What I Missed @ Home

Sigh...

The hugely successful, four-day Vegas Uncork’d food and wine festivities wrapped yesterday after everything from a beachside barbecue to a late-night star chef DJ session to elegant and exotic Mother’s Day brunches. All were the topping on the cakes served by a cadre of celebrity chefs during the 96-hour, fifth annual, nonstop dining extravaganza.

Bon Appetit and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority sponsored the festival, which proved not only that Las Vegas is Star Chef Dining Capital of the World, but also that this ultimate, top level of star power could only happen on the Strip.

There were more than 24 food-related events during the marathon of meals, and they sadly ended yesterday with first-time Uncork’d brunches at Chef Guy Savoy’s self-named restaurant at Caesars Palace and at current Top Chef Masters contestant Mary Sue Milliken’s Border Grill at Mandalay Bay. The barbecue at Mandalay Bay Beach on Saturday night feature Chefs Charlie Palmer, Alain Ducasse and Rick Moonen serving behind the grills and Megan Romano presiding over an amazing array of desserts, and Hubert Keller spinned the wheels of steel at his nearly Fleur.

Sounds like so much fun... And sadly, I had to miss it!

And wow! Who would have thought this could happen?!

But the one event that stood out was the debut vegan experience co-hosted by hotel mogul Steve Wynn and Tal Ronnen, a vegan culinary pioneer and bestselling author of The Conscious Cook: Delicious Meatless Recipes That Will Change the Way You Eat, along with the award-winning chefs of the Wynn and Encore.

Finally, people are waking up and realizing meat isn't necessary for a great meal. When one gets creative, the possibilities really can be endless for great vegetarian and vegan cuisine. I hope this starts a trend for more daring vegan dishes at more Vegas restaurants. Or at least, it would be nice not to be mocked for going meatless. ;-)

Hopefully, I'll be able to stay in town next May so I don't have to miss this kind of fun again!

Z'Tejas Es Z'Bueno!

While I was saddened to have to leave town just as Vegas Uncork'd was arriving, I at least had a few Orange County culinary delights to comfort me. Z'Tejas was one of them.

It's always been one of my favorite restaurants here, and it's been a favorite because it serves great food. It's an interesting Tex-Mex joint from Austin that marries together plenty of Mexican spice with Southern soul... And it actually isn't hokey!

This time, I was in the mood for something sinful (maybe I was homesick for "Sin City" already?), so I ordered their new mac & cheese dish. And much to my delight, it arrived hot, rich, creamy, and cheesy! I was certainly feeling better.

What also helped was the irresistible cornbread served beforehand. It was baked fresh and served piping hot. I could still taste the sweet corn kernels, and it tasted even better with the butter served alongside.

And for dessert? Since I wasn't missing this, I just had to try the key lime cheesecake! It had a lovely, citrusy, tartness balanced by a nice, delicate sweetness. It definitely ranks among the better cheesecakes I've eaten.

Don't believe me? See below!











I know it doesn't make up for missing the most fabulous foodie weekend in Las Vegas. But for Orange County, I could do far worse. I really can't complain. ;-)

Style: Casually Elegant Southwestern
Price: $$
Open: Lunch & Dinner

The Rating
---

Food: 4.8 (out of 5)
Service: 3.0 (out of 3)
Ambiance: 1.9 (out of 2)
Overall: 9.7 (out of 10)
Outstanding, Destination Eating!

Holstein's... Revisited

I know, I know, it ended up being nearly a month! I'm ashamed of myself. :-(

But after nearly a month of being tied down by other obligations, I'm back... And I recently had a chance to revisit a new favorite.











And once again, my Urth Burger was out of this world! I'm still trying to figure out how Holstein's manages to make a veggie burger so "meaty", so bursting with farm fresh veggie flavor, so absolutely delicious! It's really great on its own... Really! But if you're not a strict vegan, add the Point Reyes Bleu Cheese for an even more otherworldly experience.

The fries were again super fresh. The popcorn was still addictive. Oh, and this time I had the chance to try a chocolate malt. And jeez, was that rich and bursting with down home chocolate goodness!

Someone help me. I think I'm falling in love with this place. ;-)

(For the first time EVER, I'm giving a perfect score to a non French-i-fied high-society uber-bucks fine dining joint. Lordy help me!)

