Category Archives: Dining

Sacramento

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

Yeah – I know once again I have been a slacker, but in my defense I have been out actually WORKING on a new job. Once that contract is signed and in my hand I will tell you more about it. Did you know you can subscribe to this blog?  I suggest that you do so you never miss an issue.  You’ll get an email Tues night with everything I posted from the previous week!

Hubby John is convinced that Imbibe Magazine is trolling his Trip Advisor account.  Immediately before we went to Seattle in the spring, they did a great piece on the Seattle cocktail scene.  Last weekend we went to Sacramento and guess which city had a beautiful write up in Imbibe prior to our trip?  You guessed it. On the one hand it is almost like they wrote a travel guide just for our drinking pleasure. On the other, the fact that they COULD monitor our upcoming travel plans is a little creepy. If Miami shows up on the cover this month, I am going to start worrying because that’s our next stop.

Here’s what I can tell you about Sacramento:

  • It’s the capitol of California and the capitol building and the grounds surrounding it are gorgeous.
  • The city is laid out in a classic grid pattern making for easy navigation for tourists (beware of the one way streets if you are driving)
  • The downtown/midtown areas are eminently walk-able
  • It boasts some of the best bartenders I have ever had wait on me. All good looking, all knowledgeable – not only about cocktails, but about beer as well – and that goes for both genders. (Moment of Truth – Seattle has fab knowledgeable bartenders too, but they aren’t as ridiculously good looking as these ones. Las Vegas has ridiculously good looking bartenders that aren’t that knowledgeable).

    This is Joe. He informed us that he was scheduled the day Imbibe was in house at Low Brau, but had to switch shifts. He was a bit annoyed that he wasn't featured. He should have been - he made us some tasty cocktails!

    This is Joe. He informed us that he was scheduled the day Imbibe was in house at Lowbrau, but had to switch shifts. He was a bit annoyed that he wasn’t featured. He should have been – he made us some tasty cocktails!

  • I did not eat anything that was less than good while I was there. Most of what I ate entered into the excellent category
  • All of downtown Sacramento is viciously proud that The Shady Lady has been named one of the best bars in the country by Esquire Magazine.

 

Enjoy the pics and the info and if you are heading that way I recommend the following 3 stops:

  1. Sandra Dee’s for soul food – Good Call Rev Kane!  Holy hell was that a FINE way to kick off our trip!4-IMG_2136
  2. Lowbrau/Block – great beer on rotating taps and fab sausages and charcuterie made in house at Block6-IMG_2154 1-IMG_2112
  3. Foundation – They had a fantastic beer cheese soup with pretzel croutons, but  have the grilled artichoke, yes, it was THAT good.5-IMG_2140

A couple of additional notes about Sacramento:

  • We stayed at the Marriott Residence Inn right near the Capitol.  It is seriously the noisiest hotel I have ever tried to sleep in. It is in a GREAT location, but you can hear each person walking in the hall, the next room’s alarm clock and the shower turn on in rooms next to you as well.
  • The only person I took pictures of on this trip was Joe (above)…and I went to a wedding. I am mildly embarrassed.
  • John dubbed Hook & Ladder  “the bar of interesting men’s hair” because we saw some STELLAR ‘dos going on in there. We loved the cocktails, but not the vibe or the bartenders who were ULTRA serious about their craft. They were mildly affronted that we didn’t take their “hand carved ice cubes” with as much gravitas as they did. It’s frozen fucking water for god’s sake!
  • Take the time to walk through the grounds surrounding the Capitol Building – the trees are magnificent! Unfortunately due to the drought, the gardens were nothing to look at, but I respect and admire not watering things you can’t eat.
  • Russo’s Shoe Repair does “while you wait” work in some cases (you don’t want to know) and Mr. Russo is a nice guy and a wealth of food and drink knowledge.
  • Skip Old Sacramento for the most part, unless you have a thing for trains. It’s a wild west (sort of) version of Fisherman’s Wharf. A few good places, but mostly over priced and moderate quality.  If you MUST go, go early in the morning when no one else is there to check out the buildings and the Tower Bridge.  The Bridge is really cool and an architectural marvel.

