Vegas Eats

This post is dedicated completely to eats in Vegas.


Whenever we make trips, friends and I rely heavily on Yelp to help find great places to grub. There never seems to be shortage of new places to try. 
Here are just a few of recommendations, from my non-definitive and ever evolving list of good Vegas grubbin. 

Grimaldi's  Pizzeria
I've said it once, I'll say it again--best New York style pizza this side of the coast. I've tried their different combinations, but my favorite is still the marinara pizza with pepperoni, onion, and garlic. Pizzas are cooked in a coal brick oven; they come out fresh and hot, never overly greasy or heavy. I especially like the fresh mozzarella cheese they use...it's all about the stretchy cheese.

If you're on their mailing list, and happen to be celebrating your birthday in Vegas, stop by and they'll give you a free pizza.

Lotus of Siam
Located off the Strip
953 E. Sahara Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89104
P: 702.735.3033

Have I heard correctly that the Owner/head chef used to cook for the Thai King? I love that she still cooks at her restaurant and pops out to greet guests and make sure everything is tasting delicious. 
My two recommendations special to this restaurant are Garlic Prawns and Soft Shell Crab Drunken Noodles. Oh, and I heart Papaya Salad. (no dried shrimp, please.)

Burger Bar
Located inside Mandalay Bay
P: 702.632.9364
Choose a burger built by Hubert Keller, or build your own. Add on options are extensive--you can even get truffle mushrooms if you're willing to shell out the dough for it. I'm not as crafty with my choice; I usually get the sliders with sweet potato fries. Nom, NOm, NOM.
Salads and Veggie Options available.

Jean Phillipe Patisserie
Go here for indulgent desserts and a curious looking chocolate fountain. Crepes, French pastries (which I've yet to try), gelato and sorbets. They also have expensive packaged candies and chocolates if you need to pick up a gift.

Serendipity
Hot day + Frozen Hot Chocolate = Magical
This drink in particular comes out in a huge glass, topped with fresh whipped cream and chocolate shavings. The perfect indulgence for a hot day, that leaves me swinging my feet as I drink it. Note: it can get packed inside the restaurant, but they have a to-go window just outside that serves a limited menu, but most importantly serves their frozen hot chocolate.  

Bouchon
Located inside Venetian
3355 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89109
P: 702.414.6203

I've yet to eat at the restaurant, although I've heard it's great. I make the trek wherever I'm staying to get a pistachio macaron everytime.

Hash House A Go Go
Something very Vegas about the place...nothing spectacular about the decor, but probably because the food is decadent, flashy and over the top. I had read good things about Andy's Sage Fried Chicken and Bacon Waffles (yup, none of this bacon bit business; those are huge strips of bacon in the waffles) so I shared that with Abe--I have no recollection of finishing it. It's presentation is impressive--it's served more like a towering sculpture, more than morning breakfast. It was tasty and rich, maybe too rich for my blood, but definitely worth a try.
Deals available via Restaurant.com 

Raku 
5030 Spring Mountain Rd, Suite 2 
Las Vegas, NV 89146 
P: 702.367.3511
This place came highly recommended by my friend, Brian (a sushi snob in his own right). The dishes are the opposite of Hash House--refined, clean, light. After many failed attempts, we finally scored a reservation and got to see what all the hype was about. They have a really unique menu that serves a combination of yakitori, fresh fish, and mixed specialities (things like poached egg with Uni and Salmon Roe, Kobe beef with garlic, a house-made agedashi tofu). It's worth the visit if you can get a table. Make sure to call early (they start taking reservations at 2pm), otherwise you could be eating late (they're open till 3a.m.), but hey, you're in Vegas afterall.

What are your favorite eateries/must haves in Vegas? I'd love to hear your recommendations!

P.S. Speaking of Yelp, check out these videos via Cup of Jo. So awesome.

jiro dreams

I watched this movie this weekend. In short, it was awesome and beautiful...and had me laughing at unexpected moments. And now, I'm thinking about mastery, hard work...and how to devise a plan to get a seat at his restaurant. I'm thinking I'll need a Japanese speaker, about $1,000...and a banana suit for good measure...

