Tag: Las Vegas

I have read about the Italian eatery called Eataly for a few years now. I was excited when I went to Las Vegas and got to visit their 37^th location. It is located in front of the new Park MGM hotel and casino (formerly the Monte Carlo).

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It smelled so good as soon as I walked through the door. It was so overwhelming I did not know where to start. I decided the best way to start was to just walk around and get the lay of the land.

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Gran Caffe Milano

I started off here so I could get a glass of wine. I tried the Lambrusco. It is a sparkling spumante that looked a little like grape juice. It was sweet but not overpowering.

Il Fritto

I strolled over to Il Fritto because they were serving up a variety of arancini. I have never seen so many different kinds of rice balls. I ordered two different varieties.

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They also gave me some fresh made Italian bread. Cutting open the crispy crust revealed the soft center. They had an olive oil station where I was able to mix fresh extra virgin olive oil with cracked pepper and Parmesan cheese. This was the perfect blend to dip my bread in.

Arancini Di Funghi – This was a mushroom rice ball. It was full of earthy flavor that was also creamy from the cheese they included.

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Arancini Ragu alla Bolognese – The rice was mixed with a Ragu sauce that had pieces of tender meat throughout.

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Pizza Alla Pala

I could not leave Eataly without getting a pizza. I got eggplant, basil, and mozzarella cheese on my pizza. They hand tossed the dough in the air. It was fun watching them do that. Then they placed the pizza in one of their wood burning brick ovens.

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The pizza came out looking perfect. The crust was puffy with a slight char from the oven. The taste of the dough was amazing; it was light and sweet. It was great with the fresh mozzarella. The fresh basil added intense flavor that was fresh and inviting.

Il Gelato

Even with all the wonderful things I had eaten, I needed to finish off my Eataly experience with some homemade gelato. They make fresh gelato and sorbetto every day. There were so many wonderful flavors to choose from.

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I did a double scoop so that I could at least try two different flavors:

• Pistachio – this had full size pieces of pistachios that were directly from Italy.

• Mint Chocolate Chip – this had big chunks of creamy dark chocolate pieces.

Both gelatos were super creamy. The natural flavor was really intense.

There was one last thing I had to do before I left Eataly. There is a mosaic tile bull on the floor near the exit to the casino. This lucky bull is a replica of one that is in Milano. Legend has it if you spin three times on top of it you will have good fortune. So, since I was in Vegas I figured I would give it a shot.

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If you are visiting Vegas there is plenty to do. I recommend you put Eataly on your list. Check them out at www.eataly.com

Enjoy!

T

I was invited to a special dinner when I was out in Las Vegas. A big group was getting together at Searsucker inside Caesars Palace.

The restaurant was beautifully decorated. Their were reclaimed wood signs on the walls that had a variety of inspirational quotes on them.

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Since we were a large group, we had a fixed menu that was created by Chef Stephen La Sala. It was a selection from the menu. Each course was set up family style so we just shared it around the table.

First out was the salad. This was fresh field greens that was tossed with candied walnuts and goat cheese. The salad was covered in a champagne vinegar dressing. The dressing was great; it was sweet and tangy at the same time. The walnuts added crunch and sweetness. The goat cheese crumbled throughout added a creamy texture.

The meats and sides came out at the same time. I made sure I tried a little of everything. The flatiron steak was the first item I tried. The steak was very tender and juicy from the beer marinade they used. The flavor from the grill enhanced the savoriness of the meat. They also had some crispy potatoes on the side of this platter.

The next thing I tried was the chicken. This roasted chicken was seasoned with lemon and garlic. The chicken was extremely moist. There was a savory flavor to the overall chicken. They served blistered tomatoes on the side along with arugula that added a peppery element.

The also brought out a fresh salmon. They grilled the salmon perfectly creating a great sear on the outside. They served cannelloni beans with smoked bacon on the side. The bacon added a salty taste to the sweet, creamy beans.

There were two separate sides that they brought out to the table. The mashed potatoes were amazing, some of the best I have every had. The potatoes were tremendously creamy. They drizzled a little sour cream on top so it added even more creaminess and a little tang too.

