Category Archives: Dining

It’s a Trial Run

Posted on by RedFlair14

This past week I was very flattered to be included in the “Friends & Family” night for Rick Moonen’s RX Boiler Room at Mandalay Place. For those of you who aren’t aware, when new restaurants open, they do what’s called a “soft opening” for regular patrons and those who have spent a good deal of time and/or money with their other restaurants or with properties in the same group ownership. They also invite their personal friends. Now to be honest, I am not sure which group I fell into this week. I am Lynn’s best friend (Rick’s ex-wife), and a friend of his as well, but I also eat at RM Seafood frequently (about twice a month) and hosted a dinner party at RM for 14 people in December. Hubby John is buddies with Rick’s oldest son as well. So I am not sure if I was there because of my patronage, or because of other ties. Either way I was glad to be included.

The thing to remember is that this is a TRIAL RUN. The resto is trying to figure out if their training is working and if the menu items are well received. Sometimes they even give you a questionnaire to fill out. Most of the time we all look at questionnaires and basically ignore them and generally not fill them out, but in this case you really HAVE to because that is why you were invited. They want feedback on everything. Did you like the décor? How was the music? Which dishes did you like best? What problems did your service have and how can they be improved?

If you are lucky enough to ever be invited to a soft opening, here are a few guidelines to remember:
 Be overly nice – they are all NEW employees, they don’t have their own rhythm yet and are still learning.
 Be honest in your assessments and try not to let petty grievances get in your way. If you wait 30 minutes for your cocktails to arrive, and there is some confusion regarding the drink order, be clinical about it without being nasty.
 You aren’t getting a check, so tip generously. You generally will see the regular menu with pricing so you will have a basic idea of what your check should have been. 20% is a bare minimum in these cases, even if the service wasn’t great. Remember, they are still learning.
 If the Chef and/or owner come to the table, tell them what you liked best. They REALLY want to know. Only offer up info on problems if they ask, they will see the questionnaires later. They are stressed out enough without having to hear complaints.
 Expect a manager to come to your table at least once. Be sure to NICELY tell them of any problems so they can be addressed that night for other patrons. If everyone repeats the same comments verbally AND in writing, they know there is a MAJOR issue.
 If you can, go with a group – that way everyone at your table has the chance to try a lot of different things and give constructive feedback, not only on the menu, but also on how the server did with a larger party.

I took not one pic of the room, but Eater Las Vegas posted some great ones! Check Susan Stapleton’s write up here.

I did take pics of all of our food! Because there were 5 of us at our table we were able to eat several small plates and five different entrees. Here are a few – to see ALL of them – go to my FB page – Good for Spooning.

Bacon on Bacon – Bacon wrapped pork belly atop toast, crowned with a quail egg.

Shrimp & Grits

Mac & Cheese that my son says is better than mine. In 20 years he has NEVER said that. And they use wagon wheel pasta!

Failed Experiment – Meatless Mondays

Posted on by RedFlair14

For years we tried to do “Vegetarian Night” once a week and I used to make a black bean and rice casserole. It had cheese, green chiles, spices. I made this for years about once every few months, thinking all the while how awesome it was that we were eating healthfully and that everyone but me really liked it. Yeah, ok, SOOO not the case. I found out after about 8 years that NO ONE in my family liked it, but they kept eating it because they thought I did. Now that is love and devotion for you and probably also a little fear. John and I were both raised to eat what was put in front of us and not bitch about it. Consequently Jack was raised the same way.

Nowadays we don’t even bother trying to eat meatless on Monday – we just do it when we feel like it. Most “meatless” nights consist of fish for us, but that is about as close as we are getting. Neither John nor I are big fans of tofu, and beans are just…just well, beans. I have tried to like eating vegetarian, but I guess I am one of those “blood types” that needs to eat meat (if you believe in that stuff).

So here we are back at the beginning, trying to be healthy and eating good tasting food at the same time. If I see another salad, I may commit hara kari (Moment of Truth – salads, with a few exceptions, are among my least favorite foods to eat…ever). At this point I want to ask the question, “Why bother?” If I enjoy eating, and you know I do, why should I eat something I don’t really like in an effort to be healthy when there are other options out there? Why should I compromise my taste buds because I am supposed to be globally aware? If I am miserable eating that way, should I really continue? If you like tofu, lentils and beans, three cheers for you! I can’t stand them and frankly I don’t want to eat them most of the time (I do make exceptions for dal, hot and sour soup and cannellini beans).