If you want to follow along in real time with my food adventures, you can follow me on Instagram. If you don’t use Instagram, my feed loads onto my Twitter account too. And of course “like” my Facebook page as well!

Feeding Others – A Route to Happiness?

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

A few weeks ago, during the Month of the Bitch, dear friend Rev. Kane asked me to guest blog for his page Ministry of Happiness (you can read that piece here). He asked me to write about the connection of food and happiness for me. I made a list of projected topics and kept that list.  As I stared at the list every day, it got me to thinking that after Bitching for the month of July I should show some gratitude and happiness in the month of August. So here you go.

As I get ready to resume my volunteer work with Three Square (I took a year off after chairing their DISH event last year), I realized that feeding people makes me happy.  They don’t even need to be around MY table for it to make me happy. I realized that part of my internal joy was missing because I wasn’t volunteering to feed people.  But what is it about feeding people that makes me so happy?  Is it that I enjoy the compliments? Is it that I know through feeding their bodies and providing camaraderie to feed their souls I am making THEM happy?  Maybe a little of both I guess.

Me and the cast of Million Dollar Quartet and Three Square CEO Brian Burton at DISH 2013.

Me and the cast of Million Dollar Quartet and Three Square CEO Brian Burton at DISH 2013.

So how do you feel when you eat with friends and family?  When you cook with or for friends and family? We all know that parties make everyone happy, even a “funeral party” where you remember the departed can bring joy. But what about everyday food? I find feeding people everyday food is just as powerful at providing me with happiness as “party food”. Recently a woman in my circle of influence has been treated for cancer; another was in a horrible car accident. Both were sore put to provide meals for themselves. I leapt at the chance to help out. What I found was that I achieved happiness through helping others.  It wasn’t the compliments, it was the joy I brought THEM that made me so happy.  Happiness accomplished!

Do you want to help out?  Do you need more happiness in your life?  Here are some suggestions for you to help others have joy through food:

  • Volunteer at your local soup kitchen – I know a lot of Chefs that offer their time in this fashion.
  • Find your local Feeding America Food Bank HERE, or contact a local food pantry and offer to volunteer in some aspect. No matter what skill set you have they have a job that needs to be done.
  • If you have a friend (or a friend of a friend) who is in need of domestic assistance, offer to make meals for them.
  • Contact your local Meals on Wheels chapter and offer to deliver meals (you don’t even have to cook) to home-bound seniors.  Sister Nancy did this until she re-entered the workforce and found it to be incredibly rewarding.
  • If you live in Vegas, you can help out by dining out.  Choose one of the restaurants on this list and dine August 22nd – 28th on the special menus listed here created for Restaurant Week. Unlike other cities, our Restaurant Week is a fundraising effort to feed others. A portion of your purchase price will be donated to our local Feeding America Food Bank, Three Square.
  • If you live in Vegas, attend Taste of the Nation at The Palms – October 2nd 2014. Tickets are available NOW!  You don’t want to miss this!

I hope you find happiness with your food.  And since August is going to be Month of Happiness and Gratitude expect to see another “nice” piece soon. If you enjoy it, share it with YOUR friends.

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Pop Art Dining

Posted on 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 13th 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 4th 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 24th.  $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!

Charcuterie plate from Echo & Rig at MTO's Swine & Wine event

Charcuterie plate from Echo & Rig at MTO’s Swine & Wine event

 

"Deviled Egg" - 3 eggs, 3 ways at Desnudos' Unbreakable

“Deviled Egg” – 3 eggs, 3 ways at Desnudos’ Unbreakable

Uni, Caviar and Parmesan pasta at Desnudos' Unbreakable

Uni, Caviar and Parmesan pasta at Desnudos’ Unbreakable

Bloody Mary Mussels at Desnudos' Unbreakable - this was "