In the meantime, I'll spruce up on this sushi etiquette I stole from the amazing Janet (another food artist, naturally).

currently...

Watching: Finally saw The Artist! The throwback to old Hollywoodland, the expressiveness of the characters, the cheesiness & one liners, the costumes (!)...I laughed, I was in suspense, I was sad; amazing how a silent film can make you feel so much. Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo--these are two of the most likeable smiles ever.

Feeling: My product savvy sister got me a tube of this Badger lip balm. It isn't too waxy or overly perfumed...and it passed her product safety test. Wooo! Thank you, seester. On a sidenote, can one be addicted to chapstick???

Eating: Breakfast of champions...and my new favorite bread! My friend at work introduced me to Udi's Bread after her long search for a tasty gluten free bread...we are in agreement that it has a certain pound cake texture to it. Gluten free or not, it's yummy and worked perfectly for my eggs in a basket.

umami burger

Have you guys heard of Umami Burger?
I had only heard rumors of how good it was, till a few weeks back when I payed a visit to one of their locations. I ordered the Umami burger and sweet potato fries. Wasn't crazy about the fries, but this burger was kind of amazing. It's in a different category than and any other burger I've had...but right up there in the ranks with In-N-Out, Shake Shack, and recently Father's Office (my top three in no particular order). It literally left me savoring every last bite. Each location's menu looks slightly different...the one off Cahuenga didn't have cheese tots, but I've heard they're great too. Check it out if you're in L.A.! **Update: Umami is Orange County-- Anaheim, inside the Camp in Costa Mesa, and Laguna Beach.  Check out all the locations here.

{*Umami Burger: shitake mushroom, caramelized onions, roasted tomato, parmesan crisp, umami ketchup}

crostini bar

Do I talk about my boss a lot? I'm going to talk about her some more. I stole this idea (as well as a few of the recipes) from her for my friend, Genie's, bridal shower a few weeks back. I am loving the idea of 'bars' more and more...dessert bar, parfait bar (thanks for the idea Joanna!), crostini bar, etc. Maybe it's the variety, the freedom to choose and 'cook up' something on your own, or purely aesthetics. The beauty of this one is that you can make it as homemade or store bought as you want.

You can find the recipes for the above here:
Balsamic Onion Dip

Bruschetta

Eggplant Caponata

I bought my Spinach Dip and Roasted Peppers (in a jar) from Trader Joe for the sake of time (actually the bruschetta that's pictured as well). It's best to use a Spinach Dip that can be served cold for this...recipe to come!

Herb Ricotta...my favorite! (below)

Combine:
2 cups ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons minced scallions (about 2 scallions, white and green parts)
2 tablespoons minced dill
1 tablespoon minced chives
1 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp pepper (more to taste)

(recipe via Karena via Costco Connection)

Serve alongside crostinis and/or crackers. Enjoy!

To make crostini:
Thinly slice french baguette. Brush with olive oil and season with salt + pepper. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

vegas

We celebrated a dear friend's birthday this weekend in Vegas. Though it wasn't a far trip, it was nice to get away for a few days in the company of good friends. Happy birthday J!

Feel: Vegas was HOT...and I loved it! I finally got my warm (read: hot) summer nights that seemed to escape me this summer (though not over yet). I loved stepping out at night with no need for a jacket, not even just in case. :)

See: The biggest H&M I've ever stepped foot in. 3 stories, collections I've never seen before, and disco balls!

Hear: The buzzing of different languages and accents all around. It's always interesting to meet and hear where people are visiting from. I always forget that Vegas is somewhat of an international destination...not just a party city for college students on school break.