The Brussels sprouts were delicious as well. They roasted the sprouts till they got crispy around the edges. They also included walnuts, which was a nice crunch factor. They tossed the sprouts with a Serrano vinaigrette before cooking them. This vinaigrette added extra savory flavor to the dish.

I really enjoyed everything that was on this menu. I would want to go back to try their regular menu. You should check them out at www.searsucker.com

Enjoy!

T

Many years ago I visited Hash House A Go Go in Las Vegas after seeing them on The Food Network. Now they have expanded to several locations throughout the country. I was back in Vegas and visited one of their newer locations at the Rio Hotel and Casino.

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I had worked up a big appetite for breakfast. It was hard to decide what exactly to order. After reading the menu a few times I decided to order the corned beef hash. The portion size was huge. It came out in a giant cast iron skillet.

The corned beef is made fresh so it does not come out as crispy as other hashes. The meat was tender and moist. They covered it with Swiss cheese. The flavor pairing of the meat and cheese was perfect.

They served a huge portion so I made sure I shared some. They also included seasoned potatoes underneath all of the corned beef and cheese. They make homemade biscuits that came on the side. The biscuit was flaky but also very dense. It was the perfect vehicle to spread their homemade strawberry jam. And I cannot forget about the two eggs. You can get them cooked any way that you would like.

Hash House A Go Go is known for their fried chicken. Lucky for me I also got to try Andy’s Sage Fried Chicken. This was another huge portion of food. It is hard to believe that one person could eat all this food.

The breading is extra crispy. They use cornflakes for the breading. That crispy layer helped lock in the juices from the chicken as it cooked. The chicken was very tender and moist. The seasonings they added to the breading carried through to the chicken.

Check them out at www.hashhouseagogo.com and see if there is a location near you.

Enjoy!

T

Sprinkles cupcakes was one of the first cupcake shops to open at the start of the cupcake boom. They first opened in California and became a favorite among Hollywood elite. Now they have locations in 10 different states across the country.

Las Vegas is one of their newest locations. The shop is located by The LINQ. If you get there too early (or too late) they have a cupcake ATM to allow for that sugar craving to be satisfied.

They make all the cupcakes right there in the shop. It smelled wonderful as soon as I walked in. It was really hard to make a choice of which flavor to try.

To allow me to taste more than one flavor I ended up ordering their mini cupcake sampler. It came with three flavors of cupcakes:

• Red Velvet – this was my favorite; it was extremely moist and the cream cheese icing was amazing.
• Vanilla – this was a classic, sweet cupcake.
• Chocolate – it included a cherry cordial ring and there were little chocolate chips throughout the cake.

This cupcake trio was the perfect way to try a few of their offerings. Plus it was a great value.

Check out www.sprinkles.com  to see if there is a Sprinkles location near you. There is a reason the original cupcake company is still around. They are delicious.

Enjoy!

T

I visited Naked City Pizza in Las Vegas many years ago. I remember enjoying their pizza and the atmosphere. On a recent trip to Vegas I learned they opened another location. This one is off Paradise which is not that far from the strip.

      

Since they make pizzas to order as soon as my waiter came to the table I placed my order. I got a quarter sheet pie with pepperoni and sausage.

While I waited for my pizza, I ordered the poutine. I was surprised to see this on the menu. I did not remember this from my visit to the other location. This bowl was perfect to share. The French fries were natural cut with the skin still on. They were fried up till extra crispy.

They tossed the fries with fresh ricotta cheese. Then they smothered it all in brown gravy. The gravy had oregano cooked in, which gave it an herby, savory flavor. The gravy went extremely well with the ricotta cheese. This combination made the poutine have an Italian flare. This was a great bowl of comfort food.

Before I could completely fill up on the poutine, my pizza came out. Since their pizzas are cooked on sheets there is not crust. This style of pizza reminds me what I would get in grade school for lunch.

The dough was slightly sweet and a medium thickness. They used a generous amount of sauce and cheese. The sausage was crumbled nicely all over the pizza. It was loaded with Italian seasonings. The pepperonis were small slices and were cooked till extra crispy. I could not help but pull some of the slices off the pizza. It was a great “slice” of pizza even though it was a square.

