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. 212: A few favorite winter cocktails around town

Now that the cold weather is really upon us (OK, comparatively speaking), what better occasion to warm yourself up with a wintery cocktail? Rather in the form of actually high temperature toddies or teas, or just warming from the spices and aromas, here are a few of my faves from the recent weeks:

Holiday Champagne Cocktail @ Cole's - this aromatic sparkler, which to me is the lovechild of a standard Champagne cocktail and a French 75, combined Mumm's Brut with Hendrick's gin, mulled spices syrup, Angostura and a pinch of ground cinnamon. I love how the warm, sweet spices of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves are amplified by the fizzy bubbles and that the gin gave it an extra oompf (that we ALL need in Winter) plus a floral bouquet subtly reminding me that Spring's not that far away.

Western all'Italiana @ Drago Centro - more than just a fun wordplay on Spaghetti Westerns, this cocktail contains both American and Italian flavors--a spicy High West Double Rye is mixed with Cointreau, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, cranberry+oregano infused molasses & finished with Honeycrisp apples, resulting in a well-rounded cocktail that's edgy with familiar flavors, fruity without being too sweet and deceptively potent. Just ask Connie, Jenny or Andy!

7th Street Toddy @ Seven Grand - A fun South-of-the-border spin off the traditional Hot Toddy blending Glenfiddich 12 year with Mexican chocolate, Agave nectar and plenty of mint leaves -- all three of which added a delightful vibrancy to the cocktail, like a warmed-up Mint Julep kissed by your Abuelita. And still just as soothing for the throat...

Earl the Pearl @ The Roof on Wilshire* - So simple yet so fun, this DIY drink features a shot of dark rum, a stick of cinnamon, a jar of honey and a pot of Earl Grey de la Creme tea -- all ready for your to mix to your liking. And it's a lovely, well-balanced combination -- the spicy rum is nicely tempered by the sweet, rich honey and both are rounded out by the tea (which complements the rum & honey just enough - the vanilla - without being too matchy-matchy - the bergamot.) As an added bonus, the pot contains more than enough tea for you to have a second cup on its own. And, as my drinking & dining companion Caroline on Crack can attest, this place's got an amazing space & some worthy noshes too!

Cranhattan @ Border Grill Downtown* - Definitely one to file under "don't judge a book by its cover;" despite its Cosmopolitan-esque apperance, it is considerably more mature and regal with a flavor profile that's surprisingly close to a real Manhattan, thanks to the Herradura Añejo that's oaked over two years, a cranberry & orange pureé utilizing the fruits' skins and zest to add a balancing bitterness, a cranberry-brandy liqueur for depth & richness and of course, a skewer of brandied cranberries that's infinitely better than the neon red stuff. Alas, this drink recently rotated out of their menu, but here's the recipe for you to recreate at home--it's worth the effort especially for a gathering! Update: Just heard from Border Grill that they can still make this for a few more weeks - yippee! So get it while it's still around.

*Disclaimer: I sampled the Cranhattan at a hosted tasting, and the Earl the Pearl wound up being comp'd due to a mishap; the others, however, I've tried on my own dime.

Cole's French Dip

118 East 6th Street

Los Angeles, CA

(213) 622-4090 

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Drago Centro

525 S Flower St #120

Los Angeles, CA

(213) 228-8998

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Seven Grand

515 W 7th Street, 2nd Floor

Los Angeles, CA

(213) 614-0737

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The Roof on Wilshire

6317 Wilshire Boulevard

Los Angeles, CA

(323) 852-6000

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Border Grill DTLA

445 South Figueroa Street

Los Angeles, CA

(213) 486-5171

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Special Foodventure #157: Mad Hatter Afternoon Tea at Boxwood Café (West Hollywood)

It's been a while since I gone on afternoon tea with friends; of course, with the debut of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland - numerous eateries around town jumped at the chance to (re) promote their tea services. Of the ones doing an Alice themed tea, the one at the Boxwood Café looked the most appealing, so that's where ConBon, Jennio and I went for a lazy Saturday afternoon of sips, bites and chit-chat.