For me, it’s Mostly Meatless Mondays. Last night in an effort to eat mostly meatless it was grilled cheese and cheater tomato soup with roasted garlic. Gooey Havarti and Black Forest Ham on sourdough. I enjoyed last night’s choices so much that I think I may change it to “Grilled Cheese Monday”. It may be a weekly tradition for a while. Of course there was ham in the sandwishes, but it was MOSTLY meatless. Maybe this will allow me to play with fun grilled cheese options? Adding jams, fruit preserves and pestos to the ‘wishes? Getting a little grandiose with the cheese choices? Presenting grilled or sautéed veggies nestled in the melted dairy goodness? OK! I’m in! Maybe this recipe for next week and this one for the week after? They’re MOSTLY meatless…

On a side note, I am completely overwhelmed by the response my Food Shaming post received. Thanks to all of you who shared, reposted, read and talked about it. As always, feel free to comment and ask questions.

Enjoy this cheesy goodness…until next week! For more great ideas on Grilled Cheese check out the Grilled Cheese Academy. There is even a downloadable book!

Food Shaming

Posted on by RedFlair14

This past weekend I had the opportunity to do a couple of things that I don’t normally get to do. I was able to dine with Friend, and Food Writer, Al Mancini on one of his jaunts and I got to go to an all-girl party. As I have written before, dining with a Food Writer is MUCH different than dining with my adoring husband. While both are phenomenal, the perks of dining with friend Al are above what I am accustomed to receiving and for those perks alone, the meal is vastly different. The FOOD is not per se, but having everyone pay special attention to you is an added bonus.

So, on Friday, as per usual, I joined my Posse for Happy Hour at our regular place, dropped off snacks for an all-female get together, and then had dinner with Al at Fleur in Mandalay Bay. The meal was fantastic and we had a good time (see the pics below). After having stimulating conversation over food and wine with Al, I returned to the all-female gathering and proceeded to settle in for a good time. My host had told the gals that I dropped off a snack, had to leave and would be back after dinner. Because she told them where I was going and who I was with, several of the women wanted to hear about the food so I happily gushed and dished. There were all types of eaters there, several of whom I did not know, from Vegan to Omnivore and everything in between.

After talking about the meal, I went outside on the patio to smoke (don’t judge) and one of the women I did not know joined me and proceeded to verbally attack me about my food choices with the following comments among others:

  •  The food in those high end places is not worth what you pay
  •  When you eat there you are paying for someone’s ego
  •  It’s overpriced
  •  You aren’t getting what you think you are getting

Then 2 young vegetarians joined the discussion and started talking about food choices. I informed them, that having grown up on a farm, and having worked in a butcher shop, I am perfectly aware of where my food comes from and I am at the top of the food chain and I will eat what I please. I won’t even get into my half of the conversation defending fine dining.

The following day I read an article about “Slut Shaming” and I thought to myself, “Dammit! Those women were trying to ‘Food Shame’ me!” Holy bat shit, Batman! They were trying to make me feel guilty and ashamed for enjoying foie gras (Moment of Truth – I bear a simmering dislike for California for banning foie gras – but it doesn’t stop me from going there to visit). They were attempting to make my enjoyment and love of food a shameful thing. I was even called, and I quote, “crazy”, because I make my own bacon, sausage and pancetta (usually I am called a bad ass). Needless to say, their attempt at shaming me didn’t work because I am quite comfortable with my thoughts, feelings and opinions on food. But what if I was weaker? Oddly enough I didn’t even get worked up about it until I read the “Slut Shaming” article and put 2 and 2 together.

Then I REALLY got to thinking…do I unintentionally “food shame” others? Perhaps. I have been known to encourage people to NOT eat in chains like Applebee’s, Olive Garden, Outback and Chili’s in favor of supporting Mom & Pop or locally owned places. I have been known to tell people I won’t eat in Chick Fil A because of their stance on gay marriage (same goes for Carl’s Jr.). In an effort to get people really LOOKING at their seafood options I have told them not to eat Chilean Sea Bass because it is being over fished to the point of near endangerment (source – Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch). I always felt like I was educating people, sharing info I had learned, or sharing my feelings. Now that I take a closer look, I realize that perhaps I was inadvertently “food shaming” people. So I formally apologize if I have done this to you!

This brings up a variety of thoughts. Let’s face facts, most of us have strong feelings and/or opinions about our food, what we eat, where our food comes from, how we spend our food dollars and how we cook. But when sharing those thoughts, where does SHARING end and SHAMING begin? I know I, for one, will be taking a much closer look at what I say, to whom and in what context.

