eating las vegas

Many people go to Vegas for the gambling. Some go for the shows. Too many go for Bachelor/ette parties. As for me, I went for the food. Well, actually, I went to celebrate my Mom’s birthday. To celebrate by eating food. Good food. We were there four days and three nights, which allowed for exploring four restaurants. Four restaurants with a side of In-N-Out Burger. Protein style.

They were all really good. Some were great. It was a tight race for the gold:

BRONZE MEDAL: Postrio After pampering ourselves at Caynon Ranch Spa our first morning, we were famished. Strolling under the Venetian's (fake) Italian sky, we ended up picking a restaurant "patio" by the "canal." Such ambiance. It was a pick more or less at random, but Postrio by Wolfgang Puck was quite delicious. But then again he is America's most successful chef, so I'd hope he could put out some edible fare. We opted to order an array of appetizers. Highlights: the tuna tartar and the trio of housemade sausages (!). Very good. Minus the fake sky.

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SILVER MEDAL: craftsteak I am what Mark Bittman calls a flexitarian. I don’t eat much meat, but I also don't really have any rules about eating; I eat what I like. But I am not what you would call a carnivore. I get way more excited about arugula than waygu. Nevertheless, I was dying to try out Tom Colicchio's craftsteak. I love Tom. At least I love what I know of him from TV and his Twitter feed. He seems like, as my Mom would say, a “good guy.”

Craftsteak delivered. Big time. When we arrived (after walking what felt like 2 miles in the MGM Grand) they were running a “few minutes” behind on their reservations, and recommended we take a seat at the bar. The dapper bartender wasted no time pouring me my Hendrick's martini extra dry with a twist. It was perfection. My sister opted for one of their specialty cocktails with bourbon and pomegranate juice, while the birthday girl had a heavy-handed gimlet (later to be topped off with just a little more soda).

The bar itself was magnificent. Classy but comfortable with bartenders in suits and basketball on the flatscreens. After 20 minutes or so, the hostess came to take us to our table, a perfect round booth just the right size for three so that no one felt like they were left out on an end. Our sever Edgar made us feel relaxed and welcome from the moment we sat down. We knew we were in for a delightful meal.

While the Australian A5 Wagyu Surf + Turf three-course tasting menu at $295 per person was tempting, we opted to go a more modest route. My sister ordered the 10 oz. filet mignon ($56) and Mom opted for surf + turf with lobster ($68). I was beside myself with excitement for the fava bean salad with walnut pesto and pecorino, but added on the Vermont quail dish so as not to seem too lame. Edgar teased me a little, but didn’t seem to mind. We also ordered asparagus and fiddleheads as side vegetables. With the order in, we sipped our wine and devoured the most delicious baked buns. I didn't even know this kind of bun could be homemade. You learn something new everyday.

Here's the thing about craftsteak: I’ve never tasted such a delicious steak. I really had no idea steak could taste so good. I’m not sure what would have happened if I tasted the pricier options. But the real show stealer, was the fava bean salad. I know that seems silly to say, craftsteak being a steakhouse and all, but it was amazing. Fresh favas. Perfectly roasted nuts. Cheese that probably cost $50/lb. Steak and veggies, Tom does it all well.

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NO MEDAL: nobu Night two, after a hot day at the Hoover Dam and Red Rocks Caynon, we made our way to the Hard Rock Hotel to try Chef Nobu Matsuhisa's eponymous restaurant. When planning the birthday weekend for our mom, my sister and I had picked this as the dinner of the weekend, given her affinity for sushi. But, unfortunately, it proved to be the eating lowlight.

Things didn’t get off to a good start, I’m not sure why. Some of it may have been a result of us being a bit tired from the long, active, day. But not very much. The vibe of the restaurant was off-putting. It was cramped, loud, chaotic. Our waitress was noticeably condescending, treating us like children who needed to be advised what to order off the kid’s menu. We struggled to order, mostly because her recommendations didn’t jive with what we wanted to eat, but we finally got it done. We ordered tuna tacos, Chef Nobu’s signature black cod with miso, and 3-4 sushi rolls. The food was undeniably delicious, particularly the black cod. It wasn’t much to look at, but the caramelized miso was like nothing I’ve ever had before. The sushi was great too. But the bill? Not so great. At craftsteak we didn’t bat an eye at the bill, because although it was pricey, it felt worth every penny. Nobu, on the other hand, felt like a 20-something club. The food was great, but the ambiance and service just didn't measure up.