Style: Upscale Burger Joint
Price: $$
Open: Lunch & Dinner

The Rating
---

Food: 5.0 (out of 5)
Service: 3.0 (out of 3)
Ambiance: 2.0 (out of 2)
Overall: 10.0 (out of 10)
Have I found "THE Perfect Burger"??!!

As Cosmo Goes... The. Best. Burger. EVER??!!

Back in 2009, I had my first experience at LBS, an upscale "burger joint" way out in the mysterious hinterlands often referred to as Summerlin. I've constantly been amazed by the superior quality of the food, the interesting vibe of the place, and the surprising value they offer...

But can the folks behind LBS score a successful sequel on The Strip? So far, I'm inclined to say yes. Holstein's really took so much of what I love at LBS, and takes it to an even higher level at Cosmopolitan.

My recent lunch out was off to an interesting start with a small bucket of "truffle popcorn" awaiting me. I must admit the popcorn was quite addicting. It had great flavor without being too greasy.

Pretty soon, my cocktail arrived. I ordered a Blood Orange Cosmo, and it arrived full of great, refreshing, sweet orange flavor. Just what I needed.

Yep, this was just what I needed to relax and whet my appetite for more. And oh my goodness, did I get more! My "Urth Burger" was a house made vegan patty that didn't taste like "imitation meat" or "random veggie blob", but rather a hearty patty full of great flavors and complemented well by the nice bun and tangy Point Reyes Blue Cheese (that I added onto the burger). This, for me, is the hallmark of a truly great burger palace. If it can take the often maligned "veggie burger" and turn it into this wonderful, edible masterpiece, than it can do pretty much anything!

The shoestring fries were also a nice complement on the plate. They tasted fresh. They weren't overly greasy. They were addictive.

Of course, no great lunch is truly great without a stunning dessert, so I gave into temptation and ordered the "chocolate slider with fries". Basically, it turned out to be a plate of a "slider" consisting of rich chocolate ganache sandwiched between two delectable chocolate cookies. YUM! And even better, it came with these pillowy soft and delicately fried churro "fries" along with a cup of tangy strawberry "ketchup" for dipping. Was it gimmicky? Perhaps? But was it so damned good that I really didn't care? ABSO-F*CKING-LUTELY!!!

So what else can I say about Holstein's? The food was phenomenal. The atmosphere was groovy. The service was quite friendly. And I finally found the perfect "veggie burger". Did I just find heaven? ;-)

Style: Upscale Burger Joint
Price: $$
Open: Lunch & Dinner

The Rating
---

Food: 4.9 (out of 5)
Service: 3.0 (out of 3)
Ambiance: 1.9 (out of 2)
Overall: 9.8 (out of 10)
Outstanding, Destination Eating!

What Should Be My First Eats of 2011?

Happy New Year... OK, so it's a little belated.

Well, at least I have some time to write this. As 2011 kicks off, I'm thinking of where to eat next... And of course, share what happens with you here! So where should I eat? Which new restaurants are you most curious about? Which old faves might deserve a revisit?

I'm putting together my list for the rest of this month and February, so speak up and let me know. :-)

Merry Merry Joy Joy!!!

Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Festivus, and Happy Whatever-you're-celebrating-this-weekend! And to show you how much I appreciate you, here's something extra semi-edible-special!



Isn't it sodalishus!



Happy Holidays! ;-)

SoCal Report: Nello Cucina

So my dad and I were at South Coast Plaza yesterday. And Dad was starting to grumble about his hunger. What was I to do? Luckily, Nello Cucina was nearby. And since I hadn't yet tried any of the Antonello ristorantes, I figured I might as well start now, while I'm in OC.

First off, I should make a note of the slow service we experienced today. I would usually be quite annoyed by what can be considered lack of attention, but considering this is high holiday shopping season and how PACKED (!!!) Nello was today (along with other nearby SCP restaurants), I'm just chalking it to that... And hoping next time I'm back, I'll get more attentive service.
OK then, on to the food! Thankfully, there was nothing to complain about here. The starter bread was very fresh, very soft, and very perfect for gnawing on while waiting as the frantically busy kitchen was catching up on our orders.

Eventually, our bruschetta plate arrived. And interestingly enough, the green onion actually worked! My dad commented that it reminded him of pico de gallo salsa. And yes, in a sense, the bruschetta did taste a bit like "Italianized Pico de Gallo" topped with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano. Oh, the joys of Californication!

