Tag: Las Vegas

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

 

There are several famous delis around New York City. Carnegie Deli was on of those. Sadly they closed their doors after 79 years at the end of 2016. I was lucky many years ago to get to visit. For anyone that was not so lucky, fear not, there is a licensed location out in Las Vegas. It is located at The Mirage Hotel and Casino.

Every time I am out in Las Vegas for work or vacation, I always make a stop as soon as I arrive. After a long flight I usually work up an appetite and Carnegie Deli always satisfies.

There are several staples that I have order before. Their homemade matzo ball soup is a classic. It’s chicken soup served with one huge matzo ball. It tends to be on the salty side. You can also get this soup with noodles. I would recommend this soup if you are in Vegas during the winter months, it is just too hot for soup during a Vegas summer.

Another dish I have gotten is their potato knish. It is the perfect blend of mashed potato with garlic wrapped in a pastry. This is a favorite of mine because it is so filling. It is also great to share.

On this visit I got their famous Reuben sandwich. It is an open faced sandwich with pastrami piled high and covered with sauerkraut and melted Swiss cheese.

This is not a sandwich I can eat with my hands, a knife and fork are necessary. There are so many layers of meat. It’s salty and spicy but also tangy because of the sauerkraut. Then when the melted cheese is mixed in, the flavor all comes together.

Clearly I was hungry when I arrived. This was the perfect way to start the trip. Now it’s necessary to walk the strip in order to work off all those calories.

If you are looking for a classic New York meal when you are out West, head over to Carnegie Deli at The Mirage. Get a sandwich, soup, or even breakfast. Plus don’t forget to pick up a classic black and white cookie to go.

Enjoy!

T

One of the newest steakhouses in Las Vegas is Stripsteak located at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. This is the first steakhouse for award winning chef Michael Mina. The restaurant is warm and inviting and it is extremely important that you have a reservation, otherwise the wait will be long.

       

My table started off with a few appetizers while we waited for the rest of the group to join us. The Maine lobster tacos are a must try. They were mixed with grilled pineapple chunks, avocado cream, and cilantro.

They also offered French fries with different seasonings: sea salt, garlic, and truffle. These fries were addicting.

I got the 10 ounce filet mignon. They wood fire their steaks. The meat had a great smoky taste and the little drizzle of melted butter on top added a slight salty flavor. The steak came with a small bite of a homemade cornbread like bread that was sweet and a nice surprise to the plate.

The sides were designed to be shared. It was not hard for the table to agree on what to order. The creamed spinach topped with bacon was a must because what doesn’t taste better with bacon.

The other choice was the black truffle mac and cheese. It was extremely rich because of the cheese but it was delicious. The truffles added an earthy taste to each bite.

The meal was totally filling so I skipped dessert this time. I would definitely go back to try one of their other steak varieties. Check out their menu at www.mandalaybay.com

Enjoy!

T

 

Located inside the Aria Hotel is Sage. They have an eclectic menu that changes based on what ingredients are available. The restaurant has a very intimate feel with low lights and candles.

They have an extensive wine assortment which is evident by the bottles in wine racks on the walls. They also have several fun creative cocktails on a separate menu. I ordered the cotton candy martini as did a few other friends I was dining with. The presentation was extremely fun. The beautiful etched wine glass came filled with  cotton candy. Then the waiter poured the drink over it, melting the cotton candy right away. The drink was for sure sweet.

 

Another creative drink was a cucumber cooler – which was made with tequila and had salt on the rim. It was basically a cucumber margarita on the rocks. If you like tequila then this drink would be for you.

The dinner menu was broken down into courses. For smaller portions you could order a starter and then a main dish. If you were really hungry you could order 2-3 starters and a main dish. I went smaller because I wanted to save room for dessert.

I started with the artichoke salad. It was unique and certainly not something I see very many menus. It came with Mandarin oranges and feta cheese crumbles topped with a creamy dressing. I thought the flavor pairing was great but it may be too salty for some people.

For my main dish I got jumbo sea scallops. They were sautéed perfectly with a great brown auju type sauce that added extra flavor to each bite of scallop.

For dessert I got homemade bread pudding and a scoop of their homemade ice cream. The presentation was beautiful on the plate. The size was perfect, no need to share. The ice cream was so creamy and when it melted over the warm bread pudding it created a delicious sauce.

There are a plethora of restaurants to choose from in Las Vegas, so if you need help narrowing it down, I recommend Sage. Make sure you call ahead and make reservations because they will fill up quickly.

www.aria/com/en/restaurants/sage

Enjoy!

T

If you have been to New York City then you have probably heard of Carbone – an Italian restaurant serving up delicious pasta. Well Carbone has a restaurant inside the Aria Hotel in Las Vegas.

 

Their menu is large but each dish is meant to be shared family style. While looking over the menu, the server will bring the table an assortment of breads (everything from garlic bread to pizza bread), fresh sliced pepperoni, chopped cauliflower marinated in a vinegar sauce, and fresh-cut parmesan cheese. The options are enough to fill you up if you are not careful.

Their homemade minestrone soup sounded good, even though it was almost 115 degrees outside. When the soup was presented, a bowl with all the pasta and vegetables was placed in front of me; then my server poured the broth into the bowl. It was a great way to keep the broth hot before getting to the table.

 

The table shared two pasta dishes. The first was a vodka sauce penne. According to our server, this was one of their most popular pasta dishes. The sauce was very cream and had a generous helping of grated parmesan cheese on top. What I wasn’t expecting was the heat. There were a few crushed red chili flakes in the sauce that gave each bite a kick.

The second dish was the lobster mac and cheese, because who doesn’t love mac and cheese; throw in lobster and you have a party going on in your mouth. The cheese sauce was extremely rich and creamy. The added texture from the large chunks of lobster helped break up the cheese overload.

The table decided just to stick with two pastas because the dessert cart was calling our names. Each dessert was a beautiful presentation of editable art.

 

The carrot cake had a spiral design on the outside and the cream cheese icing was layered between each slice.

The chocolate cake topped with ice cream was heavenly. If you are a chocolate lover then this dessert is a must.

No Italian meal would be complete without cheesecake. They made a lemon cheesecake that was sweet and tart with a refreshing after-taste. The desserts were large enough to share and allows for everyone to get a taste of everything.

If you are hungry for Italian while in Sin City, make reservations for Carbone. Check out their menu at www.aria.com/restaurants

Enjoy!

T

When you are in Las Vegas there are a variety of things to do. In one day you can go to the spa, hang at the pool, check out a show, and hit the tables. Before you know it the sun is rising and you are hungry. There are so many places to eat at on the Las Vegas strip but if you are in the mood for a BIG breakfast then you need to check out Hash House A Go Go.

They have gotten so popular they have 2 locations on the strip: The Linq Hotel & Casino and The Rio Hotel & Casino. Plus you can always visit their original location if you are in San Diego.

To call their breakfasts big is an understatement. They are HUGE. When the food arrives to the table it’s almost impossible to get all the plates to fit.

I was hungry but not starving so I went for the “Tractor Driver Combo” which is a little smaller of a dish: two eggs, potatoes (but if you are watching your carbs you can get bacon or sausage) and one giant pancake (or flapjacks as they call it).

Their potatoes were more like mashed potatoes than a hash brown. I would not have thought that would go well with eggs but it did. My compliments to the chef!

If you have been partying all night in Vegas and need a hearty breakfast I recommend Hash House A Go Go. Get there early because everyone else in Vegas has the same idea too.

 www.hashhouseagogo.com

Enjoy!

T