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GOLD MEDAL: China Poblano For our last night in Vegas, we decided to switch it up and go a bit more casual. It took 20 minutes of wandering around The Cosmopolitan before we found José Andrés’s newest restaurant, China Poblano. The giant Buddha surrounding the entrance welcomed us warmly. At first glance the menu looked fantastic, but first things first: we needed margaritas. We wasted no time selecting, and the bartender delievered expeditiously. Served in a stemless martini glass, the rims were blank, and instead each drink was topped with a delicate salted foam. Genius. Pure genius.

With our awesome waitress’s input, we ordered (likely with foam on our lips):

• Guacamole made one-by-one / fresh tortillas
• Lamb Pot Stickers Stuck On You vegetables / crisp lace
• Coctel de Camarones  fresh shrimp/ jumbo lump crab meat/tomato/ avocado 
• The Unruly Monk hand-cut noodles / bok choy / wild wood ear mushrooms / poached egg / spicy sauce
• Setas taco wild mushrooms / guacamole
• Cochinita  taco Yucatan-style pit barbeque pork/marinated onions
• [another taco that I’m forgetting…]
• Twenty-Vegetable Fried Rice

Decisions were difficult since everything on the menu looked amazing. The only dish that was so-so was the noodle soup. It was good, just not that notable. The tacos were fantastic, particularly the mushroom one which on paper sounds pretty dullsville. It wasn’t. The guacamole was also phenomenal. I venture to say it was the best I’ve ever had. The other highlight was the pot stickers. Lamb seasoned with cumin was unexpected but amazing.

After a second “Salt-Air Margarita,” we were pretty full and happy, but being a birthday dinner number three of three, we needed a festive dessert. And festive we got: out waitress recommended the Chocolate Terra Cotta Warrior. “He” came on a bed of chocolate cookie dust with caramelized bananas, sesame, and ginger gelato. Done and done. My sister proceeded to chop his head off with the first bite, which seemed like the perfect celebratory end to one of the best dinners I’ve had.

Happy Birthday Mom!

farmers market orzo salad

I don't go to farmers markets as much as I'd like to. I often wish I was as committed to markets as so many other people seem to be. It's so romantic to think about waking up, grabbing your basket, and heading to the local farmer's market where you see what looks good and buy it while sipping your hand-crafted espresso drink. Produce and other local goodies in hand, you head back home to make a delightful feast for your closest friends. By the time they arrive you have perfect appetizers and specialty drinks set out on the patio that is decorated in lights and fresh flowers straight out of a Bon Appétit magazine photo shoot... Maybe someday that might be my life, but it's certainly not now. I don't go to the farmers market that often. Things get busy. Weekends go by too quickly. It just doesn't happen. It's a bit embarrassing to admit (an acquaintance was once telling me how great a local QFC is, and I asked what the price of an English cucumber is there, since it's a fridge staple of mine, and he replied "Oh. I have no idea. I don't buy produce at the grocery store. We get all our produce from farmers markets. Why of course. Silly me.). I beat myself up about it a good amount. I tell myself that if I was really a foodie, I would be a market regular. Sigh.

So when I do get to the market, I get really excited. Last Sunday, I was giddy to be at the Ballard Farmers Market, and at the top of my list was spring onions, closely followed by rhubarb. After taking in some options, I settled on one vendor with beautiful rhubarb, and he happened to be offering a 2 for $5 deal on his bundles of gorgeous green and white guys. I'm always a sucker for a deal, so I went out of there with approximately 20 onions when I only need 3 for that night's recipe. Yikes.

After using a few in my favorite recipe, the remaining several hung out in my fridge all week long. By last night it was getting sad. They were withering. I needed to use them or they were SOL. And not using the produce I scored at the farmers market would make me feel even worse about myself than I already did for not going to farmers markets enough. I need to make things right. I perused the blogosphere for some inspiration, and settled on making an Asian flavored orzo salad. I was very pleased with the result. It was good enough to make me feel better about myself. I might not go to the farmers market as much as I "should," but I can still whip up a healthy, fresh meal.

Sesame Orzo Salad with Green Onions + Broccoli

• 1 cup whole wheat orzo
• 1 small head broccoli
• lots of scallions (I used about 12)
• 1/2 cucumber
• 2T sesame seeds
• 2T sesame oil (1T x 2)
• 1T soy sauce
• Siracha

1. Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium-low heat. Stir frequently. When light brown, remove from heat and let cool.

2. Chop broccoli and scallions into bite-sized pieces. (A lot of people discard the stems of each, but I always try to use as much of vegetables as possible.)

3. Bring water to a boil and add orzo. Cook to desired al dente-ness. Make sure you don't cut the cooking time short; crunchy orzo is no good.

4. When orzo is near done, add the broccoli to the water. Drain all and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking.