From there, it was onto the mains. My dad ordered the "Pizza Siciliana", which meant an artisan thin crust (perfectly crispy and slightly charred outside, soft and chewy inside) topped with sliced artichoke, herbs, and mascarpone cheese. It was quite delicious! And so was my linguine con (basil) pesto, which was perfectly cooked FRESH (!!!) linguine topped with a pesto made from fresh, sweet basil and nutty parmigiano reggiano. This was fabulous, solid, delicious food that startled me.

And if that weren't wonderful enough, dessert just made me even more blissful! I ordered a crostata filled with rich dark chocolate and "built" on a buttery, flaky crust. The vanilla ice cream served alongside was a cool complement, along with the fresh strawberry.

All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by what I found here. Tucked in a corner of South Coast Plaza's West Wing by the Bear Street entrance and bank of elevators, Nello Cucina may just be the best Italian restaurant I've tried so far in OC. :-)

Style: Elegant Casual
Price: $$
Open: Lunch & Dinner

The Rating
---

Food: 4.8 (out of 5)
Service: 2.2 (out of 3)
Ambiance: 2.0 (out of 2)
Overall: 9.0 (out of 10)
Excellent, Worth the Detour

Ready, Set, Eat! Vegas Uncork'd Returns in 2011!

This year, I had the pleasure of doing some fabulous events at Vegas Uncork'd... And I can hardly wait for May 2011 to come so I can taste even more!

Executives at Bon Appetit have confirmed that they are returning to Las Vegas on May 5-8 for the fifth annual culinary festival Vegas Uncork’d. Tickets go on sale Jan. 25 for the 30-plus events. Additionally, the January issue features a guide to recommended top spots here. Bon Appetit reports: “Everything is larger than life in Vegas, including the food. From Michelin-starred French chefs to off-The-Strip gems, Sin City is more delicious than ever.”

The picks include Bellagio, Caesars Palace, The Venetian, The Palazzo, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, Wynn, Encore, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and dining explorations at Sage in Aria, Mesa Grill in Caesars Palace, L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon at MGM Grand, P3 Commons at the Cosmopolitan, Noodles at Bellagio, Aburiya Raku at 5030 West Spring Mountain Road, Amber Unicorn at 2101 S. Decatur Blvd. and Encore Spa in Steve Wynn’s Encore. The January issue hits newsstands Tuesday.

And oh my goodness, might my wish actually be fulfilled already? And by Bon Appetit? For quite some time, Raku has been mostly a not-very-well-known Chinatown hideaway where Strip chefs and foodies in the know go for fantastic robatayaki cooking. But now, it's getting some serious national attention with its feature in the "Eating Las Vegas" guide, followed by this mention in Bon Appetit.

Hopefully, this means Raku will get some serious loving next May during Vegas Uncork'd weekend. And perhaps we'll see more homegrown talent get the limelight they so thoroughly deserve soon.

Cosmo: A Catalyst Is Born?

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is set to open tonight, and The Strip is ablaze with chatter, rumors, optimism, concern, and so much more. John Unwin keeps saying he sees this not as a "book end" or "end of an era", but rather as "a new beginning". Could this be true?

John Curtas seems to be especially hopeful.

Interestingly, most of the big name restaurants: Jaleo, Comme Ça, Milos, and Scarpetta are located on the third floor, and essentially adjacent to each other as they wrap around the main escalator. The effect is striking (and very convenient for galloping gourmets), and gives the appearance of the ultimate, up-, upscale food court — featuring the best of Spanish, French, Greek and Italian cuisines.

None of them are especially intimate (a quick scan puts each at around 175 seats), but if the hype and reputations of these places is to be believed, the only place in America that comes close to such an intense concentration of gourmandia is the Time Warner Building in the Big Apple. [...]

You heard it here first: The Cosmopolitan is going to shake the gastronomic ground in the High Mojave Dessert, and the whole world is going to feel the shudder.

A few days later, Mr. ELV wrote this stunning critique of how most casinos do business with your tummy (and your wallet).

What we’ve been thinking about is the difference between hotels who own their own restaurants (à la Wynn/Encore, Caesars, Bellagio, et al) and those who four- wall (i.e lease out) their food service operations (à la Venetian/Palazzo, Palms, and the soon-to-open THE Cosmopolitan).

