Sparrow + Wolf – First Spoonful

Posted on May 26, 2017 by LeAnne Notabartolo

Sparrow + Wolf is my most anticipated restaurant opening in ages. I have waited for fucking EVER to eat Brian Howard’s food again. Since Comme Ça closed in 2015, the only time I was able to enjoy this Chef’s food was at events.

Neighborhood Cookery INDEED!

Sparrow + Wolf opened last Wednesday in Vegas’ Chinatown and although we wanted to be there, we didn’t want to be there. You know what I mean? So, we planned a date night at Sparrow + Wolf and it turned into “old home week”! Their sign says “neighborhood cookery and libations”. Neighborhood Cookery INDEED! You would have thought we planned a night out with friends. So many people we knew walked in the door! It was fantastic to see folks we hadn’t seen in some time, former clients of mine from a previous job and try some fantastic food.

We left our menu selections in Chef Brian Howard’s hands and he sent out some amazing stuff! The only item we selected was the dessert because I knew John would love it. There was only one item that I didn’t care for, but that is a personal preference, not a verdict on the dish. And it is not pictured here.

Be sure to make a reservation – they’ve been packed!

Heads up – they have been PACKED every night, be sure to make a reservation. We chose to sit at the bar, because we enjoy that, and yes, we made a reservation FOR the bar. The cocktail menu is fun and tasty and of course I didn’t take any pics of my drink, but I had the Have Knives Will Travel and it was delish! Craft beer on tap (no crap on tap) makes me even happier! The Stone Tangerine IPA was available, grab it while you can.

Enjoy these quick pics and I promise a more in depth post after I visit again.

These are NOT your grandad’s clams casino where you eat a dozen and are left wanting more. Adding uni to Clams Casino? Gilding the lily you could say, and you’d be right, but in the best of ways. It is slightly pricey, BUT worth every penny and it’s so rich you only need one! My fave dish of the night.

A unique presentation for sure. The hamachi is on a crispy, cloudlike rice cracker. This hits all the right notes – salty, sweet, spicy and crunchy.

Beautiful duck breast with seared foie gras and woodear mushrooms. Again gilding the lily, but in the best possible way. This dish was introduced and enjoyed at Whiskey in the Wilderness, it’s even better here in the resto where they have perfected it!

You may think udon with lamb bolognese would be sacrilege, and I did too…at first. It works for me! The thickness and toothiness of the noodle is the perfect foil to the sauce.

Beef cheek and bone marrow dumpling. JUST when I think I am done with foams…THIS arrives! This was The Hubs’ fave dish of the night.

Calamansi tart – think of everything you love about citrus, and that’s a calamansi. With vanilla meringue and blueberries.

Life is Beautiful Indeed! #LIB2015

Posted on October 1, 2015 by LeAnne Notabartolo

I wasn’t supposed to be there. Really I wasn’t. I wanted to go, but I was supposed to be in Phoenix. Then a dear friend – let’s call him “G” – texts me to say he has a pass for me. Hubby goes to Phoenix without me. It is a GA pass, and I am totally cool with that. Along the way, new friend “L” gives me a “Holy Shit” wristband that allows me access to literally everywhere except backstage. How’s that for serendipity?

On the left my GA band and on the right the “Holy Shit” JACKPOT band. Yes, I hit the Jackpot!

This third year of the event is the first time my schedule has allowed me to attend. I was so energized and overwhelmed by the experience that it took me until today to finish writing this.

Here is what I learned about Life is Beautiful:

You need to plan and stick to the plan. I didn’t get to see any of the speakers I wanted to see because I didn’t stick to my plan. I’d run into people I knew and end up talking to them instead of dragging them with me to the Learning Center and by the time I got to the venue, the room was full.
The organizers drastically underestimated the appeal of Bill Nye. I talked to a few people who said the room was so packed they couldn’t get in, that he really warranted a stage. Of course I wasn’t there.
September is too hot for this event – it really needs to be in October.
Drink more water
You will never get to see and do everything you want, even if you are there all 3 days. There are often conflicting scheduled performers.
Do the research on the bands so you’re better informed and can choose which venue to visit if there is a conflict.
After speaking with a wheelchair bound attendee, I learned that LIB had excellent access for the handicapped. He said he had been to more than 20 festivals of this type THIS YEAR and LIB was in the top 3 for accessibility.
Walking into the crowd at a Snoop concert is like walking into the crowd at a George Clinton show – be prepared for a contact high.
I could have make a FORTUNE if I had a booth selling ICE!