5. Heat 1T sesame oil in a non-stick pan or wok over high heat. When oil is hot but not smoking, add scallions and cook, stirring frequently, until they are lightly browned and charred in places. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

6. In a large boil, combine sesame seeds, sesame oil, soy sauce, and a dash of siracha. Chop cucumber and add to bowl. Add orzo and broccoli. Mix well. Add additional siracha and salt + pepper as desired.

Serves 2-3; easily doubled.

mistral kitchen

Last night was "date night." And my kind, thoughtful, date used a sure-fire method to ensure he selected a restaurant that would delight: he picked one off my "must try soon" list. Mistral Kitchen. I liked it. We liked it. It was a really good meal. To be fair, I have to do this as an overall assessment. A chronological review would not go well. Our relationship with Mistral got off on a rough foot. But more about that later. First let me talk about the food. We ordered:

• kushi and kumamoto oysters with the chef's preparation (beurre blanc on one and fresh cucumber and something on the other)
• hamachi crudo with avocado, basil oil and radish sprouts
• branzino with cannellini beans and black trumpet mushrooms
• lamb loin with puy lentils, chard, and turnips
• the ultra brownie with peanut butter ice cream

It was all delicious. Every last bite. The oysters were perfectly chilled and the accompaniments were flavorful. The hamachi was cut a bit thick for my liking, I'm more of a carpaccio-style curdo gal (How to Cook a Wolf!), but the basil oil was fantastic. The entrees were pretty amazing. The lentils, chard, and turnips were perfect with the lamb, and I enjoyed more than my fair share even though at sight I thought it was too undercooked..."eat it how it's meant to be eaten." The branzino was superb too, the perfect portion and the beans were marvelously al dente. Dessert was solid, but not that memorable. Our server told us the peanut butter ice cream was "life-changing" but I'm going to call hyperbole on that statement. It was good, but not make-yourself-ill-because-you-ate-it-all good.

But it just wouldn't be me if I didn't have some complaints. Like I said, we got off to a bad start. Our server (or the sommelier?) pulled an absurd stunt. I was not impressed. At all. We perused the beer and drink lists but decided we felt like wine, and also thought that would be the most economical option. Drinks were $12 each, but we could get a full bottle of wine for $35. We picked a Willamette Valley pinot blanc that we were sure we'd like. $35. Splendid deal. I have no problem ordering the cheapest bottle of wine on the menu. Too long passed after ordering, and we got to that annoying "where the heck is our wine?" moment. Finally our server came back to report that they were unfortunately out of the wine we ordered but he had a delicious alternative that we would LOVE. He was sure of it. He also slipped in that it was "closer to $50." We not-so-subtly commented that perhaps we'd get it for the $35 price point. No dice. He insisted it was the best wine ever and everyone loves it, and before we knew it he was pouring. At first, I hated it. It was no Willamette pinot blanc. It was French. And SWEET. We drank it in the end, and it grew on me, but then the bill came and it was actually $55. What!? Seriously!? I've never worked in a restaurant, but I just don't get it. We clearly ordered the chepaest bottle of wine on the menu. Why would you give us one that $20 more and think we were going to be pleased? There were several other whites on the list for $35 or $40. It's not like we ordered a $100 bottle and he brought us a $120 bottle. Do I look like that much of a pushover that you can play me? Apparently I am. But I didn't like it. Not one bit.

But I did like Mistral Kitchen overall. But it won't be making the "love" category. Not with that ridiculousness.

restaurants i wish i could fly to

Earlier this month, the New York Times ran an intriguing article: 10 Restaurants Worth a Plane Ride. I must admit, I haven't been to any of them, although one happens to not require a plane ride for me (just a ferry) and another is within affordable striking distance. Reading the article of course got these restaurants on my radar, but mostly it got me to thinking about what restaurants I wish I could fly to from time to time. I'm certain I'm omitting many delicious eating experiences I've had, but here are the places I can't seem to stop missing despite the innumerable delicious Seattle eating establishments:

THE MIDDLEBURY BAGEL DELI - Middlebury, VT I feel pretty strongly that you haven't truly experienced a breakfast sandwich until you've had a bagel-egger from the Bagel Deli: Best. Breakfast. Sandwich. Ever. My preferred order is a bagel egger on poppy seed with bacon and cheddar. Their self service coffee is delish and the donuts make a delightful breakfast appetizer.

BLACK SHEEP BISTRO - Vergennes, VT Clearly I'm partial to this place, since it was the site of our rehearsal dinner. The atmosphere of this Vermont restaurant is both cozy and classy. The food is comforting (fry wheel!) but elegant at the same time. They change their menu regularly and are one of those great places that has a list the options by course, all with the same price. I love that. I'm bad enough with decisions as it is, let alone when I have to decide if I want the duck $4 worth more than I want the pork loin.