Here are the pics of the fab food from Fleur:

Kusshi Oyster with Citrus Granita – served on a bed of glass beads over dry ice. Liquid was poured on the beads and the smoking visual ensued

Ceviche Style Tuna Tartare

Truffled Beef Carpaccio with Arugula and shaved parmesan

Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras, cherry clafoutis and blackberry sorbet

Roasted Diver Scallop with tender Mexican Squash and Tomato Water – my fave dish of the night!

Potato Crusted Loup de Mere with cauliflower mousse and grilled grape beurre blanc. Don’t you just love the way they laid out the sliced fingerling potatoes to look like fish scales?

Strawberry Shortcake

Assorted Desserts

Do You Speak French?

Posted on by RedFlair14

Yeah – I know I am a week late, and for the record I am several dollars short because I just finished my expense report from Vegas Uncork’d. So that’s why I am late, I was just flat out exhausted and had to play catch up on my OTHER stuff for a few days. I will say I LOVE working Uncork’d – it’s fun, fast paced, and allows me to use a skill set I have developed over the years (mainly being bossy and problem solving). This year I was even able to use some local talent to help the event along for Texas Pete. Many thanks to John Courtney, Mike Klinger and Cutthroat Culinary Christian Dolias for stepping up! I SO appreciate it. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Speaking of John, a few months ago he introduced me to his terribly French boss, Chef Eric Lhuillier,¬ and I have been enchanted ever since. Eric is the Executive Chef at Pinot Brasserie in the Venetian/Palazzo Restaurant Row. If you have been following along you all know I love the “Frenchies” – Hubert, Michel, Guy, Joel…you get the picture. I think I know why. Upon meeting French librarian Mrs. Wintje in elementary school, I immediately wanted to go to Paris and see the Eiffel Tower (something I have yet to do). I took my first French lessons from her. I wanted to eat French food, and wear French clothes. I wanted a black beret, a striped boat neck shirt, and a scarf tied around my neck. I wanted to smoke Gauloises and wear heavy eyeliner which I imagined to be tres chic. I thought if you were French, there were no problems, because French people weren’t poor and they didn’t have problems, or if they did have problems, they didn’t seem to care, shrugging with Gallic indifference. Or maybe I would have had the same problems, but it wouldn’t seem so tragic because they were French problems. I basically drove my mother crazy. KNOWING that someday I would get to Paris, I took French for 4 years. I was never fluent mind you, but I understood well enough and I could get my point across and read a menu. Chatting with Eric has brought back SOME of my French, although it is pathetic, so I am trying to find a tactful way to MAKE him speak to me so I can get better. I listen to myself speaking French and all I can think about are those horrible caricatures of bumpkins trying to be Continental and saying, “mercy buttercup silver plate” instead of “Merci, beaucoup, s’il vous plait”. And for the record, I love to listen to Eric and the other Frenchies speak.

In 1988 I moved to Madrid and I lived in Spain for more than 3 years. When the locals spoke to me, because French was the only foreign language I knew, I expected them, in some small childish part of my brain, to be speaking in French. Of course I was completely affronted when they didn’t understand me, and utterly confused when I didn’t understand them. I was forced to learn Spanish on top of my already floundering French, and now listening to someone speak a Romance Language is confusing for me. I HEAR what they are saying and in what language they are saying it, and most times I can decipher it, but I invariably revert back to Spanish when trying to answer because I don’t have as much experience speaking any other. Compound that with my normal hearing difficulties and I have a real problem. I normally have to read people’s lips if I am in a loud environment, but when someone is not speaking English as their first language, I find myself nodding along sometimes and agreeing with everything they say, simply because I can’t understand them (Moment of Truth – I sometimes wonder if they KNOW I am agreeing so as not to admit to my complete lack of understanding and I wonder if they make up nonsense stuff just to test me). That’s how it is with Eric, unless I have been drinking…then my brain stops trying so hard and I am able to HEAR AND SPEAK in broken French, enough to the point that I am understood – or at least I THINK I am understood. I thought it was just me, but my husband and my son say the same is true for them with a foreign language.

So Eric invited me and friends Lynn and Laurie to come have soft shelled crabs for lunch one day at Pinot Brasserie. I, of course, was late and upon my arrival I was told there were no crabs. I made a big show of being so disappointed I would just as soon go home for lunch – I think we all knew I was kidding. At least I hope Eric knew I was kidding, because he proceeded to spoil the 3 of us for lunch and I pray it wasn’t out of guilt over not having the promised crabs.

Enjoy the pics below – and for goodness sake if you are in the Venetian/Palazzo go and have at least the charcuterie and the cheese. BOTH are magnifique!

