Las Vegas: Buldogis
The Skinny: I was surfing the net looking for places to eat with a few of my friends. I came across this place called Buldogis. I read an article saying that the hot dogs were like the ones from LA’s food truck Kogi. I was SO excited that this place is right by my house and I finally get to try Korean infused hot dogs. I love hot dogs & Korean food so this was a definite treat. I walked in and it was like walking into a subway, but with the smell of bulgogi cooking in the air. I ordered the Buckeye dog, Bulgogi beef dog & angry fries. I wasn’t that hungry but definitely had to try a bit of it all and save the rest for lunch the next day. It took about 15 minutes for my food to be ready for take-out which I’m fine with because that just means everything is made fresh and to order. As much as I loved it, it’s not something I can eat every day. The best part of it all is that the hot dogs are 5 bucks. You definitely get a bang for your buck here.
The Good: The Buckeye dog is delicious!!! It starts off with 100% beef frank with pork belly bacon, corn relish, cheddar & garlic mayo on top. Who can resist?! The Beef bulgogi dog is good too, but it was just way too much meat for me. It was topped with asian slaw (carrots & radish), green onions, sesame seeds, bulgogi mayo. I definitely needed a fork to finish this the next day. I think this dog would probably be better on top of rice.
The Bad: The Angry fries. It’s not really a bad, but just not something I’d order again. It was good for 2-3 bites, but then it was just too much. One order is huge! It’s sweet potato fries topped with spicy pork bulgogis, kimchi, give cheese blend, fried egg, green onions & jalapenos. Your behind will be angry at you after you eat it lol!
Would you come back again? Yes I will, I saw a euro special on their menu I’d like to try. I don’t think I’d order so much food again though. I do love that buckeye dog though.
More Info: 2291S. Fort Apache Las Vegas, NV 89117 | (702) 570-7560 | Mon-Thur 11am-9pm; Fri & Sat 11am-10pm; Sunday 11am-5pm | Very reasonably priced. Nothing over $4.95.
– Sniper Tam
Las Vegas: MSC (Min Sok Chong)
The Skinny: I needed a nice little reality check from some good friends and they decided to go here. Apparently I’ve been here before, but it was so long ago when food was just something I ate to survive I couldn’t remember. It did feel familiar when I first walked in. I was a little excited because it is a Korean/Japanese restaurant.
The interior is this cute little homely place. I felt comfortable the minute I walked in. It was like you’re walking into your best friend’s Asian dining room. We sat down and first thing we ordered was alcohol. Soju (Korean alcohol), Hite (Korean beer) & fresh iced green tea. I’ve never been here and was open to try anything. My friend ordered a dish that was slow cooked pork belly with oysters, tofu steak & a spicy potato & beef rib soup. I loved that the owner’s daughter came to our table with fresh limes and made a special cocktail we named Achy hands drink because she squeezed fresh lime juice into a cup of ice and soju. Loved it better then drinking soju straight up. For our happy ending we had candied corn with cheese. OMG who thinks up these things? At first when it came out my friends and I looked at the dish and looked at Sarah (the owner’s daughter) and said that’s a huge dish of corn! Don’t know why we were so shocked by the plate, we actually finished majority of it. It is THAT good.
The Good: I didn’t have one bad dish here. The slow cooked pork belly with oysters was fantastic! I’m normally not a big fan of pork belly because of how fatty it is, but Sarah’s mom made it so good, I could’ve eaten the whole plate if it wasn’t so filling. The dish came with pickled napa cabbage leaves to wrap the pork belly, oyster & sides (raw garlic, raw jalapeno peppers, and this fermented soy bean paste). This dish is like an explosion of flavor in your mouth. It actually really messed me up the first bite. My brain couldn’t decide what I was eating. I had the flavorful pork belly, the oyster and all the other flavors from the sides. It was delicious.
The spicy potato & beef rib soup was a great choice too. It went well with the other dishes we ordered. A lot of places when I order this type of soup are too spicy. The spice level and flavor was perfect here.
Our last dish was the candied corn with cheese. My friend told me that this is the best dish when drinking. Boy is she right. This dish is no joke. Definitely a must try if you ever go.
The Bad: I don’t really have anything bad to say about this restaurant other than it’s kind of in a ghetto area. The best restaurants are the little hole in the walls right? It is a couple blocks from the University so it’s not that bad, but still quite a drive from where I live. Worth the drive though.
Would you come back again? Absolutely, we didn’t even begin to take a crack at the menu. There are so many choices to choose from. I will definitely be back again. It’s Korean home cooking and you can’t find such great Korean home cooking unless you’re Korean yourself and if you are, then I’m jealous you grew up with such great food. Next time I’ll try some of the Japanese items and report back.
More Info: 1801 E. Tropicana | Las Vegas, NV 89119 | (702) 262-5592 | Reasonable pricing
– Sniper Tam
Las Vegas part 1: The Wicked Spoon @ the Cosmopolitan
The Skinny: For a company retreat, my coworkers and I stayed at the Venetian in las Vegas. Our first night there we porked out at the Wicked Spoon which is a buffet located at the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino. This would be my first time there.