We won’t bore you with all the pros and cons of one business model versus another, but suffice it to say the big, corporate hotels who dominate the Strip (and who own their own restaurants), are always teetering on the brink of reverting to the Vegas of old — when hotel gourmet rooms and coffee shops were almost indistinguishable from one another — and whatever personality the dining spots had was confined to cossetting the guests and getting them back to the tables quickly. Food wasn’t the point back then, the illusion of luxury was, and metronomic operations were the rule. [...]

The trouble is, big, corporate gambling palaces aren’t that good at food service operations. What they’re good at is running hotels and casinos. If any of them were being honest, they’d admit they don’t even want to run restaurants, they just have to. Since 1994, when MGM made the first big splash with Emeril, Mark Miller, and the original Charlie Trotter, the hotels have been locked in the restaurant equivalent of a cold war arms race — each feeling it has to top the other or risk being forever marginalized by the upscale tourist market they are all aiming to attract.

So how might Cosmo change this? Well, they're not even trying to take full control of the restaurants. They're simply leasing out their restaurant spaces, thereby allowing the chef-owners to have more control over their operations than the typical casino restaurant overseen by F&B (the casino's food and beverage department, that is).

Might this be a model for Strip casinos and restaurants in the future? We'll have to wait and see. Venelazzo and Palms have done this for some time, but it hasn't seemed to catch on yet.

Honestly, there are upsides and downsides to splitting the casinos from the restaurants. We'll see where that goes.

But believe it or not, that may not be the biggest change coming with Cosmo. Mike Dobranski could hardly hide his excitement on Monday about this. While he originally expressed doubt about Cosmo being all that much of a game changer, he's been warming up to it since.

Finally the resort us fans of food have been waiting for, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, will be open to the public on Wednesday, December 15th at 8pm. If I had to pick the three or four restaurants I’m most looking forward to, I’d have to tip my hat to both of José Andrés’ places with Jaleo and especially China Poblano, David Myers’ Comme Ca (pronounced ‘come saw’ for We-The-Frenchy-Deficient) and Block 16 Hospitality’s (folks that brought us LBS Burger) Holsteins.

Jaleo is Chef José Andrés’ Spanish tapas emporium, so obviously the tapas slut in me is excited about that. For me, the most exciting restaurant in the building is Andrés’ China Poblano, and original concept of his that will be a Mexican / Chinese fusion. Sounds good to me…and oddly logical considering I don’t know of that combo being done anywhere else. While Comme Ca is an import from Los Angeles, it will be nice to have an accessible, centrally located French Brasserie in town to go to. Last, but not least, Holsteins will be the requisite burger joint, but feature natural and organic ingredients and house-made sausage.

While most of Cosmo's "new" restaurants are either LA or NYC imports, they are from chefs who have not been exposed to Vegas before. And some of what they're offering, such as Milos' fine, authentic Greek food, hasn't been experienced here before. Hopefully, we'll be in for good eating.

However, what's even more exciting is that Jose Andres and Scott Conant will actually bring original concepts to Vegas! Andres will open China Poblano this week, which will be a very unique Chinese-Mexican fusion restaurant... Talk about "East Meets West"! Meanwhile Conant will open DOCG, and Italian wine bar and small plates joint that's coming first to Vegas. Not since Steve Wynn hand-picked previously little known chefs to come to Vegas and become culinary superstars (such as Julian Serrano, Alex Stratta, and Jet Tila) have we seen a Strip casino bring such exciting new concepts to town.

For such a long time, Vegas' culinary star-power has relied on New York, San Francisco, and Paris superstar chefs bringing "photocopies" of their restaurants here. And while just this alone has helped improve fine dining here, it's nonetheless no substitute for real, homegrown talent. Thankfully we are starting to see more homegrown talent emerge, but they've yet to achieve the sort of "critical mass" of attention that celebrity superstar chefs regularly get when they import more restaurants here.

Maybe one day in the not-too-distant future we'll finally see this happen, but in the mean time it's encouraging to see some new culinary ideas shine through at Cosmo.

Betting on Michelin Stars: Picasso at Bellagio

Yes, we're back! After a long hiatus, Betting on Michelin Stars has returned. And of course, it just makes sense to have our series on Vegas fine dining right here at Bite of Vegas!

In my debut review here, I want to share with you what may perhaps be the best meal I've had so far in my life... Or at least tied with Joel Robuchon! So now, I present you with Picasso. Bon appetit!

(And by the way, you can see photos from my fabulous experience here just below the review.)