Located in the London West Hollywood, the restaurant's decor matched that of the hotel -- light creamy beiges for an airy, ethereal feel with glitzy gold accents and tres-chic marble tables and columns with plush overstuffed chairs and couches lined with embossed leather. As for other patrons, we had expected just hotel guests and maybe some ladies-who-lunch, but it was a wide ranging crowd, twentysomething group of friends catching up, Hollywoody executives engaging in biz gossip, mothers and daughters in teatime dress-up, and of course, camera-touting bloggers like us.

Here's the menu promising the myriad of whimsical delights to come, I was mildly disappointed that the upgrade price for champagne cocktails changed from $5 a person (which is still listed on their Website menu at time of this posting!) to a $17 a person (indicated by the $45/person at bottom of above-menu.) The three of us had looked forward to checking out color-themed "Drink Me" concoctions ("Red" with Pama Liqueur and pom juice, "Orange" with Triple Sec plus citrus juices, "Purple" with Framboise liqueur, for example) but decided to just do the regular virgin tea at $28/person instead.

Conbon and Jennio must've feel particularly fruity today, as they opted for the mountain berry and tangerine infused teas. I went for a mystical-sounding "Life Through Water" described at the time by our server that it's "rockstar on crack" because it apparently left her hyper all day when she tried it. I was surprised upon serving that it's the lightest of the three brews, and sure enough, it didn't taste particularly strong. Turns out that this was a green tea blended with lemongrass, peppermint and yerba mate. Not particularly buzz-inducing for my coffee-twice-daily body, but it was pleasant to drink with nice notes of sweet grass and mint plus a clean finish. No milk needed here, and even sugar lumps are optional for this one.

Shorty after tasting each other teas, the servers (yes, plural!) brought out the tea set, three food-packed tiers plus an extra plate for starters and scone condiments!

For an amuse, we started off with demitasse cups filled with poached strawberries and coconut foam. A lighter and more refreshing spin off the classic Strawberries Romanoff, we finished these off in no time.

Then came the mini plain and blackcurrant scones, with colored Devonshire cream and berry compote. We love that the scones are not the dense bricks 'o carbs we've had at other afternoon tea services, but fluffy like a freshly-baked biscuit. And the compote was excellent, vibrant with berry flavors and just the right balance between sweet and acidity, it made the bland cream pale in comparison, even if it was lilac-tinted.

Next up, two-bite tea sandwiches (crusts off, of course!) from left to right: roast beef with horseradish crème fraiche, salmon with sour cream and lemon, tomato-cherry jam with aged English cheddar and smoked ham with red onion marmalade. We were collectively underwhelmed by the roast beef sandwich, but found the other ones delicious and interesting. My favorite was the smoked ham, which had a great sweet-savory contrast between the meat and the sweet onions.

Finally, my favorite part of any afternoon teas, all the sweets and pastries! This also is where they truly let their Alice creativity shine - what with brightly colored macarons with "contrasting color fillings" (my yellow-and-green one turned out to be lemon-almond,) blackberry panna cotta and jelly shots, Queen of Hearts lemon curd tarts with berries, chocolate decadence cake with a ball of lavender ganache, and chocolate-enrobed "mushroom" cakes. I love the range it covered, something berryish, something citrusy, something chocolaty (and everything tasty) but the chocolate decadence definitely takes the cake - it tastes like a flourless chocolate batter baked (or chilled) just enough to hold together, but practically melts into rich, dark chocolate ganache goodness upon landing in my mouth. And it was delicious enough that my friends asked the server to wrap up their half-eaten chocolate decadences home.

And even though the mildly stormy and rainy weather was less than ideal for an afternoon tea, we had a wonderful time lazily lounging about (and props to the front-of-house staff for their super-friendly service, particularly in refilling our teapots twice and never trying to hustle us out long after the food is done with!) And if Boxwood's other meals are anything like their afternoon teas, that's something I definitely look forward to returning to.