Bloody Mary Mussels at Desnudos’ Unbreakable – this was “

Beet Salad at MTO's Not Your Daddy's BBQ

Beet Salad at MTO’s Not Your Daddy’s BBQ

BBQ Braised Beef Cheeks and Creamy Polenta at MTO's Not Your Daddy's BBQ

BBQ Braised Beef Cheeks and Creamy Polenta at MTO’s Not Your Daddy’s BBQ

Aunt LeAnne Goes to a Steakhouse

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

Skipping the “Moment of Truth” I insert into each blog post, here are a couple of little secrets about me:

  • I think I may be the only person on the planet who doesn’t like “Seinfeld”. I like Jerry Seinfeld, I just never thought the show was funny.  It was “Much Ado About Nothing” for me (just like the Shakespeare play that I despise). The only part of that show I liked was Kramer. I would much rather watch “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” which is Mr. Seinfeld to a much more relate-able and hilarious degree for me.
  • I am not much of a “red” meat eater.  Typically when I walk into a steakhouse either I have been invited to an event, or someone else is paying.  And when I am faced with the choices on a steakhouse menu I seek out the lone pork, fish or chicken dish because I KNOW there is one. A good rib-eye or porterhouse is lost on me.  I am just as happy with a perfectly cooked mid-rare burger or flank steak as I am with the more expensive cuts that beef aficionados proclaim to the world are the pinnacle of dining. Aside from tartare and carpaccio, I could easily give up beef as long as I have access to pork, lamb and goat.
  • I MAY have been converted this past week by Chef Stephen Hopcraft and STK at the Cosmopolitan here in Vegas.

Back in January we went to the Chefs to the Max dinner/fundraiser at RX Boiler Room and in the silent auction we won a “Meat Tasting Dinner for 6”. While I love Stephen as a human being, I am more of an appetizer gal when I go there to eat, and that is really not that frequent. John eats there more than I do, BUT this dinner was MAGIC and so much fun and the company, as much as the food, was what made it so special (thanks to our friends Heather Burdette, Jozef Bobula, John Morris and Lynn Moonen for joining us).  Chef even allowed me to “play” with our food when it came to the tartare.

I asked Chef if I "got to play" as well. He let me mix up the tartare and form and plate it.

I asked Chef if I “got to play” as well. He let me mix up the tartare and form and plate it.

Enjoy the pics, and the captions and KNOW that the food was spectacular and I MAY in fact have to try to enjoy beef just a little more often.

Tartare with gaufrettes - fancy french potatoes. Sorry the taters seem to be the star of this pic, but the tartare was awesome!

Tartare with gaufrettes – fancy french potatoes. Sorry the taters seem to be the star of this pic, but the tartare was awesome!

Carpaccio with a superb pesto pasta. I even got a few tips out of Chef for making the pesto at home. This was all done LIVE in front of us!

Carpaccio with a superb pesto pasta. I even got a few tips out of Chef for making the pesto at home. This was all done LIVE in front of us!

The best slider I have ever had!

The best slider I have ever had!

Beet Salad (l) and Caesar Salad (r)

Beet Salad (l) and Caesar Salad (r)

Oh, and did I mention there was wine involved? Exceptional pairings with each course.

Oh, and did I mention there was wine involved? Exceptional pairings with each course.

Filet tasting - L - R: Traditional Prime, All Natural, and Bone In. Of course there were sides!

Filet tasting – L – R: Traditional Prime, All Natural, and Bone In. Of course there were sides!

And then there was dessert. The closest to you is a chocolate mousse with my all tie favorite, a French macaron as a garnish. By this time I was so full...I only ate the garnish.

And then there was dessert. The closest to you is a chocolate mousse with my all time favorite, a French macaron as a garnish. By this time I was so full…I only ate the garnish.