I really enjoyed what I ordered at Naked City Pizza. There were a few tables that ordered some chicken wings that looked good. I would want to go back and try some.

Check out their menu at www.nakedcityLV.com

Visit one of their locations the next time you are out in Las Vegas.

Enjoy!

T

There is a wonderful tapas restaurant that I found off the strip during my last trip to Vegas. I had not eaten any tapas since my trip to Barcelona, so I was excited to try Firefly.

The restaurant was not that crowded yet when I arrived. I knew I was there early. The décor of the restaurant was a great blend and red and black, with some Spanish inspired artwork.

     

I had gotten there right when happy hour started, which I was thrilled about. They had a whole happy hour menu filled with cocktails and tapas.

I looked over the menu, my very cheerful waiter brought me some fresh bread and their homemade butter spread. This butter had almonds and honey throughout. The butter’s texture was smooth; the almonds were very fine within. The honey gave a sweet taste that was perfect on the fresh bread. I would love to have this butter on a warm toasted bagel.

While I chomped on the bread, I ordered a sangria. I could not eat tapas without a sangria. I started off with the sparkling version.

This sangria was extremely sweet. The bubbles from the wine added a little pop. They included a nice assortment of fresh fruit. This was the perfect drink to have when my first tapas came out.

The ham and cheese croquetas were filled with Serrano ham and Manchego cheese. A tomato aioli was drizzled on top. It reminded me of exactly what I would get in Barcelona.

The breading on the outside was very crispy. I had to slice into them so they could cool off a little. The inside was loaded with chunks of ham. The cheese made the entire bite creamy. The ham added a salty, meaty taste. They were a great starter and complemented the sweet sangria.

The next tapas that came out were the dates. These tender dates had their seed removed and replaced with an almond. This added great crunch when I took a bite.

Each date was wrapped in crispy bacon. The saltiness from the bacon complemented the sweet BBQ like sauce that was poured over the dates. They sprinkled blue cheese on top for added tanginess. This entire dish had wonderful savory notes.

It was time for another sangria. This time I tried the red. This one was slightly dryer compared to the other. I knew this would pair well with the last tapas dish, the Albondigas.

Albondigas are meatballs, that were covered in a Sherry tomato sauce along with a few roasted red peppers.

The meatballs were soft, moist, and tender. They had great flavor because of the sauce. The shaved parmesan cheese on top was an added treat.

Happy hour was a lot of fun at Firefly. I would go back to try all the other tapas on their regular menu. Check them out at www.fireflylv.com

Enjoy!

T

 

Las Vegas really is the city that never sleeps. After seeing a late night show I was hungry. However, I was not quite sure what I was hungry for. As I traveled between Bally’s and The Paris Hotel I came across Yong Kang Street. This is a Chinese/Taiwanese restaurant that was nestled between shops that had the façade of a Paris street.

They were extremely crowded that late at night. I was really excited when I saw the dim sum carts moving around the restaurant. I could not wait to select a few things.

The Lo Mai Gai (sticky rice) was the first thing I pointed to. It had been years since I got to enjoy sticky rice. This rice is steamed in a lotus leaf. What makes the rice sticky is the actual type of rice used. It is glutinous rice that becomes very sticky when cooked.

I unwrapped the lotus leaf like wrapping paper on a Christmas present. The hot steam poured out very quickly. This type of rice is really easy to eat with chopsticks, so if there are folks out there that normally find chopsticks a challenge this is the dish for you.

The rice had a wonderful sweet taste. The saltiness came from the chopped up pieces of Chinese sausage that was cooked inside the rice. The flavor combinations were perfect together and a great start to the meal.

The next item I pulled off the dim sum cart was the Siu Mai. This is another type of Chinese dumpling that is a traditional dim sum dish. It is “open face” were part of the filling is exposed. I got the pork Siu Mai. The chopped up pork also had chopped up pieces of shrimp. They are then topped with a little salmon roe. When I took a bite there was a great, savory taste from the pork. The shrimp added a little extra texture. The wrapper did not add any flavor, it just help everything together.

A dim sum meal would not be complete without some steamed pork dumplings (or pot stickers). The pork filling was very tender and different from the filling in the Siu Mai. They mixed in some extra spices that had a slight peppery taste. The dumpling taste even better when dipped in the sweet soy sauce that comes with it.

