Salute Trattoria Italiana – First Look

Posted on September 22, 2015 by LeAnne Notabartolo

Happily I was invited to the grand Opening event for Salute. Driving to Red Rock Casino, I told friend Lynn that I really didn’t want to go because I was in the mood for Chinese, not Italian. Then I admitted because I wasn’t in the mood, my thoughts on the food would probably be more accurate.

First off, the room is spacious and welcoming with unique light fixtures and gorgeous tile visible in the open kitchen. We were led past the dessert and garde manger station where chefs were at work creating antipasti, cakes, and salads. All were gorgeous to look at, and they will be sampled on my next visit as they weren’t part of our menu that evening. Upon arriving at the communal table I noticed there were no purse hooks under the table. That’s a “bar fail” in my book. Mentioning this to the PR rep there, she jumped all over the suggestion, so I will seek them out the next time I am in. A bigger aggravation for me were the TVs in the bar area. Look, if you want to be a sports bar, be a sports bar. Don’t put TVs in clear view of a dining room that is aiming to be a more “high end” concept. If you absolutely MUST have TVs put them on the outdoor patio. This restaurant is in a casino so guests can go to the sports book and watch the game there if they are that concerned.

Chef Luciano Sautto – note the gorgeous tile behind him. To the left with the small tiles is the pizza oven.

Chef Luciano Sautto helms the kitchen and his brother Enrico is the Maitre D’. Both gents are charming and the food we were treated to was excellent with only small missteps. I loved the nontraditional arancini filled with gooey cheese. Pastas were perfectly cooked and sauces clung to them beautifully. The Bolognese was wonderful and for a change you could actually taste the wine that was in it. Garnishes were both lovely and tasty. Fried basil, fried sage, edible flowers and large shavings of parmigiana all worked together to finish dishes beautifully. My two favorite dishes were the Veal Saltimbocca and the Fettuccini a la Vodka both in preparations I have never had before.

Ricotta stuffed squash blossoms

While traditional arancini has a small bit of meat in the center, these were loaded with gooey cheese!

Pappardelle with Bolognese

Lovely garnishes made this a stunner to look at!

The fettuccini was absolutely perfect! The dish is finished tableside in a hollowed Parmigiano Reggiano wheel. It was dinner and show, expertly performed and delivered by Enrico.

Enrico prepares the fettuccini in the hollowed out Parmigiano Reggiano wheel.

The veal is a marvel! Take the “ribeye” of the veal and make a tomahawk steak with it. Then pound it thin into a plate sized cutlet. Do the same with another boneless “ribeye”. Weld them together with fontina and prosciutto and then bread and pan fry. It was so good that I asked them to wrap the leftovers to bring home to Hubby John. This dish is plenty for 2 people to share as an entrée with a pasta dish and a side.

My fave dish of the night – Veal Saltimbocca

The few missteps were not significant and two COULD be attributed to the dishes being held for service. The Albacore Crudo was a bit acidic for me. There was so much bite that I couldn’t really taste the fish. Lynn disagreed with me. The Gnocchi were the biggest disappointment of the evening. They were gummy, sticky and a bit chewy. Not the light, fluffy pasta pillows they should have been. I can attribute this to overworking the dough, or being cooked and held for service. Whatever the reason, Lynn’s first comment was “LeAnne, yours are better.” The sauce however, was spot on with just enough sweetness to acid ratio. The final misstep was the Grilled Snapper. The piece we had was overcooked and a little dry, but again, this could be a service issue and may be worth another go.

Hamachi Tartare – I preferred this fish dish to the crudo. Much more balanced with Asian pears and pignoli nuts for crunch.

Gnocchi Sorrentino

Gorgeous in presentation, but slightly overcooked, the flavors were good enough to give it a second try.

Overall I was thoroughly pleased with my experience there and I look forward to going back. Rest assured, being off the Strip, the prices are more reasonable for some top quality food. There was a lot on the menu that intrigued me, like the whole salt roasted Branzino and some of the salads. I must return. That is all.

Murray’s Cheese Shop

Posted on September 15, 2015 by LeAnne Notabartolo

If you know me at all, you know that I LOVE cheese. In a small secret circle I am known as Sister Silver Hair, Goddess of the Cheeses. I once tried a diet that had me eliminate dairy. Yeah, that lasted about 48 hours. I will put cheese on just about anything and I literally have a drawer in the fridge specifically relegated to cheese which contains no less than 6 varieties for different uses. My husband recently remarked that I was not allowed to buy any more cheese until I finished what was in the fridge. Let’s just say I am working on it. So you can just imagine how delighted I was when my local Smith’s became home to the latest Murray’s Cheese Shop in Vegas. Finally Centennial Hills gets something before Summerlin does!