 

It Left a Sour Taste in My Mouth – That’s Good & Bad

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

I have been trying to write this piece for a few weeks now.  The problem is that generally I try to be more positive than negative and my Triple 7 Restaurant and Brewery experience was more of the latter and less of the former.  I have also decided that July may, in fact, be “Month of the Bitch”.  Maybe it’s because it is very hot, maybe I am just cranky, but I think I will set aside my good girl side for this month and tell it like it really is.  Here you go…

I met the head brewer, Kenjiro Tomita, at the Brews & Blues event at the Springs Preserve at the end of May.  He had one of the most interesting locally produced beers there.  It was a Sour IPA – so take everything you love about sours and hop it up to an IPA and there you have it (it was everything that John loves and everything I love in one beer).  After talking with him and telling him what I do, I was invited to come and sample some food & bev for a piece for LVFB (Moment of Truth – I couldn’t write this piece for LVFB because I didn’t have enough nice things to say). He assured me that the upper management and PR knew and approved the visit – neither management staff nor PR came to speak with me.

Ken sat with us, made suggestions on what to try from the menu and told us a great deal about himself, the set-up, the beer and the resto.  I wanted to talk about how the beer has changed and how the chef is incorporating the brews into the menu.  FYI the chef isn’t working with the brewer to do anything special on the menu.  Only the batter for the fish & chips and one of the BBQ sauces feature any beer at all and it’s only mentioned on the fish. What I have to say about Triple 7 is this – don’t bother eating there.  The food isn’t that good.  The beer is clearly the star of the show. The main problem could be that there is too much corporate interference from the hotel/casino to make this a real contender in the Brewery Resto world of Las Vegas.

We had the Korean Short Ribs (inedible – greasy, and less meat than fat and gristle) and the Smothered Potato Chips to start.  DO get the Chips – they were actually pretty good.  In house made chips dressed up like potato skins and the last one was as crispy and crunchy as the first one.  Then we had a burger and the fish & chips.  The burger was “meh” but the fish of the fish & chips was pretty good as well.  It’s not the best I have ever had, but certainly not the worst (I really need to write a piece on just that dish…it’s one of my faves).

Korean Short RIbs

Korean Short RIbs

Smothered Potato Chips

Smothered Potato Chips

Fish & Chips

Fish & Chips

I would suggest going there for happy hour because the beer is really cheap!  At $2.50 per pint for the house made brews, it’s a steal.  No great bargains on the food, just $1 off the regular menu pricing, but that means you can get those smothered potato chips and save a buck. If you are thinking about getting a growler to go, know this: you have to buy the growler itself in the GIFT SHOP near the registration desk of the hotel and then bring it BACK to the bar to be filled and pay the tap fee there.  A major pain in the ass, and unless you are really motivated, it’s a damper on the sale. The other important thing to know about Triple 7 in my eyes is that they have a “Variable IPA” tap.  I am a hop head of the nth degree.  IPA’s are my favorite style, so this appeals to me.  Their IPA tap changes all the time and you never know what’s going to be on tap.  The lovely Sour IPA is just one of the variants that Ken makes.

If you are downtown, go, eat the potato chips, have a beer and leave.  That’s the best I can tell you.

 

 

 

Yelp! and Why I Loathe It

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

I know I have been a slacker – there is no excuse for it.  Perhaps absence made your heart grow fonder?

When it comes to choosing new places to try, I don’t put a whole lot of stock in the populace’s opinions of food.  Here in Vegas in the Review Journal’s “Best of” issue, Joe’s Crab Shack was named best seafood restaurant. Get the picture?  I don’t trust people I don’t know when it comes to their opinions on food.  If I know you love Joe’s Crab Shack and think it is expensive, I really don’t want to hear what you have to say about Bartolotta’s at the Wynn. And before you can say anything, yes, I know I am a snob.  We’ve already covered that.

So here are a couple of examples why, if you LOVE food, you should stop using Yelp:

  • Let’s just say I just opened my new restaurant and I want to get some people in the door.  I can call, email or otherwise contact everyone I know in the area to go on Yelp and write a review.  You never have to have eaten there.  I know this is a fact, because I just did it (and deleted the review).  I even overheard a new restaurateur TELLING friends, “Hey don’t forget to go on Yelp after we open the doors and write a good review.”  Accuracy?  I think not.
  • While dining out with a group of friends one night, the service was TERRIBLE.  The food however was very good.  One of the members of our party was in a snit about the whole experience and proceeds to say very loudly, “This place sucks!  I am going to tear them a new asshole on Yelp!” This person went on to decry the food which wasn’t the problem and made the bad service sound worse than it was. Authenticity?  I think not.
  • Everyone raved about China Mama and when I ate there the food was blah at best and the service was a little too perfunctory for me.  For a long time I refused to go back.  Then I got to thinking, “Maybe I just ordered the wrong thing?”  Yeah, that was it!  I love that place now.  Had I written a review of China Mama after one visit it would have gotten just 1 star. Professionals eat in a place at least three times before reviewing it, so what makes an amateur review after one experience worth anything?