The Charcuterie and Cheese

Friends Laurie, Lynn and I with Chef Eric

A lovely Salade Nicoise

Elevated Melon and Prosciutto with compressed melon and Midori

I am not sure who told Eric that Maccarons are my fave dessert, but these lovelies were filled with sorbet!

Pet Skeeves

Posted on by RedFlair14

I already did a blog on pet peeves when dining out, this is a short follow up.

We all have things that gross us out about food, or as I like to call it – skeeve out. For some people it is the way food looks or smells, but for me it is something else entirely. As I was reading a write up in Bon Appetit mag about hotel bars I realized that I have a REAL problem with food in bars, namely the “bar snacks”.

This is what bar snacks SHOULD look like

Here’s the thing: If a charming bartender puts a fresh bowl of popcorn, nuts, pretzels, etc. in front of me, I will happily enjoy them. And by fresh I mean I SAW the edibles come from the container into my bowl, not from another bowl into my bowl. If anyone I don’t know puts their hands in that bowl, I am done eating. I have utmost respect for bartenders. I trust the bar tender has clean hands; their hands are in water all of the time. I mostly like other bar flys, however I know there are some disgusting people out there who don’t wash their hands after using the restroom (I know – really nasty). How do I know that the person sharing that bowl of pretzels with me has washed their hands? I am not risking giardia or other illness on their cleanliness. Don’t talk to me about shell on nuts like pistachios and peanuts either. Pistachios have part of the nut “touchable” and I can’t stand peanuts.

Crazy? Perhaps. I just don’t like to eat food other people have touched if I am not sure their hands are clean. I shocked Friend Lynn when I told her if I am at a party the same rules apply. If I know everyone there, fine. If there are a bunch of people I don’t know, and one of them chooses not to use the tongs and sticks their hands into the veggie tray, popcorn, potato chips etc. I won’t eat that item. She laughed and thought I was kidding until she saw my face. She and I have been to several parties together and she never noticed that. Of course, now she will be on the lookout. I KNOW I am not the only one with this particular pet skeeve. I personally know someone (who shall remain nameless) that buys foldable bamboo tongs as host gifts for friends when she notices that they don’t have enough serving utensils at parties and people are putting their hands into the food. I know you read this blog weekly – you can out yourself.

And yes, this rule applies to buffets as well. When Jack was little we used to go to buffets here in Vegas quite a bit. It was a great way for him to TRY new things and if he didn’t like them, he didn’t feel badly about not finishing what was on his plate. These days I go to buffets seldom. Usually with visiting friends, when a new one opens (because I HAVE to see it), or for brunch on a Sunday. I won’t go to the Bellagio buffet any more. One afternoon I witnessed a tourist use their hands to grab large handfuls of shrimp from the seafood bar. I informed my server and they shut the whole cold seafood section down and emptied it. Can you imagine if no one had reported it?

I know what you are thinking. “She doesn’t know all of the people making and touching her food when she eats out.” That is true, but I TRUST that the dining establishment has trained their staff on proper hand washing and food handling techniques. In fact, I KNOW in the Las Vegas area if you are going to work in any food handling establishment, including grocery stores, you must have a food handler’s safety card. I have one and so does my son. Come to think about it, I had never really focused on it before I took that class when I was in culinary school.

One of the nicest bar pleasures for me has been when I see the bartender make a special point of creating my “bar snack”. Such was the experience at the Bar American at the Lowe’s Portofino at Universal Studios Orlando. And it was AWESOME! Olives, warm nuts and nice pretzel mix…just for me! No one else was permitted to share mine since each patron or small group of patrons, at the bar got their own! Happy, happy, joy, joy. Frabjuous DAY! Now I am spoiled. I want ALL bartenders to do this for me. Alas, it is not to be…I was handed a recycled bowl of popcorn. Needless to say, I am not touching it.

Bar American at Lowe’s Portofino

Next week? My trip to Zion Mountain Ranch, a surprising gem in the mountains.

Ethical Consumption

Posted on by RedFlair14

Friend Dani has a very precocious daughter named Piper and before she was 10 she decided, on her own, that eating animals was mean and that we shouldn’t do it. Up until that point she had been an omnivore like the rest of her family. She told me she didn’t think that killing a living thing to eat is a fair choice. I reminded her that plants and vegetables were living things too, and she amended her statement to say killing animals to eat wasn’t fair. The entire family decided to follow Piper’s lead and now CHOOSE not to eat animal flesh with the exception of fish. And now Piper is preparing for a class presentation of her choosing on Ethical Eating.

