Five To Try (Again) in Las Vegas

Now that everyone in the office is coming back from the holidays, it finally means time for me to take a break. And a quick excursion to Vegas this weekend will hit the spot.

Planning out my itinerary (OK, foods and drinks -- mostly) for the trip, I decided to look back on photos from my last trip there a few months ago. Having such recalled such a great and delicious time there, thought I might as well shared some of my favorite eats and drinks then.

No. 5 - Short Rib Lasagna @ Fleur by Hubert Keller in Mandalay Bay

Simply, a trans-Atlantic comfort dishes melding together two favorites: pot roast and lasagna. The braised short rib is rich and melts in the mouth, the carrots are bright, fresh and sweet and the pasta a lovely al dente. And who can really say no to crunchy breadcrumb topping and gooey melted cheese? (I also loved the microgreens garnish, making this lunch entree seem somewhat healthy... heh)

Be sure to ask for extra bread to sop up all that gravy!

No. 4 - Tea @ Mandarin Oriental Tea Lounge

Come for the tea, but linger for relaxation and the view of the Strip. Despite being in the CityCenter, this 23rd floor lounge is a worlds-away oasis of tranquility from the hot hustle and bustle of The Strip. 

The menu here is fairly posh, but if you're on a budget I recommend getting one of their blooming teas. Yes, not cheap for $16, but it comes with endless refills of hot water (so you can taste the flavor changes as the tea further blooms). And while you're at it, might as well indulge yourself a little more with a sweet bite or two (as I did with their raspberry-yuzu macaron.)

No. 3 - Cocktails @ Vesper Bar in Cosmopolitan

Yes, I've already sang the praises of the Vesper Room before, but this place has yet to fail me on a delicious cocktail (and is one of the few reliably good places on the Strip.) 

On my last excursion there, my favorite discoveries included the One Night in Bangkok - a riff off the Ramos Gin Fizz using Thai ingredients such as lemongrass and kaffir lime to give this already refreshing drink an exotic twist, and 12 Year Itch, an available-by-the-ounce combination of Zaya Rum, Fernet Branca and Carpano Antica aged 16 weeks in a Templeton Rye barrel. A heavenly combo of sweet-yet-herbal aromas, rich-but-velvety mouthfeel and a warmingly smooth finish.

No. 2 - Combo Pan Roast @ Oyster Bar in Palace Station

A great recommendation passed to me by Conbon, this nondescript-looking eatery (in an even more unremarkable casino/resort) dishes out huge bowlfuls of slow-cooked, made-to-order comfort in the form of seafood stews. 

Even though they serve the Cajun delights of gumbos, jambalayas and etoufees; for your first time here, get their signature Combo Pan Roast - where a good helping of crab, shrimp and lobster and cooked in an intoxicatingly tasty sauce of tomato, cream and brandy (plus a whopping huge scoop of rice to lap up the remaining liquids.)

And without further adieu,

No. 1 - King Crab / Truffle Fried Rice @ Blue Ribbon Grill in Cosmopolitan

I came here initially curious about their signature fried chicken with wasabi-honey dip, and while that was delicious, what really haunted my tastebuds and mind was this fried rice. It is presented in beautiful layers, with the fried short-grained rice topped with assorted mushrooms, generous chunks of crabmeat, a soft scrambled egg and finally, fresh shavings of black truffle. Then it is all tossed together to make for one of the best "high-low" dishes I've ever had (and I'm generally one to frown upon gussied-up simple courses.)

And yes, it was worth the approximately $50 price tag, especially when there was more than enough rice to feed two (and possibly more if you throw in a few more small plates, like the fried chicken & tempura'd oysters+okras, also delicious.)

And lastly, a non-food/drink shoutout to Marquee...

...and this is coming from someone skeptical of clubs on The Strip, which tends to have overpriced covers, overpacked crowds and featuring overplayed music. I had my doubts when I was invited to check this spot out, but wound up having an amazing time and staying till 4 a.m. I love the multiple rooms each with their own decor and music style, and the general friendliness of the staff, as far as nightclubs go. 

Of course, it didn't hurt that Dash Berlin was the featured DJ of the night. And I hope all of that dancing did burn all some of my caloric indulgences during that trip.