So, for me and mine, I will continue to ask the opinions of people I respect and admire in the food world.  They know me, I know them and we know what each other like to eat.  Trust professionals if you are on vacation, don’t use Yelp.  I know for a FACT that if I trusted some online site full of amateurs to pick my vacay food and it sucked I’d be pissed off!  If you don’t care too much about your food, go ahead, keep on using Yelp. They love that shit!

If you are in Vegas and you want to see me do a live demo, go to the Springs Preserve on Saturday July 19th.  I will be joined by guest Chef Beni Velazquez.  We’ll be making hot weather cocktails and desserts to please a crowd.  Beni will be showing us how to make his Peach Sangria!

And just for  your amusement – THIS.

Openings and Closings

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

In a town that is constantly trying to reinvent itself, there is always something opening and something closing. I have often wondered whether the constant barrage of new places is for the benefit of the residents to get us to spend money on the strip, or if it is for the repeat visitors to give them a new surprise every time they come to visit. In a “regular” town, the tried and true standards last and last, and the new places have a hard time catching on.  Here in Vegas it is like a revolving door sometimes.  Some of the time the openings and closings are good things, sometimes not.

This week heralded the opening of Giada DeLaurentiis’ eponymously named new place at the Cromwell (formerly Barbary Coast and then Wild Bill’s).  I am sorry I don’t have pics to share with you.  I was pretty much told I am not important enough to be on THAT guest list.  When I do finally get there, I promise to share.

This week also ushered in the closing of one of my fave places, Pinot Brasserie.  I think one of the many reasons it was a favorite of mine is because I adore the Chef, Eric Lhuillier. He is terribly French and an absolute joy.  John and I joke around that the more either he or we have had to drink the better we understand him. I can’t wait to see where he lands next. Pinot’s closure is not really a huge surprise considering Daniel Boulud’s DB Brasserie opened up LITERALLY right next door.

My dear friends, Lynn and Laurie, went with me to enjoy a final lunch at Pinot and Chef Eric spoiled us stupid. Chef Eric is classically trained and does absolutely beautiful food and can whip out the “fancy” whenever required. He and I agree that sometimes simple presentations are the best and so that is what he did for us that day. While this all LOOKS complicated, and yes, it is luxe, it is all very simply prepared to allow the flavors of the fantastic food to clearly shine through.

To illustrate how simple the entire meal was, this Lobster Bisque was the most complicated thing we ate that day.

Lobster Bisque with caviar and creme fraiche

Lobster Bisque with caviar and creme fraiche

Chilled seafood tower - Shrimp, lobster, clams, oysters and New Zealand green lipped mussels.

Chilled seafood tower – Shrimp, lobster, clams, oysters and New Zealand green lipped mussels.

Apparently my camera was as taken with this homely cast iron fondue pot as I was, because that is what it ACTUALLY focused on…

Mussels in a white wine and garlic sauce.

Mussels in a white wine and garlic sauce.

 

Cheese platter for dessert.

Cheese platter for dessert.

 

A few upcoming events – LIVE cooking demos by yours truly on June 21st and July 19th. You can purchase tickets through the Springs Preserve  The June 21st class is mentioned in this video:

Follow along with my food adventures and other musings on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  Beware of salty language, food porn and cute dog pics!