Inside the Montecito Smith’s at 7130 N Durango Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89149

Murray’s Cheese Shop on Bleecker Street in NYC has been around since 1940 and in recent years they have expanded slowly so other parts of the country can enjoy great cheeses from around the world and across the country. Believe it or not, we have some fantastic artisanal cheese makers right here in the USA. The majority of the nationwide Murray’s are located in Kroger stores (Ralph’s, Smith’s, and King Supermarkets) and many of them are in the Midwest. Each Murray’s throughout the country has a bonafide cheese monger that receives training at the original Murray’s and from local or regional experts. Here in Vegas we have two Murray’s outposts, both in Smith’s Stores, one at LV Blvd and Windmill and the other in Centennial Hills at the Montecito Smith’s. My local cheese monger is Charles.

Recently I was invited to a personal tasting and chat session with Charles (sadly none of the pics of Charles turned out the way I would have liked, but ask him for him at the counter), and I learned a few things about Murray’s that I didn’t know. For example, each one across the country is client and regionally driven in what they offer. The location in Centennial Hills offers different cheeses and other items like crackers, charcuterie and Bloody Mary mixes than the one in Henderson. And some of the items available here in Vegas are not available in the Midwest or California and vice versa.

Clockwise from upper left: Stilton, Manchego, Aged English Cheddar, Robiola Bosina, Taleggio, Parrano on a slate board. Everything and the board available for sale!

When you go, expect to have a tough time deciding on what to get because there are nearly 200 cheeses available, but KNOW there will be help in selecting and setting up your cheese board for your next get-together. In case you didn’t know, there is SO much more out there than the pre-cut cheese cube tray offered by your local grocer (fine for tailgating or football games, but HARDLY what I want when entertaining at my home). Let’s say, for example, you want to feature all sheep’s milk, or all California, or all Italian cheeses. Charles can hook you up! Tallegio? Check! P’tit Basque? Check! Aged Manchego? Check! Burrata? Check! And so much more! What I really love about this counter is that it is divided by the style of cheese – crumbly, creamy, rind style, etc. Can’t find what you are looking for? Don’t know EXACTLY what you are looking for? Don’t worry! Charles or one of his capable staff is there to help you! They love cheese and they want you to love it too! And seriously, don’t be afraid to ask for a sample! They have samplings every day of featured offerings, but also will offer a taste if you are unsure on MOST of the cheeses in the case, but don’t be THAT GUY and ask for a sample of several and walk away with none in your basket.

Note the labels in red guiding you to the styles and flavor profiles of the cheeses.

Always remember, you get what you pay for. If blocks of yellow cheddar and bland Monterey Jack are what you and your friends think is good cheese…you may want to walk on by (as Dionne Warwick would say); but, if like me, you view cheese as particularly as you view wine or beer…well then, slow down, take a minute and a sample and ENJOY!

The Barrymore

Posted on May 12, 2015 by LeAnne Notabartolo

In Vegas like many cities, there are corridors of “things to do” and “places to go”. Here, most notably it’s The Strip, but there are pockets of retailers and restaurants that are NOT on the strip and seeking them out is fairly easy. What’s more difficult is finding and making the time to go to THAT restaurant that has NOTHING else around it. Your destination IS that restaurant. It’s not some place you go before or after a show because it isn’t near any of the theatres. You don’t go there for lunch with the girls because it isn’t open for lunch and it’s nowhere near the mall. And it’s not on a stretch of street with other retailers. That restaurant is The Barrymore.

On Convention Center Drive you will find the Royal Resort. It’s perfect if you are attending a conference or event at the Convention Center, but not near anything else really. Inside the lobby and to the left, behind an almost disguised door, enter The Barrymore. It’s unexpectedly lush and filled with interesting details that draw your eye everywhere you look, from the ceiling covered in film reels to the Rorschach style prints depicting famous faces (Sinatra, Chaplin, Capone, etc.). Expertly mixed cocktails started off the night. Don’t ask me about the wine list, I can’t enjoy wine (allergy), but the wine room looked amazing.