Ethical Eating? What does that mean for Pete’s sake? Do I have to give up foods I love to be an ethical diner? Does it mean that I have to become a vegetarian, or worse yet, a vegan? Do I have to eat only organic produce? What about free range chickens and cage free eggs? Farm raised fish versus wild caught? Can I do that and STILL stay within my budget (we all know that organic, cage free, free range, etc. cost more than double in some cases)?
It is a varied and vast topic, and Dani and I delved into it while cooking up a MOSTLY meatless meal (John and I are omnivores), bringing Piper into it for her thoughts as well. Basically, the short answer is this: know where your food comes from and make choices about what you eat that follow your moral compass. If you are an animal rights activist that means one thing. If you are concerned about our waterways, it means something else. If the thought of pesticides and herbicides makes you cringe, like Rachel Carson, then your choices will be entirely different. Of course some people would think any of that makes one a “food snob” and maybe it does. Does choosing to eat based on your beliefs make you a food snob? Does selecting only the best choices you can afford and not settling for second best make you a snob? If you answered YES, then yes, ethical eating makes you a food snob. If you answered NO, then you know what a true food snob is.

So here is a breakdown of SOME of the ways you can choose to eat ethically:
• Vegetarian and Vegan – Vegetarians eat no FLESH of animals and Vegans eat no animal products at all (including honey, eggs and dairy). Some choose this option for animal rights (killing something to eat it is abhorrent to them), others choose it for health reasons and still others object to the practices of mass producing meat. While it is becoming much more widespread, it is not an option for me as my favorites would be removed from my diet.
• Choosing Organic – Organic gardening and farming means raising food products without pesticides or herbicides, no GMO feed for the animals, and no hormones or antibiotics in meat and dairy. This is a good jumping off point if you are just starting to think about your food. These options DO cost more because the grocers and retailers know they can get the price – supply and demand.
• Eat Local – harder for us here in the desert, but in other parts of the country this should be a no brainer! Choose produce, and meat products when possible, that are from your area. Typically that means within a 100 mile radius. Farmers’ Markets are great places to shop this way. Be aware! Farmers’ Markets tend to be pricier. This is an ethical choice for a few reasons – supporting family owned farms AND less petroleum used in the transportation to market, and many family farms are organic. If you have a local “pick your own” farm, go and do that!
• Seafood Watch – This is a great resource for choosing sustainable, healthy choices for fish and shellfish. Many species are “over-fished” leading to depletion in numbers and consequently having a massive impact on the natural water ecosystems. You would think farm raised fish is a good choice, but that is NOT necessarily the case. Look for stores and restaurants with the Seafood Watch sign. These places will have ONLY “good choices” so you will know that everything you buy meets the Seafood Watch guidelines. Thank you Rick Moonen for the education!
• Snout to Tail Dining – for ages when an animal was slaughtered, EVERYTHING on it was used, from its hide to bones to organs and fat, not only the meat (Hello!? Native Americans?). In the 20th century we removed ourselves from this way of eating as we grew more prosperous and commercial “factory” farming became the norm. There is a movement to go BACK to the old ways. Several Chefs have gotten on board with Snout to Tail and I had the good fortune to eat in one of those restaurants in San Francisco. Many people won’t eat organ meat (liver or kidney for example), but is killing an animal JUST for the musculature ethical? Folks following the Snout to Tail model don’t think so and use or consume as much of the animal as possible. Try a crispy fried pig’s ear as a gateway food.

This is a pulled pork and crispy fried pig’s ear sandwich with pig brain mayo. Along side are curried macarons filled with foie gras mousse. Thanks to The Vegas Foodie for the photo. Created by Chef Brian Howard of Comme Ca at the Cosmopolitan for a food truck event.

I am NOT the most ethical eater, but I DO make choices that fit with my life and my moral compass about the foods I eat and buy. I use bones, tendons and feet in addition to meat when I make stock. The result is a thicker, richer, silkier stock and I participated in an ethical choice. I pick my own at a local farm, buy produce from a co-op and choose organic when possible and not outrageously overpriced. When buying fish, I use the Seafood Watch app for my phone (I used to carry a card…). And occasionally I will even do a Meatless Monday (it usually turns into MOSTLY Meatless Monday because I love bacon). The one thing I can’t/won’t do is go Vegetarian. I’d be miserable and if you are miserable about what you are NOT eating, is that an ethical choice?

