned down.

The chicken cashew nut dish was a great choice. There was a ton of tender white meat combined with bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms, onions, baby corn, and of course cashews. The sauce had robust flavor. The chicken was perfect with this sauce. It would not have tasted right with another meat. The baby corn was my favorite part.

I could not visit a Thai restaurant without ordering the Phad Thai. The stir fried rice noodles came with fried tofu, scrambled egg, and a tamarind sauce. I got mine with chicken but shrimp was also an option. On the plate came chopped peanuts and bean sprouts. I added the peanuts to the noodle but left out the bean sprouts. I like it when they are cooked, not raw.

You can pick the heat level that’s right for you. I went with a medium heat. It was only slightly spicy so in retrospect I could have gone a little hotter. I loved this dish. It was not overly salty and was more on the sweet side. Having the tofu in it added some additional texture and soaked up the flavor of the sauce. The noodles were thin and easy to eat. The scrambled egg that was included also added additional texture without adding any flavor.

If you are hungry for great Thai food while in Vegas, check out Lemongrass. They also have a selection of classic Chinese dishes, including Dim Sum. Visit their menu at www.aria.com

Enjoy!

T