...

I went into Picasso not quite knowing what to expect. There is occasional criticism over the "antiquated" menu, often challenged by praise of the quality of the ingredients and precision of the cooking. So once and for all, I had to try it all for myself.

So I did.

I started with a pomegranate martini. The martini was superb. I could taste the earthy tang and sweetness of the pomegranate. All in all, my cocktail was quite refreshing.
Then from here, it was onto the full menu degustation. Oh yes, I was all in for all five courses, plus amuse bouche and petit fours!

I began with the amuse, which was a luscious potato soup with potato "micro chips", alongside a skewer with quail egg and smoked salmon. The flavors were perfectly balanced here, despite all components being so rich. I was pleasantly surprised.

From there, it was onto the bread basket! And yes, I tried the baguette, the walnut raisin bread, and the olive loaf. All were fantastic! The walnut raisin bread was subtly sweet and soft, while the baguette had a crunchy crust and fluffy, soft texture inside. And the olive loaf was slightly fruity.

The official first course soon arrived, which was the Maine Lobster salad. The lobster's own natural sweetness shone through, and the apple champagne vinaigrette only enhanced this. The micro greens added a crisp component here, and the tartness and acidity of the cherry tomatoes helped in balancing the rich sweetness of the Maine Lobster.

Next were the pan seared scallops. These also had great natural sweetness, and the potato mousseline and jus de veau helped to balance this.

Following this was the sauteed steak of foie gras. I otherwise never eat foie gras for moral reasons, but last night I decided to make an exception for this dinner. And wow, now I understand why it's so appealing. When cooked well, it can be quite rich. And the poached pear and huckleberry jam added some fruity sweetness that went harmoniously with the foie gras.
The sauteed filet of turbot came next. It was done perfectly. It still tasted quite fresh and light, with only the hollandaise adding some richness and creamy heft to this and the beautifully done green asparagus.

Then finally, it was dessert time! I wanted to try the reserva cream sherry, and it went down beautifully. Yes, I admit I have quite the soft spot for sherry! And thankfully, it played well alongside the warm chocolate fondant and walnut ice cream I ordered. The fondant was essentially a molten chocolate cake, and the rich, smooth, not too sweet but still satisfying, chocolate flavor was just perfect. The ice cream added a surprising nutty note to this sweet treat.
Oh, but wait, I was not finished yet! Before I had to go, the petit fours arrived! I especially enjoyed the mini pumpkin pie and the mini chocolate bar, but all were beyond belief in "delicious factor".

All in all, my experience here was exquisite! The surroundings were breathtaking, especially with the fountains just outside. The service was impeccable and quite polite. And to my biggest surprise, Picasso did not feel anachronistic in any way. If anything, it was more timeless to me... Oh yes, and the paintings were pretty as well. ;-)

Style: Fine Haute Cuisine
Price: $$$$$
Open: Dinner

The Rating
---

Food: 5.0 (out of 5)
Service: 3.0 (out of 3)
Ambiance: 2.0 (out of 2)
Overall: 10.0 (out of 10)
Best of the Best! RUN, Don't Walk! :-D

And the Adventure Begins!

Ah, nothing like Bellagio's Dancing Fountains to ring in our new blog!

This is wild. This is crazy. This is gourmet. This is hole-in-the-wall. This is home cookin'. This is haute cuisine. This is radical. This is avant garde. This is tried and true. This is VEGAS, baby, and we're on our way to munch through all of it and more!

And I'll be holding your hand along the way.

Welcome to Bite of Vegas!

For all of you coming to visit from Nevada Progressive, get ready to see another side of me. I'm leaving the public policy there (mostly, unless you really want to get all food wonk on moi!) to get all gourmand here! OK, OK, and I'll get down and dirty in those holes in the wall with you as well.

And for all of you more familiar with my foodie writing, welcome aboard! I'll be posting more good stuff here. Expect restaurant reviews, kitchen side chats on cooking, and maybe even some dishing on those food TV shows we love... And love to hate.

Maybe we'll even shift to other, broader topics. Who knows??!! Honestly, this feels like a new experience all over again. I feel like I'm moving out of my comfort zone in running my own blog that leaves my political life behind, so please don't be too hard on me in these first few days and weeks. Let's see what happens.

I hope you'll be joining me on this adventure. Just remember to buckle your seat belts. It's going to be a an exhilarating ride! :-D