It’s no secret that I believe as a member at the top of the food chain, I should be able to eat anything I want, up to and including foie gras, much to the shame of Californians and animal rights activists everywhere. But I KNOW where my food comes from. DO YOU? I grew up on a farm in upstate New York. I planted and picked strawberries, zucchini and tomatoes. I fished, raised chickens, collected eggs, plucked chickens, and participated in the butchering of meat, both farm raised and wild game (Moment of Truth – I can freezer wrap a butchered, average sized deer in 15 minutes). I know how to grind meat and stuff sausage into casings. If you don’t know where your food comes from, there are PLENTY of sources out there for you to watch and read. I challenge you to do a little research and find out exactly how your food is produced. Where did it come from? How does it make it to your table?

Beware, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing…and it might change the way you eat forever.

To Judge or Be Judged

Posted on by RedFlair14

This past weekend I was asked to be a judge for a cooking competition. So here is the format:
*Each Saturday Night at Tommy Rocker’s in Vegas, Food Trucks show up and provide late night snacks, for a fee of course, to the bar patrons AND to the service industry workers just getting off shift
*Two “Strip” Chefs come out and choose a truck to work from and then get a mystery basket (a la Chopped) and have to make a dish using ALL of the secret ingredients and anything they can find on the truck they chose.
*There is always a raffle for charity – this week was Three Square Food Bank
*There is no prize money or award…except bragging rights on the part of the Chef and the ever popular PBR Trophy.
*Each winning Chef is allowed to decorate the trophy is some fashion or other with something that represents them
*The PBR Trophy is going into its second season, so a new one was awarded this weekend. The first one had SO much adornment it threatened to topple over.

I have been attending these events for a year. Read previous blog here. They are late at night (Moment of Truth – I am a serious night owl, married to an early bird and Mom calls me a “Dirty Stay Out”). I always have a great time. The food from the trucks is always fun, the vibe is like a party of old friends getting together in someone’s back yard and I always run into people I know. I never go alone, Friend Lynn always goes with me, and Hubby joined us this time after a Disco Nap.

Frequently, I had half joked that no one ever asks me to be a judge. How hard could it be? Sit down and eat the food and decide which one you like better. I was thrilled and flattered when Jolene (AKA Sloppi Jo) asked me. I wasn’t at all nervous going into it, even when John questioned me in the car on the drive down, but as I sat at the bar-like table I started to second guess myself. Am I qualified to do this? What if I hurt someone’s feelings? What if I like (or dislike) both dishes equally, how do I decide? Sitting on an all female panel with Sue Mancini and Nicole Brisson (Exec Chef at Carnevino) I really started to doubt myself. Sue’s hubby does this for a living and Nicole is a culinary pro and dynamo and a past competitor for the PBR trophy herself. What the hell was I thinking? Holy Bat Shit Batman! Al hovered in the background like a nervous, soon to be Dad, Lynn and John snapped the pics for this blog and as everyone stared at us, I got more and more uptight. Al Mancini very sagely saying, “Welcome to my world” from behind me with food writer Jim Begley sitting behind me…yeah, no pressure at all!

Sue and I are “professional” eaters, but Nicole is a Chef. Would we see things the same or disagree? I needn’t have worried. I found myself in agreement with Sue and Nicole, even though we all said things differently. We were unanimous in our choice of winner. What was really cool for me was listening to Nicole say what I was thinking, but using completely different verbiage and thought processes. Sue and I have eaten together enough that we speak a similar language. I got it right! I was thinking like a CHEF! Hot DAMN!

So here was what was in the Mystery Basket:
New Zealand Lamb Chops
Red Miso Paste
Golden Beets
Peanut M&M’s
Texas Pete Original Hot Sauce

And here are the pics:

Taking it all very seriously, even though it is s’posed to be all in good fun. Left to Right – Nicole Brisson, Sue Mancini and me.

The food, with Jolene Manina’s hand and Jolene at the mic announcing the winner:

The Competitors:
On the Right – winner Chef Chris Palmeri of Naked City Pizza
On the Left – Chef Todd Williams of Caesar’s Palace

Now before the competition started, someone brought Balut to the table. Yeah, um, no! I said, “If it is one of the mystery ingredients, I WILL eat it, but I am NOT volunteering.” Al kept saying, “I’ll do it if you will.” After watching Cutthroat Culinary Christian Dolias spit it out? I don’t F-ing think so. If you don’t know what balut is, be sure to click the link above to learn more.

These are braver souls than I! Christian is the one in the black hat and T.

Next week – Ethical Eating. What does it mean to you?