PLAN B - Hartford, CT You don't know what you've got till it's gone. That pretty much sums up this place for me. We went all the time when we lived in Connecticut. Burgers, beer, and bourbon. Done right. Exceptional tap list and delicious burgers chuck ground in-house daily. They've expanded to three restaurants in the Hartford area, and according to their website they'll be in Boston, DC, Atlanta, and Chicago soon. So many flight options!

1844 HOUSE - Canton, NY Not a place you'd expect to find fine dining, but this place is a gem. Great service, top-notch food, and an outstanding wine list.

MIAN KU (NOODLE LOFT) - Beijing, China With two (or three?) locations in China's capital, this is a must stop right up there with Tiananmen and the Forbidden City. We first heard about it before our 2006 trip thanks to Anthony Bourdain, and had an adventure or two trying to find it (remember, Amber!?). But it was worth all the headache, the Shanxi noodles were like none I've ever had before. They're hand-tossed at the bar. Kind of like pizza is in New York. I haven't had them in five years (thus the hankering for the plane flight to taste some noodle goodness) but word on the street is they're still going strong. (Check out this recent blog post at the tiny urban kitchen.)

CHALET LA PRICAZ - Montmin, France High atop a mountain in the alps, in July 2010, I devoured the most delicious meal I have ever eaten in France. And from a girl who gain nearly 20 lbs. as an exchange student there before college, that's saying a lot. We celebrated Bastille Day with family following a cousin's wedding at this restaurant famous for it's tartiflette.  The owners have a herd of Tarine cows, who make reblochon cheese on location (farm to table anyone?). Tartiflette is a local specialtiy where the reblochon cheese is melted over potatoes and pancetta. Most of the men at the table ate only 3/4 of their individual cast iron skillets of goodness. The ladies consumed 1/2 max. I ate my entire dish, plus the 1/4 Dan left. I don't regret it one bit. I might never have that meal again. (We were led there by our French hosts, but turns out the restaurant was raved about in the New York Times in 2007.)

Where would you fly?

cabbage

[This post orginally appeared exactly one year ago (1/10/10) in one of my previous blogs. One of the ones that lacked focus. It was about anything and everything, but this pitch for cabbage fits here. I love cabbage. I'm actually craving some right now. Which is why I'm adding this post. And the one year thing is a nice added reason for posting today. Enjoy.] ~

My family likes to say that I’m a food snob. I suppose it’s true that I’m….well, particular. I have strong opinions about food, from what to buy to which restaurants are worth the money. More than anything I hate spending money on food that is a) not very good or b) I could have made myself. And don’t even get me started on bottled water. Such a waste of money. In China, I drank the boiled stuff from the machine on our hall. I put it in my nalgene and put it outside on my windowsill until it cooled off. It didn’t take very long. I was in Harbin after all.

When lovingly criticized by my family for being a food snob, I have one argument: greens. I love cheap greens. Iceberg lettuce and plain old green cabbage. YUM. Love the crunch. (I must admit, however, I do enjoy buying these organic when I can, because it makes me feel less guilty about not washing before eating.) Lettuce is my standby for lunches, and cabbage is my go-to veggie for dinners (I think Dan may be getting sick of it). but I can’t really put into words how happy it makes me to purchase a nice big head of cabbage for 49 cents a pound (39 when it’s on sale!) and store it in the fridge for as long as I like before pulling it out, and copping it into those clean, crisp ribbons. Depending on my recipe, I throw it in the electric wok or my le creuset and in no time I have a delicious, nutritious meal.

So, I’m thinking not everyone eats enough cabbage. And I think that if you’re one of those people, you’re missing out. So to make things easy for you, here are some of my favorite cabbage recipes:

Cabbage and Hot Sauce (Orangette) - Make sure you have it with a fried egg, so good! (Also, Orangette apparently has a similar affinity for cabbage, as she just replaced her photo of orangettes on her blog with a gorgeous shot of savoy cabbage. But therein lies the difference. Savoy is fancy. It’s more than 49 cents a pound. But then again, she is Orangette after all. And I’m…well, not.)

Stir-fried Cabbage (Bon Appétit) - Great with rice and tofu, or a fried egg!!

Red Lentils with Cabbage (Smitten Kitchen) - A much more involved recipe, but so delicious. And keeps with the cheap theme!

Try one. I promise you’ll like it. And if you don’t, you’ll only be out $2.

(Thanks JO, for prompting this post - I hope you’ve enjoyed some cabbage dishes recently!)