While the room intrigues you visually, the menu will entice your taste buds. It’s simple on the surface. Traditional Steakhouse fave make up the majority of the menu, but with elegant twists and touches. Of course you will find your ribeye and strip steak, but I could have made a meal on the apps and the sides alone (Moment of Truth – I am not a fan of Steakhouses. I am the asshole who orders the fish at these places. And yes, I had the fish). The grilled octopus was one of the best versions I have ever had. Served Niçoise style with baby potatoes and a frisee salad, I was a happy camper. It’s easy to fuck up octopus – it can turn rubbery REALLY easily, so a well-executed octopus dish is a thing of beauty.

Grilled Octopus Nicoise

And let’s not forget the foie gras served with a crepe and grilled sweet corn. Yeah, that!

Foie Gras with crepe and grilled sweet corn

John’s aged ribeye was cooked perfectly as was my Branzino, but for me the stars of this show were the apps and sides. Chef Eric Lhuillier does a masterful job with everything. He is one of my personal and professional favorites here in Vegas. I am not even a fan of creamed corn, but it was damn near impossible to stop eating his version with lobster. Even had the lobster NOT been in it, I would have had seconds; it was that good.

Aged rib eye with blue cheese

Lobster Creamed Corn

Watermelon and tomato salad with blue cheese

As if the food wasn’t good enough, they brought out this…

My favorite dessert of all time – French Macarons – this one chocolate hazelnut

I know it’s not “cool” to be the early diners, but we do it out of necessity. John’s first client is in the door at 7 am, so we tend to eat earlier than most folks. On the Wednesday evening we dined, The Barrymore was quiet when we arrived, but jumping by the time we left. I recommend making a reservation for dinner. Take the time, make a trip and enjoy. Trust me, it’s worth it.

The 10 Best Things I Ate in 2014

Posted on December 17, 2014 by LeAnne Notabartolo

Thanks to all of you for following along with me on this ride. If you have been enjoying this blog all year, some of these pics will look familiar. If you are new to Good for Spooning, be sure to subscribe by adding your email address in the space to the right. Also, you can follow along on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter. All @Good for Spooning.

It’s time for my annual list of awesome things I consumed. Many of them are available to you NOW, there are only a few on this list that aren’t available regularly and only one that you will never get to enjoy. But DO enjoy this list. All photos provided are by me personally. In no particular order, here we go…

Northwest Seafood and Coconut Soup at Etta’s Seafood in Seattle. Salmon, clams, mussels, shrimp, calamari with house sambal. Yes, it’s from Tom Douglas.

The best thing we ate on the entire trip! A Thai spiced fish stew at Etta’s.

Fried Quail at Hakkasan in the MGM Grand – this was on the menu during Restaurant Week for Three Square. It is not a regular menu item, but shows up from time to time.

Crispy Fried Quail with Five Spice

Bacon Jam at Carson Kitchen – yeah – there is no pic of this because we ate it too fast. Just go, and get it and thank me later.

Spicy Cold Noodles at Mama Ji’s in San Francisco – thank goodness the noodles themselves are icy cold because the sauce that goes on top is SPICY and HOT. Definitely a do-over the next time we eat there!

Cold Spicy Noodles at Mama Ji’s

Prime Veal Chop at NYY Steak in Coconut Creek, Florida – This was so much more than I expected in a simply prepared veal chop. Dry aged 21 days and absolutely perfect.

And Whitey Ford’s retired number was on my plate!

Charcuterie and Sausages at Lowbrau and Block Butcher Bar in Sacramento – I don’t have enough nice things to say about this. Lowbrau and Block are connected and sister stores.

Charcuterie board from Block Butcher Bar

Spicy Andouille sausage at Lowbrau

Beef Tasting Dinner at STK – Chef Stephen Hopcraft pulled out all the stops for this fantastic meal. Having a “take it or leave it” attitude about beef in general, after eating this, I now have a MUCH better appreciation for cow flesh.

Our beef selections included all natural, grass fed and prime filets.

Three different types of filet mignon with sides.

Porchetta at the Swine & Wine dinner at MTO – The Sunday Suppers at MTO are always a surprising mix of Chefs working inside a theme. This was obviously a pork-centric meal and this porchetta was a stand out.

Porchetta waiting to be sliced at MTO’s Swine & Wine

And my top two faves this year, drumroll please….