I'm not sure how many of these dishes & drinks I'd be able to re-visit this weekend, but I'm definitely keeping an open schedule (and stomach) with hopes to at least squeeze one or two of these in!

Fleur by Hubert Keller @ Mandalay Bay
3950 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(702) 632-9400
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Tea Lounge @ Mandarin Oriental
3752 Las Vegas Blvd South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 590-8888
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Vesper Bar @ Cosmopolitan
3708 Las Vegas Boulevard South 
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 698-7000
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Oyster Bar @ Palace Station
2411 West Sahara Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89102
(702) 367-2411
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Blue Ribbon Grill @ Cosmopolitan
3708 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Phone:(702) 736-0808
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Marquee @ Cosmopolitan 
3708 Las Vegas Boulevard South 
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 333-9000
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No. 217: Top 3 Bites from Semi-Recent Vegas Trip @ Bread and Butter, Carnevino and Cosmopolitan's Secret Pizza Spot

Ok, so it's been a short (alright, a LONG) while since I followed up on my fave Vegas drinks post with the corresponding favorite eats -- but better late than never, and it's still just in time since my friends are starting to pester me about some great noshes for their summer excursions in Sin City (without the budget for a tasting @ Alizé.) So here's my quick roundup of some of my best bites on my last trip there.

Vegetarian Sandwich at Bread & Butter

 

Having already indulged in a little wicked crack-of-dawn drinking with Ms. Choisauce upon my arrival, I decided to be a little virtuous with my breakfast afterwards. Having read good things about this place from the Vegas media & bloggers, we swung by here for some comfort eats. While their breakfasty dishes sound great, what drew my eye is their vegetarian sandwich, with eggplants, zucchini and roasted pepper plus goat & Provolone cheeses in a grilled country roll spread with tomato sauce and basil pesto. I likened it to a 'ratatouille sandwich' and it was exactly what I needed after a cocktail fest at Frankie's . . . just total warm vegetably comfort wrapped in a crusty carb envelope. Definitely worth the off-Strip excursion for (or at least pick up something to go on the drive back!)

Pork Agnolotti at Carnevino 

 

Yes, it's a little unusual ordering just a primi-portion of pasta at a steakhouse, but I was nightclubbing afterwards and definitely did not want to feel weighed down (or worse) with a full-on meaty meal bouncing up and down in my stomach. Nonetheless, these hit the spot, the pasta was the perfect al dente texture, the braised pork filling just falls apart in the mouth, and it was the perfect flavor bridge between the earthy, savory wild mushrooms and the sweet butternut squash puree. Add a glass of wine and their complimentary warm rosemary roll with and voila! a heavenly light dinner.

White pizza with mushrooms & meatballs at the [Not-So] Secret Pizza Spot

I know, I'm not humming a new tune to this one--but the pizza here is one of the tastiest cheaper options on the Strip. Yes, a slice clocks in at around $5, but one was enough to satisfy my hunger and two left me beyond bloated. My friends and I tried several different kinds, and I personally liked the white pie a lot more than its red cousin. It's brushed with a slightly-garlicky oil and topped melty strands of mozzarella, gobs of creamy ricotta, and huge slices of flavorful sweet sausage and woodsy mushrooms (even though I would prefer my 'shrooms slightly more cooked.)

So there's my top 3 from my last trip. And while I look forward to discovering more dishes and finding new favorites next time around (likely this summer as well,) but would have no qualms about revisiting these tasty bites.

Bread & Butter
10940 South Eastern Avenue  
Henderson
(702) 675-3300
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Carnevino [in Palazzo Hotel]
3325 Las Vegas Blvd South,
Las Vegas
(702) 789-4141
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Secret Pizza Place [in The Cosmopolitan, situated between Jaleo and Blue Ribbon on the restaurant floor]
3708 Las Vegas Boulevard South 
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 698-7000
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No. 213: Fave Vegas Watering Holes - Vesper Bar, Big Dog's Cafe, Frankie's Tiki Room

Slightly amused at the irony that foodventure (or more accurately, drinkventure) #213 is actually about area code 702 . . . but anyhoo, even though Alizé was the over-the-top multi-course affair I had in in Vegas in late last year, there were no shortage of good eats & drinks all over town, both on- and off- the Strip. In fact, there were enough that I decide to split my original one-post roundup into one about drinks & another about eats.