From what I heard, what sets the Wicked Spoon apart from other buffets located on the Vegas strip is the way they have a diverse selection of portion size dishes already plated out. For example, they’ll have Southern style Shrimp N Grits or some braised Short Ribs with Pasta in their own personal size copper pots. But like all of the other buffets, they have a Prime Rib, Pasta, Sushi, and other International food stations set up.
The Wicked Spoon buffet is also known for their Dessert and Gelato selections.
The High: Of all the stuff I tried, which was a lot, the three things that really stood out for me were the Fried Chicken Wings with Mash Potatoes, Crawfish with a Coconut Sauce, and the Bone Marrow. I was also enjoying the small Mussels with Andoie Sausages, but I bit into one that was full of gunk and soil. That bite pretty much killed my appetite.
As for desserts, I did try the PBJ Gelato and it was good. The Chocolate covered Strawberries and Purple-ish Macaroon with Berries stuffed inside, were alright as well.
The Low: Other than that one bad Mussel, the General Tao Chicken had a heavy dosage of Soy Sauce. It was pretty awful. As I grow older, I’m becoming less of a fan of buffets in general.
Would you come back again? Not really.
More Info: Wicked Spoon Buffet | $22 for Brunch and $35 for Dinner.
– MJ
Las Vegas Part 2: The Venetian | The Palazzo Meeting Halls
The Skinny: The 2nd day of our company retreat, we had our conference at the Meeting Halls in The Venetian & Palazzo. There we were was served a small buffet for lunch. The theme of the meal was Italian, which makes sense since we were at the Venetian. Not sure how often the menu changes or what the rotation is like, but what we got for that day can be see in the gallery.
The High: The Chicken Consume with Shiitake Mushrooms, Meatballs, and Ditalini was very comforting, especially after a night of little sleep. However, whatever herbs they added to the Meatballs, it was a little strong for me. The Roasted Beet Salad was delicious, but the Cavateli Pasta with Rock Shrimp, Parmasean, and Vinaigrette stood out the most for me. It was my first time having Italian dumpling like Pasta like that since it was thick and toothsome , kind of like fried Udon Noodles. The Shrimp bits that came with it were full of flavor and the Sundried Tomatoes gave the overall dish some well welcomed sweetness and a nice earthy fragrance.
The Low: The Seared Bone in Chicken Breasts were beyond dry. I felt pretty guilty because I didn’t finish mine and there were a lot of half eaten and untouched bird carcasses leftover. Such a waste.
Would you come back again? Probably won’t get a chance to, but I think the overall quality of the meal was better than The Wicked Spoon.
More Info: Venetian Meetings
– MJ
Las Vegas Part 3: Bouchon @ the Venetian
The Skinny: Our last night at the Ventetian for our company retreat was spent at Bouchon. We were all given a budget of $70 per person that would be used for dinner. This would be my second time at the Thomas Keller restaurant chain, so I knew what to expect.
Since one of my co-worker and I wanted some Seafood, we decided to combine our budget and get the Grand Plateau Seafood platter ($110); and share the Poulet Roti ($29.50) with some Mac & Cheese. The Grand Plateau comes with 1 whole Lobster, 16 Oysters, 8 Shrimp, 8 Clams, 9 Mussels, seasonal Crab, and a special selection. The Poulet Roti itself is a roasted Chicken with Chanterelle Mushrooms, Caramelized Figs, Pickled Ramps and Chicken Jus.
The High: The Grand Paleau was a gluttenous dream come true. It was fresh, clean, and an evil tower of Shellfish with Cocktail, Vinegar, and Horsradish sauces on the side. The petite Lobster I shared was sweet and the Oysters were briny like the sea. I didn’t really care for the Mussels and Clams though.
I wish I could remember what the Poulet Roti and the sauce it came with, tasted like, but for once in Las Vegas, the Chicken wasn’t dry at all. I also barely remember what the Mac & Cheese was like, but it was cheesy and gooey and had a nice crust on top.
I guess Two Much Food and Gin & Tonics numbs out the pallet….and memory.
The Low: I was about to say, I got nothing and that everything was solid, but then I realized… we didn’t get any “seasonal crab” or that “special selection.” I think we got jibbed, but I have to admit, we didn’t really need the extra Crustaceans.
Would you come back again? Sure, why not!
More Info: Bouchon Bistro | 3355 South Las Vegas | Boulevard, Las Vegas – (702) 414-6200
– MJ
Las Vegas: English’s Quintessentially British
The Skinny: One of my friends from work showed me a link to this restaurant inside Town Square shopping. It looked interesting and I just so happen to run into a friend that was open to try new things too. I’ve never really had real British food so I didn’t really know what to expect. First thing I noticed was that the dining room was pretty full, which is always a good things….usually. We ordered the “express lunch” which they advertise as a traditional lunch break, but faster. I ordered the fish & chip sliders that is a slider done English style with beef battered cod and fries with tarter sauce. My friend ordered the pie flight which consisted of the steak & ale pie, chicken & mushroom pie, and the cottage pie (ground beef, green onions, cheese mash). Yes you got ALL 3 in mini sizes, pretty good portions and for only $10.00. All express lunch items are $10.00 and they have about 7 items. Apparently from a few British friends, the menu is very British, again, not really sure what that means, but for me I’d say majority of the menu would be acquired taste. When my friend and I looked at the menu nothing really jumped out at us. Some of the items we actually looked at each with the look of what the heck is that? I’m almost always willing to try different cultures food at least once so it was worth trying.