Now all of these dishes sounded like a lot of food but they were all small bites that were perfect for sharing. I wanted one more thing for myself. I had to get the Hong Kong Wonton Soup. This is not your typical local Chinese restaurant wonton soup. What I love about Hong Kong style is in addition to the actual won ton dumplings, the chicken broth is loaded with noodles, fresh shrimp, bok choy, broccoli, and mushrooms.

The bok choy added crunch and the mushrooms added an earthy taste. The won tons were very tender and had lemongrass accents. This created an extremely fresh taste. The shrimp added more protein. The noodles had to be eaten with chopsticks because they were so long. They also soaked up the flavor of the broth. It is an extremely filling soup.

Yong Kang Street was an amazing find inside The Paris Hotel and Casino. I never expected to find this authentic Chinese / Taiwanese restaurant in-between French pastry shops. I loved this place. I wanted to go back in order to try some other dishes and to get more sticky rice!

Check them out at www.yongkangstreet.com

Enjoy!

T

There are a variety of restaurants in Las Vegas up and down the strip. Anything you could possibly want from sushi or tacos. I passed Canter’s near The LINQ and decided to check them out.

Canter’s is a classic New York style delicatessen. They make their own bagels, breads, and pastries in their bakery right there at the restaurant. They also ship in all their meats directly from New York.

    

I started off with a bowl of matzo ball soup. This homemade chicken broth was loaded with chopped up carrots and celery. They included two large matzo balls.

The matzo balls were slightly firm on the outside to help keep their shape but they were soft and tender when I cut into them. They had a slight salty taste. I loved how it paired with the heartiness of the vegetables in the soup. It was very comforting.

I was excited to try the potato knish. They actually ship these in from New York. The pastry was stuffed with mashed potatoes and sautéed onions. The pastry was slightly crispy and really thick. It had a slight sweet taste to it. The potatoes and onions had a savory flavor. They were the perfect combination. There was also a side of their house made deli mustard. I tried one bite with the mustard but I preferred it without anything. I enjoyed the savory taste alone.

I ordered one of their hand-carved sandwiches. I got a Reuben with the pastrami. The pastrami was piled high with melted Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing. They served all of this on their homemade rye bread.

The grilled the bread so it had a great crunch when I took a bite of the sandwich. The Russian dressing was extremely creamy and it cut down on the sour taste of the sauerkraut. The pastrami was astounding. It was tender and had the perfect amount of pepper around the edges. It was not as salty as other pastrami I have had. This was the perfect combination of ingredients to make a satisfying and filling sandwich.

The sandwich also came with a side. I went for the macaroni salad. This homemade salad was extremely creamy. The noodles were perfectly cooked, not too soft or hard. They chopped up celery into small pieces that added a surprise crunch. There was an overall sweetness too. It was the perfect pairing with the sandwich.

This deli was a great find in Las Vegas. They really know what they are doing. They have a long history out West. The main location can still be found in Los Angeles on Fairfax Avenue.

Check them out at www.canterslv.com

Enjoy!

T

Las Vegas is always evolving and changing. One of the newest additions to the strip is The Park. This new area of bars and restaurants is nestled in between New York, New York and the Monte Carlo (which is actually closed down). This area is also not far from the new hockey arena.

One of the restaurants/bars in this area is Beerhaus. It is a fun place inside with lots of tables for folks to sit at and play a variety of board games that are available. When I arrived they had just started happy hour. They offered several of their beers on special as well a nice offering of $4 munchies.

Since I am not that into beer I ordered some creative cocktails. The Mai Tai on Draft had the most unusual name and sounded delicious. It was a combination of Captain Morgan white rum, orgeat, pineapple juice, and topped off with a floater of Captain Morgan spiced rum.

To start with I needed to find out what is orgeat – it’s a sweet syrup made from almonds, sugar, and orange flower water. With this ingredient the drink had an abundant orange taste. The pineapple juice was not that noticeable. The rums helped make the drink have a tropical feel.

I ordered a couple of the happy hour munchies since they were such a great price. The deviled eggs were perfect to start with. I am starting to see these on more and more menus. These were simple, classic deviled eggs. Nothing fancy, no special ingredients, just a simple creamy filling just like my grandmother would make at Easter.