Here is what surprised me about Life is Beautiful

The Killers! Brandon Flowers was supposed to perform without The Killers. SURPRISE!
I was more interested in the art installations than I expected to be. The Art Motel was a brilliant use of reclaimed space with fabulous interactive art.
The bottom left reminded me of Cannoli. Many of the installations were interactive and not meant for pics, but for sound! On the bottom right, the “Google it” balloon only showed up with your flash.
I didn’t see one fight
I didn’t see anyone who was severely over-served (aka – drunk as a skunk)
The vibe was MUCH more mellow than I expected. People were acting like they were Canadian apologizing for bumping into you <smirk, giggle, snort>
A flowy skirt is a good choice. Pants are bullshit.
Duran Duran was fantastic! They looked good and sounded great!
Helpful and polite staff, including ALL team members!
Free drinks at Commonwealth from It’s On Me
Free Drinks from anyone is a good thing. Made even cooler when they are from It’s On Me!

What I loved best about LIB was…

Free water stations…even if it was piss warm
No Selfie Sticks allowed!
The variety of food trucks
Clockwise From Top Left:
Cousins Maine Lobster Roll
Truck U BBQ – pulled pork torta
Buldogi’s Angry Dog
Strip Chezze’s Hot Streak SandWISH
Oming’s Kitchen Lumpia
The map was excellent! Compact with a complete schedule of events included and easy to read.
The APP!!! Create your own schedule, follow along with what is hot, and search by artist, time slot or venue to find exactly what you want.
My “Holy Shit” wristband allowed me into the artists’ lounge so I could hang out with my fellow culinary friends, enjoy Brian Howard’s roasted pork and an open bar.
My fave bar, Atomic Liquors, was in the footprint of the festival grounds this year so I could go in, cool off, drink great beer and use a REAL commode.

Biggest disappointment? Not getting to see the Banksy art installation truck open. There was no schedule as to when the back of the truck would be open, you just had to luck into seeing it. I guess that is par for the course with Banksy!

I wonder what was inside?

Schedule permitting, I am attending next year with a better plan to NOT miss anything I am truly interested in seeing. I also learned that the “Holy Shit” band could not be purchased. It was a gift from the sponsors. SOOOO….I am putting it out there NOW for 2016 that I was truly grateful and would love that opportunity again!

I Bought a Pig

Posted on April 14, 2015 by LeAnne Notabartolo

I love pork. That was not always the case. I have always loved sausage and bacon and some ham, but pork roast, chops and fresh ham were NEVER my faves. John was the exact opposite. When I met and married John he couldn’t stand fish and chicken. Then we discovered the problem…he had never had it made properly. His Mom knew how to make chicken and fish in exactly 3 ways, all with the same seasonings – baked dry as a bone, broiled within an inch of its life and greasy fried. We figured this out early in our marriage and now he is a sushi lover and eats all manner of fowl with a smile. It wasn’t until about 6 years ago that I realized my problem with pork (and lamb FYI) wasn’t the flesh itself, it was that Mom, bless her heart, really isn’t that good of a cook, but I can’t really blame her. My grandmother was a terrible cook too. The only thing she made REALLY well was pot roast – probably because you are supposed to cook the shit out of it and she was good at that – and all other pot roasts are forever compared to hers. (Moment of Truth – Mom LOVES to bake and cook with the kids, but despises making dinner every night. Her favorite thing to make for dinner is reservations).

As I began eating at multicourse tastings where I didn’t have a choice on the menu, and I started hanging out with chefs and other food writers, I found myself eating all the things that I previously thought I didn’t like. What a revelation to have pork tartare. A mind blowing experience to have a pork chop, cooked barely medium with so much flavor and so juicy that it required a napkin. That had never happened in my youth I can promise you.

So now, here I am cooking pork, stuffing my own sausages, smoking bacon and ham and even curing my own pancetta. And buying a pig…well, part of a pig. Friend John M told me about a family run farm that allows you to buy shares of animals. We went in together on a half pig and it was picked up Friday. Dealing with a family farm that humanely raises and slaughters my food appeals to me on so many levels. I love supporting a small business. I love knowing exactly what’s going in my belly and shopping local when possible is also a big thing for me. While many of you may not think that Utah is local, it’s less than 100 miles from my doorstep and there aren’t a ton of meat producers here in the Vegas Valley that sell direct to consumer.

I have to say, I thought with it being a family farm that it would arrive fresh and wrapped in butcher paper, ready for me to prep for the freezer. NOT SO! It arrived frozen and already vac sealed, saving me a step. We divied up the goods and they are safely ensconced in my freezer awaiting the tender ministrations of me and friends. I have no idea what I will be cooking first, but I am sure with quality like this, it’s bound to taste great.

For more information on Christiansen Farm, check out their website.

While you wait for my next installment, I suggest you drool over these porktacular pics! And if you like them here is a shameless plea to SHARE and /or SUBSCRIBE to the blog and the FB page and follow along on Instagram and Twitter for a first look at what I am eating NOW.

Please forgive the quality of some of these pics – they were before I got my swanky new camera!