The Fried Chicken at Yardbird in Miami – it’s opening in Vegas later this month and I can hardly wait! I will be able to eat this fried chicken any time I want. (Moment of Truth – Fried Chicken would be on the short list of “last meals” for me).

Just look at the little captions

The Chefs to the Max Dinner – RX Boiler Room – Twenty Four Chefs together created a once in a lifetime meal as a fundraiser for critically injured food writer Max Jacobson. Each and every course was superb. Bonus for me? Because I volunteered my time, I was allowed full access to photograph the Chefs at work and this is my fave pic of the night, taken during the pre-shift briefing. Can I tell you how fun it was to see Bobby Flay taking pics of other Chefs at work like any old fanboy?

The Chefs were just as giddy as I was I think.

Sneak Peek at Yardbird

Posted on November 5, 2014 by LeAnne Notabartolo

I have a lot of friends who are in the food industry in one fashion or another and happily I get invited to some really great outings, but RARELY do I get to eat somewhere before food writer Friend Al Mancini does. THIS time I can say, “Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner” with glee because I was able to preview some of the fantastic menu items coming to Yardbird Southern Table and Bar (Opening at the Venetian in December) before anyone else in town!

Chef and Friend Todd Harrington, along with Chef and Friend John Courtney are both training in Miami at the original Yardbird. I passed through on my way to a cruise ship and Chef Todd treated Hubby, Sister Nancy and I to a fab lunch with signature dishes and cocktails that blew my socks off. Julian took really good care of us and I know all of Las Vegas will get the same royal treatment. He has been with the company for years and is coming out to train the new staff. When you are served, you get a little “history” lesson on Yardbird and what makes the dishes so spectacular. Hint – it’s the home cooking secret recipes that have been table tested for generations.

First of all you need to know that Fried Chicken is my Kryptonite. (Moment of Truth: Ask anyone who knows me about my chicken problem.) When Todd told me about the chicken I had to take a seat because I nearly swooned – brined for a day and then secret recipe seasoned and pressure fried…in lard. Be still my beating heart. It’s kind of their “thing” and once eaten I understood. The meat is moist and flavorful all the way to the bone, not just the skin. Then of course there was the “BLT” with fried green tomatoes, and the deviled eggs…oh shit, I could go on all day! Just look at the pics and checkout the Miami menu here.

Deviled eggs with “redneck caviar”

Fried Green Tomato BLT – see the pimento cheese and the bacon?

BBQ Ribs and house made pickles. See that pickled okra? It had my name on it!

Just look at the little captions

The ever popular Mac & Cheese

Crunch & Munch Bread Pudding

Banana Cream Pie with white chocolate ice cream

Not shown are the amazing biscuits and house made jam, grilled farmer’s cheese with watermelon, shrimp & grits and a few cocktails. Once Yardbird opens you are seriously going to want to check it out if you enjoy southern style food at all. For me, the best thing is that everything is meant to be shared, and the portions clearly reflect that idea. Think about sitting down to eat at Aunt Sally’s table where the plates were passed to everyone…get the picture? There were 3 of us at the table and trust me, we were more than sated and there were leftovers. May I suggest you bring friends and wear comfy clothes the first time? You will want to try everything.

If you follow me on social media, you may have seen some other pics. Want more? Subscribe here, and/or follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @GoodforSpooning

A Hill Country Wedding and Four Kings

Posted on November 2, 2014 by LeAnne Notabartolo

My recent whirlwind trip was precipitated by two celebrations – a wedding and a landmark birthday. Travel for almost any reason is a good thing, but when you get to travel for a celebration it’s even better. “My Friend Brian”, dear Friend Nanette’s son, married his sweetheart Krystal in charming Texas Hill Country style and Mom turned 70 on a weekend cruise out of Miami to the Bahamas (read a little about that here).

When I was growing up in New York, there was only ONE WAY to have a wedding “The Right Way”. You start with a ceremony at a church, proceed to the reception hall after pictures. Then there is an open bar cocktail hour, toast by the best man, dinner, cake and bouquet/garter ceremonies and then dancing and more drinking. Clean, simple and in that order every time. Thankfully that mold has been broken! Now there is so much more variety and happy couples can truly express themselves and make their wedding more about THEM and less about traditional trappings. In a gorgeous outdoor setting amid trees at Ruby Ranch, a converted hunting lodge one used by LBJ, I was treated to a Hill Country wedding and I am honored to have been included.