There were bacon wrapped dates that sounded very fancy, especially for a beer joint. These sweet dates were stuffed with cheese and then wrapped in bacon. The bacon was super crispy. The bacon was perfect; if it had not been as crispy it would have made the date chewier. The saltiness and crunch of the bacon complemented the soft sweet date. Then the tanginess of the cheese set in. The three flavors all rolled up perfectly on my taste buds.

I did try another cocktail, the strawberry mojito. They made it with Bacardi Silver, fresh lime, strawberries, mint, and a splash of soda. The strawberry flavor really shined through. They included many slices of fresh sweet strawberries. There was only a slight hint of mint.

The next munchies that came out were the French fries with beer cheese. The fries were thick and extra crispy. I really liked them on their own, However, after dipping them in the creamy cheese I was in heaven. I really liked the fact that I could dip the fries in the cheese rather than having the cheese drizzled all over. This kept the fries crispy through each bite. They were perfect for sharing too.

The last of the munchies that came out was the bacon cheddar potato skin. This was not your typical potato skin. This was half of a jumbo potato. There was no way I could eat this without a fork or knife. It was a lot of potato. The bacon was nice and crispy and the cheese added the necessary saltiness. But after cutting it up there were a few pieces of potato that had no toppings. Luckily I had a little beer cheese left over from the fries. I poured that on top of those potato pieces. So as a pointer, I would suggest ordering a side of beer cheese.

The Beerhaus was a fun placed to hang out. I would definitely go back to try something else on their menu, perhaps a burger or a hot dog. Check them out at www.theparkvegas.com

Enjoy!

T

 

With all my trips to Las Vegas over the years, I had never been to the Palazzo Hotel before. It was time for a visit. It was absolutely beautiful inside.

There are many options to choose from when it comes to food. What caught my attention was Lavo. Not only did they have a large presence inside the hotel but also outside facing Las Vegas Boulevard. This gives diners a choice to eat inside or outside on the patio.

  

Since it was a typical hot Vegas evening, I chose to eat inside. I got to enjoy the beautiful décor and the water fountain that echoed throughout the restaurant.

 

For my cocktail, I ordered the Lavolini. This creative drink was Zonin Prosecco, St. Germain, and passion fruit.

The taste was slightly sweet and more on the tangy side. It was actually pretty thick for a cocktail. The passion fruit really shined through.

While I was looking over the menu, my waiter brought a few things to the table to munch on.

First was the freshly made garlic bread. It was loaded with butter and garlic. Plus the bread had a nice crunch after being baked.

There was also a trio of bites:

(1) Hummus with capers – which was great on the garlic bread

(2) Olives, Salami, and Cheese – tossed in a little olive oil

(3) Pickled cauliflower and carrots – very tangy

As an appetizer I ordered the Arancini Sicilia. it was their version of an arancini (rice ball).  They used ground Wagyu beef and peas stuffed in the center of rice and then deep fried. It came with a spicy marinara sauce, but I did not think it was spicy enough.

They used a yellow rice that is different form other rice balls I have had. These were also not as cheesy either. I kind of wish they were because that would have paired well with the beef and peas.

What I learned about Lavo is they are known for their meatballs. They are made with fresh ground Wagyu beef, Italian sausage, and veal. They are also loaded with herbs and cheese.

When the meatball came out I was surprised how big it was. I would say this meatball was the size of a grapefruit. It must be shared, especially if you end up eating other items.

Despite the size of this meatball, it was still extremely moist on the inside. It came on top of a salad with fresh tomatoes and garlic crostini.

On their side dishes they listed Brussels sprouts. They were cooked with pancetta, shallots, and Parmigianino cheese on top. I love Brussels sprouts so I had to make sure I ordered these.

They were crispy on the outside and had a great smoky taste. The pancetta was cooked till crispy as well. This was my favorite part. I made sure I ate every piece of pancetta so it would not go to waste.

I did not have a traditional meal at Lavo. I really wanted to try their special items on the menu. I would go back to try some of their other dishes. You should check them out at http://lavolv.com/

Enjoy!

T