The Good: The food was decent. Not really something where I’d rave about, but definitely something to try if you’re looking for something different. My fish & chips sliders were very good. Their tarter sauce is fantastic! I’m not a huge tarter sauce fan, but it was really good. The pie’s were good too. My favorite one was the cottage pie. My friend really liked the steak & ale pie and the chicken + mushroom pie.
The Bad: It took the waitress forever to come take our order, took forever for the food to come out. I had to start tapping my spoon to get some attention and have our food checked on. The manager offered us free dessert due to the long wait for the so-called “express lunch”, BUT the dessert itself took forever to come out too! When the waitress brought out the dessert she told us the manager was taking care of our bill because of how long our whole meal was taking.
Would you come back again? I suppose so, not anytime soon though. Yes the food took forever, but the fact that the manager acknowledged it and took care of it I will give them a second chance.
More Info: English’s Quintessentially British | Suite 210, Town Square 6599 Las Vegas Boulevard South | Las Vegas, NV, 8911 | Price range is moderate avg. $11-30
– Sniper Tam
Las Vegas: Blue Ribbon Sushi
The Skinny: The last and final restaurant I wanted to try inside the Cosmopolitan. When my friend from LA said he wanted Japanese food, I automatically thought of this restaurant. A bunch of my co-workers had been raving about this chicken dish so I had to try it. Blue Ribbon participated in Restaurant Week, so what a great time to try it! The pre-set menu was $50 and it consisted of:
- First Course:
Choice of: Miso Soup ~OR~ Hijiki Salad - Second Course:
Chef’s Choice of Assorted Sushi - Third Course:
Choice of: Braised Short Ribs with Celery Root Puree & Truffle Teriyaki ~OR~ Fried Chicken “Blue Ribbon Style” (which was fried chicken with a spicy seasoning accompanied with honey wasabi sauce) - Fourth Course:
Choice of: Ginger Bread Pudding ~OR~ Green Tea Cream Brulee
My friend and I tried one of each of the first course, we both were not fans of either. Second course you can’t go wrong with. It was a spicy tuna roll, one piece of salmon nigiri & one piece of tuna nigiri. Third Course, my friend had the braised short ribs and I tried the fried chicken. Both were delicious.
The Good: Great atmosphere. Has a traditional yet trendy feel to it. Service was really good, food came out in a timely manner. I LOVED the honey wasabi sauce for the chicken. It was a sweet sauce with a kick. The wasabi wasn’t overpowering at all.
The Bad: A little too expensive for what it is, in my opinion at least. A bowl of shishito for $10 when I can buy it at the store for $2? Yea, kind of ruins it when you know exactly how much the dish really costs. The Ginger Bread Pudding was disgusting! I know it says it in the description GINGER bread pudding, but I thought it was ginger bread cookie type of pudding. Nope, had chunks of ginger root in it, almost made me throw up. My own personal experience, I just REALLY dislike ginger. So imagine the one thing you hate most, eating that dish with it in it not knowing it’s in there. Good thing that wasn’t the second course or it would’ve ruined my whole dinner.
Would you come back again? Probably not, unless they had something like the Restaurant week at that price, it’s a little to expensive for me for Japanese food. I’d rather spend my money at Yellowtail at the Bellagio
More Info: Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill Las Vegas | 3708 Las Vegas Boulevard South | Las Vegas, NV 89109 | This is a splurge restaurant.
– Sniper Tam
Las Vegas: Estiatorio Milos
The Skinny: Estiatorio Milos Las Vegas, one of 4 in the world is a one of a kind dining experience with the display of the fresh fish they fly in every day to the beautiful patio that has a garden atmosphere. I’ve wanted to eat here since they’ve opened and they definitely didn’t let me down. Chef Joshua Smith sent us big eyed tuna with bergamot, dill and chili as well as the Lavraki (sea bass) with thyme leaves and lemon to start. They also sent us 4 different appetizers: the first one was the Milos Special which is lightly fried zucchini & eggplant with tzatziki & kefalograviera cheese. We also had the Octopus which is grilled Mediterranean octopus with oregano, wild Santorini capers, apple vinegar & olive oil. For our final appetizer, we had the crab cakes which is Maryland blue crab with marinated gigantes beans & mustard emulsion. For our main course we had the red snapper that was grilled with olive oil, lemon, salt & pepper accompanied by a tomato salad which consisted of English cucumber, red onion, green peppers, olive oil, oregano, Santorini capers & Barrel aged feta cheese. Now when I first heard there’s a Greek restaurant on the strip (1st and only for the time being) I’m thinking is this going to work? It’s definitely unique and it’s definitely working.