But in the meantime, you have the rest of the month to enjoy the Mad Hatter Afternoon Tea; 3 to 5 p.m. daily and I presume on April Fools it'll revert back to their regular version.

More photos on the flickr set here

Boxwood Café by Gordon Ramsay
at the London West Hollywood
1020 North San Vicente Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 358-7788

Mini Foodventure #86: Royal/T (Culver City)

Admittedly, I entered Royal/T with a skeptical heart; on one hand, it is pretty cool to be dine in such an artsy space filled with assorted installations, paintings and sculptures and be served by cosplay-waitresses in French maid costumes. On the other hand, if that's the selling point, how good can the food be? But since I had other friends curious about checking this place out, I decided to give this place a try.
Situated roughly midway between Downtown Culver City and the Helms District, Royal/T is a pretty expansive converted space that's part gallery (featuring some Murakami works, Gothic Lolita wall murals, and a Porta-Party that... you'll just have to go to find out!) part design shop (selling a lot of Japanese and Japan-inspired items alongside sleek designer products such as urban mini concrete planters and sleek-yet-functional insulated Bodum glassware) and of course, part tea shop. While I was most interested in the last one, it was pretty cool wandering through the whole space and checking out the various collection, works and stuff for sale. And yes, I did porta-party!
Wanting to sample a little of everything, my friend and I both got the afternoon tea set. For teas, I opted for the royal matcha green latte, which was an excellent rich and nutty brew that was perfect with a spoonful of sugar. My compadré got the Tokyo breakfast, a slightly fruitier remix of the traditional English breakfast that still went well with sugar and milk. I was also very impressed with the Bodum glassware, whose air-blown design functions like a thermos, insulating the beverage and keeping it warm way longer than normal teacups!
As for the edibles, they certainly look cute ~ but failed to impress my tastebuds. The sandwiches were all variants of open-faced white-bread with mayo and cucumber topped with something (avocado slices, spicy tuna, etc.), overall I found them unremarkable and messy to eat, but my cucumber-loathing friend absolutely didn't care for them (usually she understands if there's one cucumber sandwich in her afternoon tea set, but all four?!) The warm mushroom quiche was pretty flavorful, but the sweets (mini berry tart, dense chocolate cake, taro mousse tart) again failed to leave a mark. My biggest disappointment, however, was the total utter absence of scones (and its accompanying jellies and cream) ~ totally shattered my afternoon/high tea world!

The overall 'meh'ness of the foods only confirmed my first impression, more scene than substance -- foodwise. At least there was yummy tea to wash it all down.
Nonetheless, it was a nice atmosphere, the drinks were decent, the staff was nice (and totally didn't mind posing for the above photo -- a request which I'm sure they're used to and sick of) and the rest of the menu looks reasonably priced so I wouldn't object to a return trip and maybe try a few of their other a la carte items (baked eggs, sandwiches, rice bowls), or maybe just to have a sip of delicious tea in an artsy setting after a meal elsewhere in the C.C.

What Do Others Say?:
Potatomato loved the environs and drinks too; friend said other foods there are mediocre
Best of LA enjoyed the teas as well, sandwiches were hit and miss
Caroline on Crack got the inside scoop with owner Susan Hancock
Yelpers give it 3.5 stars
FoodDiggers graded it 86/100 (higher on vibe points than anything else, obvs)

Royal/T
8910 Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
T 310 559 6300
www.royal-t.org

Get $5 for Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf for Nat'l Coffee Day

Hey everyone! National Coffee Day is almost over but I've been approached by the PR folks at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf to give out $5 gift cards to the first five folks who email me for a free cup of joe (or two). Sure, it's a chain, but it's also a drink or two on the house (and I personally am ga-ga over their seasonal Winter Dream Latte). So... start the emailing NOW! Sorry for the near end of day post -- but better late than never ;)

UPDATE: Got my five folks. Thanks for playing and hopefully there'll be more giveaways down the turnpike.