The Bride and her attendants wore cowboy boots beneath their dresses and there was a completely relaxed atmosphere among the bridal party and the guests that I have NEVER seen before. What a pleasant surprise to feel relaxed at a wedding instead of keyed up and stressed out! Of course at every wedding something goes wrong, but when it happened here, there was laughter, not tension. And then there was the food. If you know me AT ALL, you know that my least favorite type of cuisine is BBQ (I despise the sauce and most of the traditional sides) and no respectable Hill Country wedding would be complete without it. I will say Bill Miller’s smoked sausage was much better than I remembered. But the CAKE was the star of the food show here. Usually wedding cakes are all form and no function. They LOOK great and taste like shit. Not so here! Letty’s Sweets made a wonderful cake for cutting and light, moist, delicious cupcakes for everyone to enjoy. The buttercream was so LIGHT and filled with flavor it was nearly a revelation. All my best to My Friend Brian and Krystal for many happy years together.

Brian and Krstal changed into something more comfy for the cake, dancing and singing portion of the evening.

My Friend Brian (2nd from the left) and his attendants waiting on the Bride's arrival

My Friend Brian (2nd from the left and brother Daniel 3rd from left) and his attendants waiting on the Bride’s arrival

The Newlyweds

And then there was more… Every Wednesday my pals in San Antonio bowl in the morning and then have lunch. The happiest change in the routine is that every now and then a new place opens and there is more variety. So is the case with Four Kings. I can’t say enough good things about Sandra and her team. Each and every thing I had was exceptional. House roasted meats for sandwiches, from scratch baked goods (including their sandwich breads and rolls) and homemade soups that made me wish I was there more than once. I rarely want to go back to Texas (you all know how much I love the west coast and Vegas), but this little lunch spot made me yearn for another trip soon. No website as yet, but you can follow along with them HERE!

Owner Sandra putting the finishing touches on a sandWISH.

Owner Sandra putting the finishing touches on a Bahn Mi sandWISH.

Sliced roast beef on a pretzel roll, grain mustard aoili, caramelized onion marmalade, spinach, and Colby Jack cheese served hot.

Pimento Cheese

Homemade rolls – YUMMM!

You Can’t Go Home Again

Posted on October 30, 2014 by LeAnne Notabartolo

Recently, as you know if you follow along on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, I was traveling. When I return to a city where I have found great grub, I feel it is a moral imperative that I revisit those dining locales to relive the good times had there. Sadly, sometimes the memory is better than reality.

In San Antonio for a wedding (more on that soon) I found myself itching to go to Pappadeaux. I have had so many great meals there that I went by myself and sat at the bar to enjoy a fantastic lunch. I ordered a local IPA, Crawfish Bisque, and a Seafood Cobb Salad. I SHOULD have quit after the soup. When I order a SEAFOOD Cobb Salad, I expect the SEAFOOD to be a starring attraction. Sadly this was not the case. There were four pathetic shrimp and two ounces of crab (two ounces if I am being generous). There was however plenty of bacon and egg. Oddest of all, there were big slices (think lengthwise on a mandoline) of cucumber and “julienned” carrots that were the size of carrot sticks mixed into the greens. Did I just order the wrong thing? Has corporate dining ruined one of my fave chains (and make no mistake, it IS a chain, even if they aren’t nationwide)? Have my expectations changed? Any or all of these questions can be answered with a YES and be correct.

Crawfish Bisque

On a bright note, my car seemingly on auto-pilot, found the 410 Diner on Broadway in San Antonio and it was EXACTLY as I remembered. Not fancy, but great value for good diner food.

Then it was off to Nassau, The Bahamas. We three sisters and our spouses took Mom on a cruise to celebrate her 70^th Birthday. All in all a good time was had (barring a tweaked twerk muscle, a pulled hamstring and a thrown out back, and no, I am NOT among the walking wounded). Because we are SO rarely all together (I live in Vegas, everyone else is in FL) any time together is special. I didn’t choose the ship, the itinerary or the port we sailed from, but when I realized Nassau was on the route I was excited.