The Good: The food is delicious. Everything was extremely fresh & basic. They don’t use a lot of sauces or seasonings on any of their dishes. It seems like the sauces and seasons they do use is minimal and it’s more to enhance the natural flavor of the fish itself. The tzatziki sauce was fantastic. It was fresh and creamy, where a lot of restaurants I’ve had tzatziki and it was a little more watery then it should be, but at Milos it was the perfect consistency. The service was fantastic; they were very attentive, always refilling our water glasses and checking to see if everything tastes fine. It was a good thing we went early to eat because they were a full house by the time we were done.
The Bad: Not that this is ever a bad thing, but it was SO much food. If you go to this restaurant, I do recommend that you go in a group. At least 4, they filet a whole fish at your table, and if you have a full 4 course meal you’ll end up with quite a few doggie bags to take home.
Would you come back again? Absolutely. The GM told me that 75% of the fresh fish they fly is consistent, but 25% of it will be different every week. So its worth going back to see what kind of exotic seafood they flew in that week. I love anything seafood, so it’s definitely cool to have a restaurant where you can walk up to the seafood display and say “I want this one.” You would never believe a restaurant like this exists in the middle of the desert.
More Info: Estiatorio Milos Las Vegas 3708 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, NV 89109. 702-698-7930. Dinner: Daily 5:30pm to 12:00am Lunch: Daily 12:00pm to 2:30pm. website
– Sniper Tam
Las Vegas Hot N Juicy Crawfish
The Skinny: I was introduced to to Hot N Juicy Crawfish by Adam Richman in an episode of Man vs. Food. The place is like Boiling Crab, a chain found on the West Coast, but I haven’t been there so I can’t make much of a comparison. It’s pretty much a seafood boil that uses spices found in Cajun and Asian cuisines. While they do have other items like shrimp, fried catfish, and sausages, the thing to order is the Crawfish.
The High: I never enjoyed Crawfish whenever I tried it since it was always cold and funky. However, as I got older, the more mature and ballsy my tastes-buds are becoming. That is why I actually enjoyed the pound of hot musky flavors from the extra spicy Crawfishes we ordered. The butter enriched sauce they came steamed in certainly helped spread the juices and spices around as I sucked in the brains of each one. I couldn’t tell if the meat from each sucker was naturally sweet or if it was because of the spiced sauce, but it was definitely tasty.
Since I did come with a group, not only did we order the pound of Crawfish, we also got some Shrimp, corn, fried catfish, and sausages. Even though I wished the shrimp could have been deveined somehow, everything was a delicious mess.
The Low: The Crawfish was good, but it needs to be hot to stay that way. Once the little guys became lukewarm, the muskiness of each shellfish got stronger and less appetizing. So eat them while they are hot! Also, at no fault of Hot N Juicy, eating the Crawfish is a lot of work for so little reward. In our party of 6, I was the only one really killing the suckers and I was still hungry at the end.
Would you come back again? Possibly, since it doesn’t hurt to support restaurants off the strip because the food certainly didn’t suck at Hot N Juicy.
An unrelated story, on our way back home from Las Vegas to Los Angeles, we drove side by side with the Bang Bus Bro van. If you don’t know what that is, it’s not the greatest thing in the world but it’s a weird enough experience to share. Don’t look them up if you don’t want to be offended.
More Info: www.hotandjuicycrawfish.com | 4810 Spring Mountain Rd. Ste C & D. Las Vegas, NV 89102 | Credit Card Friendly but you get a discount if you pay in cash.
– MJ
Las Vegas: Akira Back’s Yellowtail
The Skinny: One of my favorite Japanese restaurants on the strip. Akira Back is an amazing chef with his fresh & innovative dishes. The main dining overlooks the beautiful water fountains of Bellagio Hotel with the Paris hotel’s Eiffle tower in the background. The ultimate spot for all the movers & shakers of the nightlife industry. The service itself is enough for me to come back. If you ever get to meet the GM Young, he is such a wonderful person, tons of energy & he is the epitomy of customer service. The food is a little of what you expect in a Japanese restaurant and some of it you sort of think to yourself WHAT? No way. This restaurant is definitely for a more complex palate.
The High: My #1 favorite dish of all time at Yellowtail is the Big Eye Tuna Pizza with truffle oil. I’ve recommended this dish up and down to everyone I know and not one person has come back to tell me that I was wrong. Yes, it’s THAT good. My next favorite dish is the Tempura Alaskan King Crab w/ serrano peppers & sweet ponzu sauce. The texture and flavors of the the dish go well with each other with a little bite coming from the serrano pepper. The pop rocks roll is always a crowd pleasure. My friend had never tried this before. I was nice enough to tell her what it was, but the first time I had tried it, no one told me. I took a bite of it and it was crunchy and the candy started exploding in my mouth. It is literally a party in your mouth. You taste the sweetness of the watermelon poprocks, but it doesn’t take away from the spicy crab.