So without further adieu, here are some of my favorite Sin City sips.

Frankie's Tiki Room

To avoid the heavy traffic along the 15 (damn you Vegas weekend warriors!), I almost always do a red eye, leaving L.A. around 2-3 a.m. & usually arriving in Sin City just at daybreak. And to celebrate that one can imbibe 24/7 in this city, my usual first stop is Frankie's Tiki Room . . . an off-Strip bar serving deceptively potent drinks @ a reasonable price, with a smack of "authentic" Tiki-ness boot. Decorwise, think Tiki-Ti with three times the space to spread out all the kitschy knick-knacks. And of course, being in Vegas, the obligatory video poker @ the bar.

Their menu consists of about 20 drinks - a few Tiki cocktail classics (Mai Tai, Navy Grog, Zombies) and a few twists of their own making, all @ $8. Surprisingly, the bartend recognized me from my last Vegas excursion over a year ago (I guess not many people come in at the crack of dawn and declare needing a drink after a night drive from L.A.) so I entrusted him to swizzle something up; it wound up being the Bender Ender (which, according to their skull rating, is on par with a Zombie in potency.) And it certainly did its job in packing an unexpected punch.

For those who prefer less fruit and more spirit, Frankie's also boast an impressive list of about 100 rums that's also reasonably priced -- so save some liver space to try a few that you've been curious about.

Vesper Bar @ Cosmpolitan Hotel

Having gone to Vegas as many times as I have, I'm always skeptical of on-Strip recommendations--particularly one that's essentially a hotel lobby bar (the Vesper is right next to the guest check-in), but I decided to give this a go having heard this suggested by multiple drinkbloggers.

Over my three-day Vegas stay, I went there thrice (yes, it's a word!)

In short, I absolutely adore their drinks, which are fun twists of the classics, often kissed with a curiosity-inducing spice or herb that keeps me sipping on and on, delightfully discovering new aromas, flavors and textures along the way. My personal fave? Well, I actually have two, depending the occasion...

If it's hot out (a.k.a. 90 percent of the time), go for the Hot Mule, their Moscow Mule variation kicked up a notch with Hangar One spiced pear vodka, their housemade ginger syrup and Angostura bitters. Still as refreshing to drink as the original but definitely more fragrant and complex... and delicious enough to win over my vodka-phobic palate.

On the other hand, if you need warming up (say... after clubbing post-midnight *ahem*) go for The Mayan, a Manhattan spin with a little heat amplification. The already spicy Wild Turkey rye is combined with Angostura, Amaro Meletti & "Aztec Spices" (that definitely contained some powdered chilies) balanced with a sweet-smelling cinnamon & fig-infused vermouth--making for a smooth, rich & tingle-inducing nightcap.

Big Dog's Cafe & Casino

If you stayed on the Strip, you probably think Sin City is only the beer-brewing game in town. And while I think SC is alright and a definite notch up from mega-corporate beers, I much prefer Big Dog's heftier and more flavorful offerings.

Their canine-themed regular brews run the gamut of beer profiles, from the Leglifter Light lager to the Dirty Dog IPA & Black Lab Stout. Since it's around holidays, they were offering up their seasonal Balls of Holly--a nice Winter Ale that balances its somewhat robust body with effervescent pine & peppermint aromas from the hops (without going over-the-top to smell like a air freshener or candy cane) and a tinge of roasted malty-sweetness.

While you're here, give their sliders & German potato salad a go (which is how I discovered Big Dog's in the first place... though R.I.P. to their filet mignon sliders, my fave from years past.)

And I guess this would be a perfect segue for the next post about my favorite Vegas eats... stay tuned!

Frankie's Tiki Room
1712 West Charleston Boulevard  
Las Vegas, NV 89102-2335
(702) 385-3110
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Vesper Bar @ The Cosmopolitan Hotel
3708 South Las Vegas Boulevard
Las Vegas, NV
(877) 551-7778
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Big Dog's Cafe & Casino
6390 West Sahara Avenue
Las Vegas, NV
(702) 876-3647
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