Several years ago when John and I cruised through the Bahamas, we went in search of authentic Bahamian conch dishes and we found them at Twin Brothers. When we walked in, we were the ONLY tourists in the building, just my style! The conch fritters were crisp and golden on the outside and light as air inside studded with amazing chunks of conch. The conch chowder was fragrant, spicy on the back end and again studded with conch. And don’t even get me started on the mystical wings. Those wings were slightly flavored with coconut and dusted with seasonings after frying so they were both sweet and spicy. And the spice built as you ate wing after wing. I dreamed of them for years and tried to recreate them in my kitchen with little success. Let’s just say those wings are a thing of the past, but the conch dishes were just as good as I remembered. The biggest let down for me is that Trip Advisor (very much like Yelp! for travelers as far as I am concerned) found Twin Brothers, with a proud declaration in the window. There were no locals left, we were surrounded by tourists. While the chowder and fritters were excellent, the wings were bland with no mystique to them and I was surrounded not by the good people of the island with their beautiful lilting speech, but by the very people I was seeking escape from by walking into town. I am happy for THEM and unhappy for me, because one of my fave places is now off limits to me.

Conch Fritters

I have to wonder if my recollections are in some fashion flawed or if you really can’t go home again. Am I guilty of memories being better than reality or have things changed THAT much?

Next up? More on Texas, a Hill Country wedding and time spent with friends in bars in Texas.

You know, if you subscribe, you’ll never miss a post. Just click the button on the side!

Compare and Contrast – a View of Two Beer Festivals

Posted on September 30, 2014 by LeAnne Notabartolo

I hope you are quite aware at this stage, we in this household are what I would call “serious beer drinkers”. We know what we are drinking, choose to enjoy craft beer and make tasteful choices on what to drink. You will not find any BMC (Bud, Miller, Coors) in our fridge. We believe in the motto “No Crap on Tap”. When on vacation we venture to “beer bars”, local breweries and fun tap houses. Of course John has his faves (porters and sours) and I have mine (IPAs and APAs). And while John may resemble The Most Interesting Man in the World because he is such a magnificent bastard, we rarely drink Dos Equis (but I love their commercials).

All of that being said, in the past two weeks John and I have been to two distinctly different beer festivals here in Las Vegas. Because we can’t attend Oktoberfest in Munich, we make do with what is available to us. So let us compare the two. Know this, they were both held on a Saturday evening. Both included entertainment, food and beer and we purchased VIP tickets to both. VIP Tickets to each event were roughly the same price.

The Motley Brews Downtown Beer Festival was September 20^th at the Las Vegas Government Center. There were three levels of tix available – GA, Early Entry and VIP. All ticket holders had access to water stations, fantastic food booths and an amazing selection of beer, many USA made by craft brewers and all of our local breweries were represented. Early Entry got you in the gate one hour earlier and VIP gave you that extra hour, a real restroom (as opposed to the dreaded Port-a-potty), free snacks (of which I got none) and exclusive pours only available in the VIP pavilion. All in all a great event. Because the VIP food situation was a cluster fuck, Motley Brews has arranged for all VIP ticket holders to have gift certificates to the restos that provided (or didn’t…) the food so we can check them out on our own. Beer on tap, beer in casks and beer in bottles all were available to try. The music was great and a good time was had by all. An interesting thing about this event is the people who attend it. Almost without exception, the attendees are REAL BEER DRINKERS, not a bunch of posers just hanging out wondering where the Stella is. Beer centric T-shirts and jeans are the uniform of the day (and some of the shirts are amazing) and the beer wear available for purchase is part of the fun.

The Desert Hops Beer Festival was September 27^th at the Cosmopolitan Pool. There were two levels of tix available – GA and VIP. The VIP tix should really have been called “early entry”. There were so many things wrong with this event I don’t even know where to begin. There was NOTHING VIP about that experience. No special amenities for VIP ticket holders at all. The only thing you got for the extra cash was entry an hour early. In addition there were no cask beers, no tap beers, everything was in bottles. Oddly it was called Desert HOPS and there were hardly any IPAs or APAs. Even more curious was the fact that none of our local breweries were represented at all (if they were, I didn’t see them among the only 1 dozen USA beers from 3 breweries). Imports abounded at this event, and if you like Belgian beer this was a great event for you as there were about 2o different ones, but the USA made craft beers were sadly lacking. The crowd was a mixture of tourists and locals, with the emphasis on the tourists. The food was a joke, the music a bizarre mix of live musicians playing with a recording behind them, no vendors other than the crappy food and the crowd was mostly a bunch of posers more intent on looking good than enjoying a beer festival. The best thing about this event was the location – I love the Cosmopolitan and the view from the pool is fantastic. Second best thing? Leaving.