Special Foodventure #71: LA BBQ Fest and Jin Patisserie (Santa Monica / Venice)

The closest I'll ever come to doing a food marathon, this past weekend was nothing but pure gluttony. As it so happens, three interesting food events coincided these past two days -- so the obvious solution is to attend them all! (and then eat and drink some more in-between!)
Starting off this feast is the LA BBQ Fest in Santa Monica, featuring some favorite barbecue pitmasters from around town and across the nation. It was right next to the pier, and the food is reasonably priced ($10 for main dishes, $2-5 for sides, desserts and beverages)

Given that I can always visit the local 'cues whenever, me and my foodie friends (Aaron from Food Destination, Will from LA Food Hunt and T from FoodDigger) focused on the out-of-state stuff.
Starting off, I had a hot sausage and beef brisket sandwich platter from Elgin, TX-based Southside Market. It seemed rather hard to eat it as a sandwich (especially with a whole sausage) I picked it apart with a fork and knife. The brisket was tender and moist, albeit a bit too fatty, but flavorful enough that it didn't really need BBQ sauce (but that was tasty too). The sausage, on the hand, was just OK since it wasn't nearly as spicy as I expected. Even with their signature hot sauce I still wasn't feeling the heat, but it was decent for a non-spicy sausage and was great when eaten with the raw onions.
Moving on, Aaron and I shared a plate of spare ribs and barbecue beans from L.C.'s BBQ in Kansas City. Sinfully tasty, the meat - crispy charred on the outside, succulent on the inside - practically falls off the bone and the sauce was a perfect mix of sweet, sour and smoky for me. The beans was also pretty awesome, slighty sweet and with little rib pieces and drippings mixed right inside! I can see why the lines stretched hours long by the time I left. Thankfully, I arrived right at the start of the event and so only waited about 15-20 minutes, made much shorter by my chattering about food with the bloggers -- also met Jeni from Oishii Eats & Dylan from Eat Drink and Be Merry here too! (Tip for future: totally worth springing the extra $$ to split a VIP pass with a group of friends to avoid such a long, horrendous wait in the sweltering heat; yes, it's right next to the ocean, but there also dozens of grills blowing hot smoke too!)
We also splitted a plate of St. Louis' style spare ribs and beans from Bandana's BBQ. Decidely more vinegary and with smaller, leaner spare ribs -- I thought they were a little dry but otherwise OK. The beans (not pictured) were too syrupy for my liking, however. I guess I am not as big a fan of dry-rub 'cues with the thinner, vinegar-based sauces -- though they are still more flavorful than the usually-too-sweet "barbecue flavored ketchup" as I like to call them that's served at chain places and sold by the bottle in supermarkets.
Ending on a sweet note, I got some "pink velvet" and "strawberilicious" cupcakes from Leyna's Kitchen, one of the very few cupcakes I like (and thanks to Caroline for introducing these to me) As I expected, they were moist, not too heavy or sweet, with a delightful surprise in the center (cream in the velvet, jam in the strawberry).

After all this smokey meat, the first thing I want to do is to cleanse my system. Thankfully, there were samples of POM Juice freely given out (I am sure an ounce of fruity antioxidants will counteract the over two pound of carcinogens I just ingested!), and I took a leisurely drive down to Venice where I relaxed and detoxed at Jin Patisserie . . .
. . . where I had a cup of tea and a slice of cake. Apparently they switched from Les Palais des Thes to The O Dor (another French brand); gone is my beloved Des Concubines tea, but I think I may have found a new favorite: Act II, a green tea described as "an ensemble of berries, cherry blossoms, rose and other mysterious flavors" -- the fruity and floral perfume is ever-so-slight, and it's a very delicate, light and clean-tasting tea that was heavenly to sip and actually put a smile on my face as I mellowed out in their courtyard. As for the cake, which I gotta have when I go to Jin, I got my favorite, the Spring Bouquet made with meringue pieces rolled in a light cream with strawberries and mangoes.
A nice little break that helped me jumpstart my two-hour walk to and along Venice Canals, beach and piers to burn off some calories . . . before I load them up again, and then some, at the Hokkaido Fair in Torrance Mitsuwa later that day! (to be posted soon.)