Taste/Smell: My favorite meal in Vegas was at Grimaldi's Pizza. I'm going to make a lofty statement here and say it is the best New York style pizza on this side of the coast! (Disagree? What are your favorite pizza places? This pizza connoisseur would love to know!) We ordered a few kinds, but the best one by far was the marinara pizza with pepperoni, garlic, and onions. Sounds so simple right? Nope, the flavors are deep, the ingredients are fresh, and it's tossed and prepared right in front of you. (man, I could go for one right now). It's a ten minute drive from the strip, but definitely worth the trip.
And I'm strangely growing a taste for coffee more and more these days (though I never cared for it before). This affegato from Illy at the Venetian was delicious...I think it was more the gelato inside than it was the coffee though. :)

spicy beef salad

I love Thai food--papaya salad, chewy noodles, spicy, complex flavors, family style eating with lots of friends. (I think I just decided what's for dinner tomorrow).
I never ventured to cook Thai food at home--it always tasted to difficult to try. But after taking a cooking class on my last trip to Thailand, I was surprised to find that it's not as complicated as I expected.

For this Spicy Beef Salad, you'll need:

1/2 lb grilled beef filet
1-2 pieces of broccoli stalk
1-2 cucumbers

Sauce:
6 tbsp fish sauce
4 tbsp sugar
10 hot chilis or red chilis (use less if you'd like it less spicy)
4-5 cloves minced garlic
2 tspn coriander root (if you can't find coriander root, you can substitute with 4 tsp chopped cilantro stems)
8 tbsp lemon juice

1) Heat oil in a pan. Grill beef to your liking.
2) Blend all the sauce ingredients in a blender till it looks like above
3) Slice beef, broccoli, and cucumber and arrange on a serving dish
4) Top beef with sauce and garnish with cilantro. Light and satisfying. Enjoy!

heirloom tomato bruscetta

This is one of my favorite recipes of all time. The ingredients are simple and it is nearly impossible to get wrong. All you need is:

• 1 16oz box of mini heirloom tomatoes (got mine are from Trader Joe's--love you). This would work with regular tomatoes, but I love the color and sweetness of the mini heirlooms
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoon good quality balsamic vinegar
• 3-4 leaves of basil chopped
• 3-4 cloves of minced garlic
• S+P to taste

1) Chop tomatoes.


2) In a separate bowl, mix balsamic and olive oil. Add garlic, basil and S+P. It's not a lot of liquid, but the tomatoes will add more.


Add chopped tomatoes and S+P if needed. Garnish with a sprig of basil and serve with crackers or crostini.

I heart Seoul: Reason #354

Delivery Korean style Chinese food--anytime, anywhere. Food is delivered fast and hot (those delivery guys drive with no fear and somehow seem to bypass all traffic laws). They even pick up the dirty dishes afterwards. So green and so efficient! If in the Sadang-dong area, this place is great:
자금성 (Ja Geum Sung)
525-2399
581-2199

It's apparently Korean tradition to have Jajang Myeon (thicker noodles with black soybean sauce, veggies, and usually meat, pictured on the top right corner) when you move to a new place. Fitting for today since we just moved in some new furniture to my sister's place...tasted extra delicious for that reason. If you do order from this place, make sure to get the 깐 자 장 면 (Ggan Jajang Myeon) which gives you the meat peices instead of ground. Yum.

Don Katsu Kimbap

{kimbap--the perfect to-go meal/snack. made up of rice, veggies and different fillings all wrapped in seaweed)

My sister, Jane, and I have become regulars at this Kimbap fast food joint in the past few days. It makes for a convenient and delicious breakfast on our walk to the subway station in the mornings. Being the big kimbap enthusiast that I am, I was jazzed to see this particular restaurant made 10+ varieties (especially since I've only tried 2 kinds back home--beef and tempura). Anyway, I was and am intrigued and can't wait to try all the different variations. On today's menu was Don Katsu (fried pork cutlet) Kimbap. It contained:

Don Katsu, egg, ham, carrot, marinated spinach, gobo root, pickled radish, and sesame leaf (if you're wondering, you can find the more obscure ingredients at most Korean markets). What made this over the top amazing was that it had a thin layer of honey mustard sauce on it. Crazy good. I hope to do a kimbap tutorial when I get back, but in the meantime will report more kimbap findings as they come!