 

Never Underestimate the Talent of Your Friends

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

I luckily have friends of all walks of life. They keep me on my toes and while I know some of them far more intimately than others, I know that a LOT of my friends are incredibly talented people. What I find most interesting though is when I KNOW someone has talent, but I don’t realize HOW talented they truly are. For example, I knew my friend Dani could sing, but it wasn’t until I heard her recordings that I realized she could SING!  That is how it went down for me this past Sunday at Desnudos Tacos at their prix fixe dinner celebrating all that is Mexico.  There are many indie restos that are doing these special, one night only dinners.  MTO has a Sunday Supper Series that I wrote about a few weeks back (their next one is June 22nd).

I don’t remember how I met Christian Dolias, I do remember meeting his wife Jesikuh for the first time, but I can’t remember where/how I met him.  Christian can cook.  I have always known that.  We worked together last year at Vegas Uncork’d and he was a marvel.  I just didn’t realize how talented he was, mainly because he was doing other people’s food.  I underestimated him vastly, in part, because he once said to me, “I always find myself making tacos,” and as a partner at Desnudos that’s what he does daily, and the tacos are really good (Moment of Truth – I drive a half hour in each direction to eat his red chile goat tacos).  Imagine my surprise, delight and shame when he served me the following this past Sunday.  Shame only because I underestimated him, and for that I am truly sorry.

Ceviche de Ostra - a duo of oysters with 2 different salsas frescas

Ceviche de Ostra – a duo of oysters with 2 different salsas frescas

Aqua Chile- sashimi sliced halibut with roasted Serrano corn, green onion, cilantro, lime, chayote and avocado

Aqua Chile- sashimi sliced halibut with roasted Serrano corn, green onion, cilantro, lime, chayote and avocado

Ensalada de Langosta - butter poached lobster with cucumber, corn, black beans and huitalaoche paste

Ensalada de Langosta – butter poached lobster with cucumber, corn, black beans and huitalaoche paste

Mole Verde Oaxaqueno - braised carnitas, white beans, green beans, red potato, chile smoked bacon in a green mole sauce

Mole Verde Oaxaqueno – braised carnitas, white beans, green beans, red potato, chile smoked bacon in a green mole sauce

Borrego con chile Ancho - adobo de chile Ancho rubbed and roasted lamb chops, root vegetables, sweet and spiced arroz

Borrego con chile Ancho – adobo de chile Ancho rubbed and roasted lamb chops, root vegetables, sweet and spiced arroz

Dessert by Pastry Chef Lizette Gonzalez - chocolate cake with tequila almond ganache, house made tres leches ice cream, strawberry coulis and buñuelo sticks.

Dessert by Pastry Chef Lizette Gonzalez – chocolate cake with tequila almond ganache, house made tres leches ice cream, strawberry coulis and buñuelo sticks.

And now I can’t wait to see what Christian does next…

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Vegas Uncork’d and Mother’s Day Weekend

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

May has been a study in contrasts for me so far here is the breakdown, the good, the bad and the ugly.

The first weekend was a successfully executed pub crawl and surprise party for the hubby’s 50th birthday.  Two full days, more than 50 people, 7 venues – including my home – 2 dinners, goody bags, airport runs on the sly and with just a few hiccups, it ran beautifully. With all the moving parts required to pull this off only one venue was a disappointment.  We didn’t allow that one bump in the road to mar the event. The hubby was thrilled and a good time was had by all! Mission accomplished!

John with a bevy of beauties at his Party. Photo courtesy Gonzo Greg Spillane of Gonzo.fm

John with a bevy of beauties at his Party. Photo courtesy Gonzo Greg Spillane of Gonzo.fm.  I have NO IDEA where I was when this was being taken! At Atomic Liquors.

Last weekend was arguably one of the biggest foodie events in Vegas – Bon Appetit’s Vegas Uncork’d. In the past few years I have worked the Grand Tasting event for Texas Pete Hot Sauce.  Because they elected not to attend this year, I had the opportunity to attend as a guest. All things considered, I prefer working it to attending it. When you work the event you are there early and leave late. Because I am not an A list journalist or other celeb hot shot, I didn’t get early admission this year and entered with the GA tickets.  All I can say was that it was over sold.  At $225 per head, we could barely squeeze thru some of the areas and getting food at some of the booths was nearly impossible. Bonus – I had a great conversation with Bruce Bromberg of Brooklyn Bowl and Blue Ribbon Sushi. John and I both agreed that we’d rather spend money on the smaller, individual events (like the Master Series Dinners) next year and that we won’t attend unless we are comped or get early admission. Highlight bite of the night? Foie gras macarrons at Michael Mina’s booth.