The Low: Rock shrimp with Korean chili aioli. It’s not really a low, but once you’ve tasted the tempura Alaskan king crab the rock shrimp’s flavor didn’t really appeal to me. Either which way, if you’re going to have the rock shrimp or the tempura king crab, choose one or the other and try the other for another day. I’ve had the rock shrimp before and it was delicious, but tonight I think the crab won.
Would you come back again? Absolutely. Any day, anytime. Well ok…..maybe not any day, any time…..it may get a little expensive, but this is definitely one of my restaurants of choice.
More Info: Yellowtail Website : Traditional & Modern Japanese menu; expect to spend $55+ per person based on a 3 course dinner
– Sniper Tam *pew pew pew!*
Las Vegas Bellagio’s Fix
The Skinny: Contemporary American restaurant owned by the Light Group. Dim light woodsy atmosphere nestled inside Bellagio Hotel. A great place to eat before going out to a nightclub or just hanging out in the lounge for a few cocktails. I was lucky enough to get invited to try their Valentine’s menu which consisted of Osetra Caviar Short stack, Blue Fin Toro Tasting, Lobster Bisque, Smoked Salmon Salad, Truffled Chicken & Shellfish tasting w/ a berry triffle ending. The food definitely compliments the restaurant atmosphere.
The High: My friend and I started off with the Osetra Caviar Short stack which is Potato Bilinis, Creme Fraiche & a dapple of domestic caviar. It was delicious and a great starter. It sort of tasted like a pancake with caviar. Our second course I ordered the Smoked salmon with wild arugula, lemon, crisp brioche & salmon caviar. Definitely not what I expected, when I see arugula, I think salad. What came out was smoked salmon w/ the brioche. I’m glad I ordered this because my friend ordered the lobster bisque and it was a pretty heavy for a second course. It consisted of Lobster “Love Notes” (lobster ravioli), Bottarga & Cognac Cream. The ravioli was a bit hard, but the bisque was delicious. For our entree I ordered the shellfish tasting, which consisted of seared scallops ontop of bacon, sauteed spinach, & a potato cake. The saltiness of the bacon went very well with the scallops, spinach and potato. It also came with a whole Maine Lobster that had a stuffing in the shell. It also came with King Crab & Caviar Butter; Lobster Mac & Cheese. The Lobster Mac & Cheese had a distinctive taste to it, when my friend and I took a bite into it it had a sweet taste to it before it got to the cheesy goodness. My friend got the Truffled chicken which consisted of Procini Mushrooms, roasted root vegetables & Winter Truffles. The dish was fantastic & the chicken was very tender. The Berry Truffle consisted of angel food cake, blueberries, strawberries, champagne & fresh berry caviar. It was a great ending to the dinner. I didn’t realize what was at the end until I got to it. It was a bit mushy, but I finally realized it was the angel food cake soaked with champagne & the juices from the berry, it was a refreshing ending.
The Low: The first course consisted of a Blue Fin Toro Tasting. I didn’t really like this course. It came packaged as Sashimi Tartar, seared & topped with a dapple of caviar. Each one tasted like it had been sitting out too long…..not fishy, but dry. I could have done without this dish.
Would you come back again? Yes, I hear their kobe sliders are fantastic & doughnuts are a must try.
More Info: www.bellagio.com. Reservations recommended. Look to spend on average $55+ per person based on a 3 course dinner.
– Sniper Tam *Pew Pew Pew*
Las Vegas Cosmopolitan – The Pizzeria
The Skinny: Amazing New York Pizza at the Cosomopolitan. Literally a hole in the wall. If I didn’t tell you where it was you’d never be able to find it. NEVER. On the second level of the Cosmopolitan inbetween Jaleo & Blue Ribbon sushi, is this long hallway full of old school vinyl covers. When you get to the end of the hall way it’s like you got warped to a New York Pizzeria, The staff is amazingly nice. Especially the pizza makers. You pick your base either Cheese, Pepperoni, or White and make your “magic” at the end. When it’s Nico making the pizza it’s “making magic” at the end with your toppings. Counter seating only. Or by the slice or by the pie, however hungry you are, they can accomodate. This place is so off the map that they aren’t even mentioned on the cosmopolitan website.
The High: I ordered a White pizza w/ garlic & ricotta, roasted tomoates and basil. The minute I took a bite into that pizza I was in pizza heaven. The crisp of the crust and the flavors of the toppings just went so well together. This is definitely a great place to grab a quick bite to each before you head out for the night or if you’re ending your night and you need something greasy, the Pizzeria is the place to be. I’ve brought several east coasters to do the ultimate test and they’ve passed with flyin colors. If a New Yorker says it’s good, it’s GOTTA be good.
The Low: hard to find if you’ve never been there. Just remember, there are no signs for this place. So it’s on the 3rd floor, in between Jaleo & Blue Ribbon sushi. You can’t miss it…..or maybe you can 😀
Would you come back again: Absofrickinlutely! I will drive down to the strip just to have this pizza. I’ve had Rocco’s NY Pizza & I’ve had Grimaldis, Pizzeria still takes the cake.
More Info: www.yelp.com. Expect to spend $3 for the basic slice and $.50 per additional topping.