So here are my words to the wise – for a great Beer Festival experience, go to any Motley Brews event (next one is in the Spring of 2015). You will be surrounded by locals who know their craft beer. Let the tourists have Desert Hops.

I’ve Been Sworn to Secrecy!

Posted on September 24, 2014 by LeAnne Notabartolo

One of the best things about Vegas is that it’s ALWAYS changing. It’s also one of the worst things about Vegas. They tear down buildings left and right making room for new things with little regard for history. But when those changes mean tasty new options for me, who am I to stand in the way of progress?

There are a LOT of new things here, the SLS for starters (I wasn’t invited to the opening and I STILL haven’t been down there to check it out…soon, I promise). There are some BIG events on the horizon with our dining scene and I was let in on many of them recently. Unfortunately ALL of my sources asked to be “off the record”, but what I can tell you is this: new resto openings are involved and they will all likely be tasty additions to our city’s culinary landscape and our downtown is about to get a whole lot more interesting! A little birdie also told me one of my fave competition chefs will soon be seen regularly on TV as a host, not as a competitor. I hope that tickles your taste buds enough to stay tuned here for info releases.

I went to the Motley Brews Downtown Beer Festival last weekend with some of my favorite people and we had a great time. Thank you again to Robert Bell for being the DD because we are responsible drinkers. (Moment of Truth – I will never understand people who take that risk of drinking and driving, especially when they are grown ass people and not kids). Of course we had VIP tix to take advantage of the special pours inside the reserved area, and they were spectacular. I didn’t eat anything in the VIP area however because I don’t wait in line for free food. In fact I couldn’t even tell you who catered the VIP area. SORRY! My feeling on the matter is that the culinary team there should have their shit together so there isn’t a line 25 people deep at each station. Thankfully the food outside for purchase was fantastic!!

See here the gorgeous Boudin Blanc from Comme Ca – Thank you Brian and Daniel! Whoop, was that good!

See here the ridiculously delicious Short Rib Fries from Truck U BBQ – Thank you Mike!

We also had the Stroganoff Fries from Forte Tapas (John Courtney on the line there) and ate them so quickly there is no pic.

Next beer event coming up is THIS weekend at the Cosmopolitan. Yes, I am going. With my main squeeze and my SILs from San Francisco. We have a room at the Aria because we are responsible drinkers. And of course the Chefs to the Max event Sunday at Carson Kitchen. Follow me on Instagram or Twitter and you will see all the pics before everyone else. And follow and like my page on Facebook too. They are all Good for Spooning.

Pop Art Dining

Posted on August 1, 2014 by LeAnne Notabartolo

One of the most fun dining trends that has been growing over the past couple of years are the so called “Pop-Ups”. Chefs create special one-night-only menus to be served from their resto or an unlikely place. What makes these so much fun and so cool is that you NEVER know what to expect. Seating is ALWAYS limited and prices range the entire gamut. Locations are as diverse as our city’s dining landscape. Here are some to watch:

Project Dinner Table does their events as a fundraiser and they are limited to pleasant weather months because they are mostly outdoors (think Cashman Field, Downtown Third, Gilcrease Orchard). Their next event is September 13^th and even though this is the highest priced option on the list, they sell out FAST! They actually offer a membership so you never have to miss an event.
MTO’s Sunday Supper Series –usually the 4^th Sunday of the month and it is always fun. Chef Johnny Church gets some culinary buddies together and they whip up some truly inspired menus. Past events have been Swine & Wine (My fave), Not Your Daddy’s BBQ and El Chapo’s Cantina. Price is $65 and seating is limited to 65 people. Watch for upcoming dates.
Desnudos Tacos and Naked City Pizza on Paradise – The culinary brains behind these two properties – Christian Dolias and Chris Palmeri respectfully – plan to switch off every other month so one month at Desnudos and the following at Naked City. The most recent offering at Desnudos was “Unbreakable” and it was incredible. $75/pp and the seating is limited to 35, so my suggestion is to book as soon as you hear about it. The next event is at Naked City on Paradise – “The Mind of a Chef – Round 2” on August 24^th. $65/pp and seating is limited to 40 people, so call ASAP to reserve your seats.

What you will find at all of these events is fantastic food and artful plating in unexpected venues. The crowd will be as eclectic as the food served. All of this is done in a fun, relaxed atmosphere. Rarely do you have to dress up beyond business casual. What you won’t find are rules. Rules are made to be broken and these events prove that. Enjoy the pics from past and very recent events!