1-IMG_1729

 

Lee’s Liquor Beer & Tequila tasting event was something altogether different!  A really well laid out floor plan allowed for maximum traffic flow so we were able to try everything we wanted without missing anything.  Friendly vendors, live music and a fun crowd at an affordable ticket price made the whole event a winner.  Of course there was no FOOD, but that was remedied with a cab ride.  We did this as a Girls Night Out and I am so glad we did.

A quartet of buds out for a Girls' Night Out to celebrate Mother's Day

A quartet of buds out for a Girls’ Night Out to celebrate Mother’s Day

 

Despite disappointing bland dishes, brunch on Mother’s day with friend Lillian and her family was fantastic.  It was more about the company than it was about the food. Bottomless Bloody Marys for the Moms and great conversation with fantastic service was just what the doctor ordered!

 

Vic Vegas hosted a viewing party for his appearance on Bar Rescue and I was honored to be on the friends and family list.  He is a charming host and a lovely person.  Hanging out with peeps I enjoy in a venue with a breathtaking view was the perfect cap to my Mother’s Day weekend.

Rachel (MGM PR), Vic Vegas and Juanita (LV Food & Beverage Professional)

Rachel (MGM PR), Vic Vegas and Juanita (LV Food & Beverage Professional)

Thank Goodness We Were Walking – Seattle

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

That’s all I have to say about our trip to Seattle this past weekend.

Enjoy this photo blog of the trip.  You can find the rest of the pics on my Facebook page, Good for Spooning.  If you are following me on Instagram or other social media, you may have seen some of these already.  Be sure to go to Where I Like to Eat for a complete list of places to check out the next time you are in Seattle.

 

 

Pretzels at Bravehorse Tavern - L to R - Smoked Peanut Butter and Bacon, SourCream and Onion, Pimento Cheese dips

Pretzels at Bravehorse Tavern – L to R – Smoked Peanut Butter and Bacon, SourCream and Onion, Pimento Cheese dips

Dilled Deviled eggs with bacon at Bravehorse Tavern

Dilled Deviled eggs with bacon at Bravehorse Tavern

 

Pike Market - I just love all the displays!

Pike Market – I just love all the displays!

Beers at Pike Brewing - mine is the smaller one. It was NOT lady sized, it was stronger.

Beers at Pike Brewing – mine is the smaller one. It was NOT lady sized, it was stronger.

The only disappointing thing I ate on the entire trip. THe fish was good, I just don't like shoestring fries with my fish & chips. At Etta's.

The only disappointing thing I ate on the entire trip. THe fish was good, I just don’t like shoestring fries with my fish & chips. At Etta’s.

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

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

Coconut Cream Pie at Palace Kitchen

Coconut Cream Pie at Palace Kitchen

 

Halibut cheeks fit for Jehovah! (Ok Python fans...you get it right?) at Miller's Guild.

Halibut cheeks fit for Jehovah! (Ok Python fans…you get it right?) at Miller’s Guild.

Lamb-a-palooza at Miller's Guild

Lamb-a-palooza at Miller’s Guild

Of course we had oysters!

Of course we had oysters!

All of the following pics are from Smith – the food was so good.

Chacuterie and cocktails for all!

Chacuterie and cocktails for all!

Poutine with brisket

Poutine with brisket

Tartare, Brussels Sprouts with bacon and the poutine with brisket. LOVE that the tartare was served with house made potato chips so our gluten free friend had a suitable delivery device!

Tartare, Brussels Sprouts with bacon and the poutine with brisket. LOVE that the tartare was served with house made potato chips so our gluten free friend had a suitable delivery device!