– Sniper Tam *Pew Pew Pew*
Las Vegas – Monta Japanese Ramen
The Skinny: This is the ultimate hole in the wall Japanese ramen restaurant in Las Vegas. Many of it’s predecessors have tried and failed, but here we have standing Monta. It’s a very simple restaurant, with an even more simple menu. You have 3 broths to choose from, Tonkatsu, Shoyu, or Miso. Then you add your toppings: extra char siu, corn, mustard leaf, extra noodles etc. Aside from the Ramen menu there are other things for those who aren’t that into noodles. They have a pork belly rice, kimchi fried rice, gyozas, etc. a small variety of dishes. Very limited seating including a counter seating like in Japan.
The High: I always order the Tonkatsu Ramen. To me it’s the most flavorful of the soups and takes the longest to make. (I tried making it…..12 hours later, I went to Monta to order instead lol) The Tonkatsu Ramen comes with 2 pieces of char siu, green onion. I always add corn, mustar leaf and sometimes the soft boiled egg. Your first encounter with this broth is OMG WHAT? It’s SO flavorful and delicious you can’t get enough of it. Every bite has to have enough soup to go with it. If you get super hungry you can order more noodles, except they won’t give you more soup if you run out. I also tried the Gyozas which were handmade in house. I loved them! I’m used to restaurant frozen from the bag gyozas, but these were fresh because we were watching them make it while waiting for our food.
The Low: It IS a large sodium intake if you eat it too often. It also gets VERY hot in the tiny restaurant during the summer. Hopefully they’ve fixed it.
Would you come back again? Absolutely! Anytime I’m craving Noodles, Monta is always the winner hands down, even over Pho :O
More Info: www.yelp.com. Monta doesn’t have a website, but take a look at the yelp reviews and you’ll get the gist of the restaurant. They do to-go, but you have to cook the noodles for about 3 minutes when you get home. Still tastes the same. How often do you do take out and it still taste as if you were eating it in the restaurant?
– Sniper Tam *Pew Pew Pew*
Las Vegas – Lawry’s Prime Rib
The Skinny: Everyone’s always looking food a good prime rib. I had to try this one out to see what all the talk was about. Located about 1.5 miles away from the strip in the Howard Hughes plaza. They’re known for their spinning salads & table side carvings. Let’s start this journey and see where it takes us
The High: The minute I walked in I felt welcomed. The decor to me makes it feel very retro, and comfortable. Almost like you stepped into a time warp with the outfits the waitresses are wearing. They pulled the table completely out so my self and my friend could get in without having to crawl as you would if it was a booth. A step that amazes me when they actually do it. We sat down and our waitress presents herself as Mrs …..(i actually wasn’t paying attention to what her name was) she took our appetizer orders and told us when we are ready Sergio would carve our meat table side. First, we ordered 2 shrimp cocktails (5 in each order). The shrimps were pretty big, but the sauce didn’t have the kick I was hoping for. So the waitress brings me horsradish and WOW that made such a difference. It was super yummy after that. She brought out the Famous Original Spinning Bowl Salad which consisted of: Crisp romaine and iceberg lettuce, baby spinach, shredded beets, chopped egg and croutons, tossed with our exclusive Vintage Dressing spining salad tableside and that was pretty cool. She was spining an aluminum bowl ontop of a bowl of ice while pouring in the vinegarette. While we finish our salad Sergio our carver comes by opens the cart of meat and we were in heaven. I ordered the California cut (I can’t eat that much) My friend orders the Lawry’s cut which is bone in. So Sergio prepares your whole dish right in front of you. From carving the meat to applying the sides, which consisted of :Yorkshire Pudding (bakes in small skillets until puffy + golden brown); mashsed potatoes (whole potatoes, cooked then whipped with milk and butter); whipped cream horseradish.
Once my plate was placed in front of me I dove right into it, well after I took a picture that is. The flavor of the au jus was very tastey. I love prime rib if it’s done right, this was done almost right. I ordered it medium, but I should’ve ordered medium rare, the ends were a little overcooked. Nonetheless still very flavorful. The sauteed mushrooms we ordered to accompany our prime rib were awesome. You really can’t go wrong with sauteed mushrooms. If I wasn’t so full I probably would’ve finished it all, but had to leave some men behind. Dessert was fantastic, Hot fudge sundae. Made me feel like a kid again, whip cream, ice cream + almonds with LOTS of chocolate syrup. It was a perfect ending to such a wonderful dinner. I don’t recommend eating as much as we did, my stomach was about to burst eating that much food, BUT it was the only way I can bring all these goodies to you. So you know what to eat and what not to eat. I missed a few sides, but that’s due to personal preference.
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Would you come back again? Possibly if I have friends in town looking for a really good prime rib. I would just tell them to rethink the lobster tail though
More Info: website; According to my co-worker, you can dine during the lunch time and have almost the same thing at a cheaper price. I’ll have to test that theory another day, I still have $25 to spend there.