Endings and Beginnings

Posted on by RedFlair14

The thing about Vegas, and I guess most major cities in the country, is that something good is always closing and something new is always opening. The other thing about Vegas is that no matter how long you live here, you can’t possibly get to every great dining option in the city, there are simply too many. This is the case with Michael Mina’s Nobhill Tavern at the MGM Grand.

This past Saturday was the final dinner service at Nobhill Tavern, but my first experience there. John and I were lucky enough to be asked to attend with some friends. It was an exceptional meal made all the better by the camaraderie around the table. In attendance were Al Mancini and his lovely wife Sue, three Chefs – Cutthroat Culinary Christian Dolias and his fab wife Jesikuh, Chefs Eric Lhuillier and John Courtney of Pinot Brasserie – and Chef John’s family. And that was just our table, the restaurant was packed with folks getting in their final Nobhill fix.

For me, the most fun thing about the food was that the menu was a recreation of the one offered when Nobhill Tavern first opened in Vegas AND because there were so many people at our table we were able to sample literally everything on said menu. DELISH! Not all of my pics came out great, so if you want other views, please click here to go directly to Al’s blog about the event. I sampled everything and I have to say, Sue’s lamb dish was the star of the evening, even though the presentation of the Lobster Pot Pie was stellar in and of itself (again, see Al’s blog for the best pics of that presentation).

And about beginnings…I eagerly await the opening of Michael Mina’s Pub 1842. If the food at Nobhill Tavern and the other Michael Mina properties around Vegas are any indication, it will be amazing. And to be completely honest, I love anything with the word PUB in it (with a few noted exceptions). As soon as it is open, I will happily check it out and hope to see our wonderful host from Nobhill Tavern, Ed Tracy (who was also our host at Seablue) again.

Enjoy the pictures, and don’t hate me because I ate so well.
The Fondue

The Charcuterie

Beef Carpaccio

The Lobster Pot Pie

The Lamb

Petaluma Chicken Breast with Foie Gras

Kurobuta Pork Chop

Beef Wellington with lobster creamed spinach (yes, really)

Sweet and Salty dessert offering. It was as delicious as it was beautiful

Drinking in the kitchen with the Chefs – this was a sublime opportunity and it was absolutely delicious. It was the perfect end to a perfect meal

Helping Out by Dining Out

Posted on by RedFlair14

This past week was celebrated by dining out…a LOT. March 8th – 15th was the Spring version of Las Vegas Restaurant Week (you will want to bookmark or “PIN” this site so you can access the fall offerings). If you were a lucky tourist you had PLENTY of great restaurants participating – over 80 participating restaurants both on and off The Strip. Special Prix Fixe menus were created and when purchased, up to $6 of the menu price was donated to Three Square Food Bank. In essence, Help Out, Dine Out.

I managed to eat at Due Forni, Embers, Cantina Laredo, Gordon Ramsay BurGR , Elements and rm Seafood for a special two chef, all star experience. I didn’t eat out EVERY meal that week, but I gave it the full court press!

If you have been following along, you know that I love to eat, and I love to eat a lot of different things. My family will tell you that fish is my fave. When I was a kid, we didn’t have a lot of money and when we infrequently went out to eat I was told, “Order something you can’t get at home.” Mom rarely cooked fish, so I always ordered fish. Gram and I had that in common; when out to eat, order the fish. Needless to say I was excited about the special Three Square Fundraiser Dinner Rick Moonen had cooked up (haha) with Michelin Starred former protégé Matt Accarrino of SPQR in San Francisco. It was dubbed a Shellfish Lover’s Paradise and it truly was.

Best of all was the fact that we had wonderful dining companions at our table. Brian Burton, CEO of Three Square and his friend Tiffany and an effervescent young couple (Aggies both) from Houston, Tyson and Hailey (you can read her blog and see her pics of her trip to Vegas and the great meal we shared here). For once I am thrilled with nearly all of my pics!

Smoked Salmon consommé vegetable crostini, seaweed pearls and house smoked roe by Matt Accarrino

Glazed Kusshi Oyster topped with caviar with edible seaweed garnish by Rick Moonen

“Lasagna di Granchio” 24 layers of fava bean pesto, pasta, peas shoots and black truffle by Matt Accarrino

Seared Scallop with Spicy Green Papaya Salad by Rick Moonen

Beef Belly with lobster, mushroom budino di pane (bread pudding), asparagus and smoked leek by Matt Accarrino

Green Tea and White Chocolate Panna Cotta with pineapple, macadamia and passion fruit by Rick Moonen

And of course – here is the obligatory pic of the Chefs and me for my “Collection”

Even better than Restaurant Week was the fact that Jack was able to come home a day early and surprise us with an extra day to share with him while on Spring Break. He was able to join us for dinner at Elements with The Hillhouses and Friend Shannon.