– Sniper Tam *Pew Pew Pew*
Las Vegas – Fuku Burger Truck
The Skinny: The Fuku Burger Truck is burger heaven on wheels. I’m not much of a burger eater, but everyone kept raving about it, so I had to try it. The truck is decorated with all these cartoons of the owners and the Fuku Girl. You’d have to see it to believe it. When chatting up the owner, he told me that everything is freshly made. All the ingredients are local. They go to the meat market every day and season the beef. Once they’re out, they’re out.
The High: Everyone kept talking about the Tamago burger so that’s the first one I tried. The first bite into this burger it was an explosion of flavors. I had a foodgasm eating this burger. All the flavors just went well together. It consisted of the fuku burger, fried egg, fried string onions, topped off with teriyaki and furikake. The naga dog is a great alternative if you’re not in the mood for a burger. It consists of a spicy link topped with home-made pickled daikon relish and grilled kim chee. Drizzled with wasabi mayo and kabayaki sauces then finished with hari nori. Colin said it’s like the Jap dog in Vancouver. Makes me miss Vancouver lol. Another alternative would be the Katsu Burger. It’s panko crusted chicken with shredded cabbage finished with wasabi mayo, & katsu sauce. I like to liven up by having the Katsu burger Karai style. Karai style is everything on the Karai burger replacing the fuku patty with the katsu patty. The Karai burger which consists of the fuku patty, with sliced cucumber, lettuce, avocado cream, finished with spicy mayo and habanero kabayaki. This is my new favorite from the Fuku truck. They’re garlic fries are awesome too. It comes with a sweet ketchup sauce & crack sauce. OMG this cracksauce is amazing and IS like crack, you can’t get enough of it. They’ve added new items such as the local moco, it’s like your Hawaiian favorite but with a fuku patty. Mac salad and special burgers once in a while. All of it was mouthwatering. For a girl that can’t sit in a dirty restaurant and eat (cuz we all know the dirtier the restaurant the better the food) , questioning whether these trucks are clean enough to not give me tummy rumbles…this truck gets two thumbs up from me.
The Low: My friend had the buta burger which consisted of the fuku patty, miso-glazed apple wood smoked bacon, american cheese, pickled ginger, + Japanese bbq sauce. It was a little greasy for me. My friend seemed to like it, definitely flavorful, but anything with ginger that I can taste will make it a low for me. The other burger I wasn’t too fond of was the Kinoko burger which is their mushroom burger. It consists of the fuku patty, grilled shitake mushrooms, ginger……and I’m just going to stop there because again, it has ginger :). Not the type of mushroom burger I’d like, but I know a lot of other people that enjoy it. So to each their own. Another low is that they’re not always in the same place every day. You have to go to website and check the schedule. Now that they’ve got all the legal stuff together they are a little more consistent in their locations. My favorite locations are Chinatown & the one on Flamingo + Decatur (they’re all close to my house) 😉
Would you come back again? Absolutely! I try to expose as many of my friends to this truck as possible. Also the Fuku staff are all really nice and down to earth. This alone would make me want to keep searching them out. The Fuku truck is like having a drug addiction, except it’s a food addiction, when they were on hiatis for a week I was having withdrawls. Horrible right? Believe me though,the minute I bit into that burger mmmMmMmm my mouth waters thinking about it right now. If it wasn’t so late in the evening I’d drive the 10 minutes to go get it to go right now.
More Info: www.fukuburger.com ; expect to pay $5.00 a Burger, $2.00 for Fries; $2.00 for a Strawberry Lemonade; $6.00 for a Naga Dog.
– Sniper Tam *Pew Pew Pew*
Song: After Hanabi – Nujabes
The MGM Grand Food Crawl – Part 1
The Skinny: I have been blessed to try 9 restaurants on the MGM Grand property seeing what they have to offer for good eats. This is part 1 of that dine around with 4 restaurants on the board. First stop: Joel Robuchon. This is the one restaurant I’ve been told is a MUST try once in your lifetime. That’s absolutely a restaurant I want my rich husband to take me too. lol Second stop: Shibuya, one of my favorites Japanese Restaurants on the strip. Extensive sake selection! Third stop: Fiamma. This is a trendy Italian restaurant equipped with a fireplace in the middle of their lounge. Fiamma is designed to be seen, so if you want to be noticed, this would probably be the best place to go. Final stop for the evening: Diegos. Great place for you and the girls or even you and the guys to go hang out and grab a margarita before going out. See the high for more details of all these restaurants
The High:
Joel Robuchon: The minute you walk into that restaurant is amazing, with the amazing chandeliers & purple velvet upholstry, down to the beautiful table settings. For a lot of people I’m sure they’ll feel misplaced, this IS a high end Forbes 5 star restaurant so yes it’s an intimate, elegant atmosphere. Joel Robuchon is definitely for a more of a sophisticated palate. They came over to the table to show us their bread cart and explained which seemed like a hundred different types of bread, but really it was like maybe 10 or so? Then he came over with the awesome butter display, I don’t know what they do but the bread + butter was amazing. I could’ve just ate that all night alone. Then came the “lobster ravioli” Small bite in the middle of a dinner plate. It was delicious. I didn’t see it on their online menu to give you a description. That mini experience makes me want to go back for the full Joel Robuchon experience…..even if it’s for $400 per person. Remember: It’s a once in a lifetime experience.