My Sister is Jealous and I Know It

Posted on by RedFlair14

One of the best things about living in Vegas is that it has become a “dining destination” city over the past 10 years. People come here with dining agendas and a list of places they want to try out. They read food mags, reviews, check the internet and do the research to make sure they are making the most of their dining hours. True foodies have eschewed the buffets and are willing to shell out some serious dollars to be pampered and have a spectacular dining experience. The image of Vegas being a city of excess is still alive and well, but it is mostly not for true food lovers.

A plethora of celeb chefs have restaurants here, and for the most part they are pretty decent (think Bobby Flay, Rick Moonen, Emeril Lagasse, Guy Savoy, Hubert Keller, etc). I feel that JUST because a celeb’s name is on the door is NOT a reason to go anywhere, but when I hear about decent food, celeb or not, I have to go. In fact, if I hear super-hyped food is NOT decent, I still have to go to see if I concur. And if there are mixed reviews, all the more reason for me to show up and dine. Whether a well known name is on the door or not! I am NOT considered a pro by anyone in any area of the food realm, but I know what I like and WHY I like it.

So, let’s talk about my Sister Nancy’s favorite celeb chef, Gordon Ramsay. He’s mean as hell on TV and I can’t even bear to watch his shows due in part to the way he talks to and treats people. I found it very difficult to justify spending any cash in any of his places until I learned that he is REALLY a nice guy and that the “Screaming Gordon” is a TV persona only. He has three places here in Vegas and I have eaten at two of them and sampled from the third. When he opened Gordon Ramsay Steak, Vegas Uncork’d was hot on the heels of the opening and he had a presence at the event. He served Beef Wellington, and while the beef itself was good, the pastry crust was a gummy mess and the mushroom duxelles was tasteless, so I couldn’t figure out why Nancy was so enthralled with this guy.

After mixed reviews from food writers and diners alike, Friend Lynn and I went to Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill. Other than a nice chatty bartender (which, if you have been following along, you know I adore) we were wholly underwhelmed. Everything was just OK – nothing spectacular. Everything was adequate, but not outstanding. Still, I was left wondering what all the hype was about. Why do people revere and love this guy? I couldn’t figure it out.

That changed last week when Friend Al Mancini invited me to check out Gordon Ramsay BurGR with him. Now of course, as I have mentioned before, eating with Al is not like eating with just anyone else. He is a local food writer and host of a soon to be aired Travel Channel Show (All Forked Up), so people in the industry know who he is. I chuckled to myself when I told the hostess I was meet my friend Al and they visibly became giddy and nearly tripped over themselves to take care of me (Moment of Truth – I was early for the first time in my life). We have exemplary service and tasted some really good things. NOW I know why Nancy likes this guy Gordon!

To be fair, we ordered MORE than we could possibly eat because we wanted to try several things on the menu, in fact the manager told us to order one of everything (we did NOT). So here are the pics from the big lunch and my comments are the captions for each item. I can safely say this – I would go back there just to eat that hot dog again. It was so pretty on the plate, and spicy and beefy and it really made my mouth happy. I went in excited about a great burger with clever toppings and came out in love with a Sabrett hot dog. Go figure! BONUS: Gordon Ramsay BurGR is one of more than 80 participating restaurants in our semi annual Restaurant Week Three Suare Food Bank Fundraiser. For more info and a complete list of participating restos click here.

The Kale Caesar Salad was Kale in name only. Hardly enough kale to matter, but the dressing was really good and not too heavy handed!

The Onion Rings were a little greasy for me, but tasty nonetheless and came in this lovely cone with Parmesan “snow”

The Jalepeno Poppers come with a little surprise. One of the peppers is unseeded thus making it spicier than the rest. REALLY good stuff.

This is the aforementioned Chili Dog. Even a close up.

The Brittania Burger had gooey melted cheddar and a surprising condiment – Major Grey Mango Chutney. Don’t knock it ’til you try it.

The Uber Cheese Burger is loaded up with three different cheeses that seem like too much of a good thing.

And finally dessert…Chef Ramsay has a version of Sticky Toffee Pudding on all of his menus. This one is done in Push Up Pop style layered with peanut butter ice cream (not my fave) and the shake was Caramel Pudding and Chocolate, no I am not kidding. Downer here? The whipped cream wasn’t the best.

So Nancy, I promise I will take you here when you come out to visit the next time…