Shibuya: Inspired by Tokyo’s Shibuya district, this is a the ultimate Japanese dining experience. Aside from the sushi bar, and regular dining tables they have 3 teppanyaki tables in the back of the restaurant. They also have an extensive Sake list. I tried the KANI SALAD (King, Snow and River Crab, Pickeled Cucumber, Seaweed, Lotus Chips). This dish is definitely unique as it is served on top of a fish bowl….yes! with a live beta fish swimming around while you’re eating the goods placed in a cone shaped bowl on top. I also tried the AUSTRALIAN KOBE BEEF TATAKI (Lemon Tamari Soy, Garlic Chips, Red Onion, Tarragon Oil) I LOVE beef tataki if it’s made right. This was good, I’ve definitely had better, but still great nonetheless. The sake I had to accompany all these good eats was the Junmai Ginjo. When I first took a whiff of it it had a fruity smell to it, and when I took a taste it, it was one of the best easy to drink sakes I’ve ever tasted. Definitely recommend having this with your dinner.
Fiamma: Traditional Italian recipes in a trendy fine dining atmosphere. This is my kind of place. I had tried their food at this event I went to called Wet Your Appetite during Restaurant Week and it was my favorite. I had the GNOCCHI ALL’ARAGOSTA (Soft Potato Dumplings With Maine Lobster Mushroom and Black Truffle) This is everyone’s favorite out of the whole night, but then again you can get me to fall in love with anything that has black truffle. The gnocchi was just the right texture, some restaurants make it too chewy or too mushy. Fiamma did it just right. We also had a vegetarian dish that had a spinach stuffing in these little handkerchief pastas w/ marinara sauce. I liked this dish too, but the gnocchi get the trophy for the evening. The restaurant has a very “sexy” feel to it. The restaurant is pretty open and faces the restaurant row so everyone that walks by sees you. You definitely don’t want to look broke eating in that restaurant. The lounge area is pretty nice too, has a nice big fireplace right in the middle of the lounge. If you’re tired of the nightclubs in Las Vegas, this would be a cool place to hang out, people watch and have a few drinks.
Diegos: Your traditional mexican recipes with a twist. The table side guacamole is THE BEST!! I LOVE Guac and I’m very particular about my guac. By far Diego is the best. All fresh ingredients prepared table side. Diegos has 125 different 100% agave tequila lables…..need I say more? If tequila is your friend, this is the place to be. They have this unique waterfall slide right in the middle of the restaurant. It’s definitely a fun non traditional atmosphere.
The Low: Shibuya: The last dish I tried was YELLOWTAIL SASHIMI (Shichimi Pepper, Garlic Ginger, Yuzu Juice). This wasn’t the most memorable dish that’s why I put it as a low. It really isn’t too much of a low because it was still good, it’s just not something I’d order at a hotel Japanese restaurant. I like to try something I can’t get anywhere else. Give me something different, something unique…..like the fish bowl Kani 🙂
Would you come back again? I loved all 4 restaurants and only having a taste of each restaurant, I absolutely want to go back and try the full experience.
More Info: Joel-Robuchon-French-Restaurant // Shibuya-Japanese-Restaurant // Fiamma-Italian-Restaurant-Bar // Diego-Mexican-Restaurant// Diego’s has a happy hour! Available at Bar & Lounge Area Only: Sunday through Thursday 4:00 P.M. – 5:30 P.M. They also have Latin nights Friday & Saturdays.
– Sniper Tam *Pew Pew Pew*
Las Vegas: The Palm’s Place
The Skinny: Located on the 6th Floor at The Palm’s Place, this is is a fantastic Sunday Brunch. This is the ultimate brunch to go to after a Saturday night out on the town. The whole staff is in pajamas so even guests are welcome to dine in their pj’s. When you walk through the main entrance you see the candy bar they’ve set up with mini Chinese take out boxes for you to stuff and take home with you. The menu consists of sushi, bagel + lox, baby crab claws, shrimp cocktail, fresh fruit smoothies. Aside from the brunch buffet, they also have items that need to be ordered through the server like eggs benedicts, morning pizza, baby back ribs, and the sampler platter of desserts that takes you back to your childhood with items like Snowballs, rice krispy treats, chocolate chip cookies, homemade ding dongs, caramel popcorn and cotton candy.
The High: From the kitchen, my friends and I ordered the morning pizza, lobster havarti benedict, crab benedict, + the pulled pork benedict. The morning pizza had white chedder cheese, bacon, ham with an egg ontop. This would be my #1 pick for the ultimate hangover food. It is basically an omlette on pizza dough. The lobster havarti benny was a poached egg on top of 2 pieces of lobster brioche with melted havarti cheese in-between. The lobster toast was delicious, it tasted like grilled cheese shrimp toast with a poached egg on top. The Crab Benny had real lump crab on top of your traditional English muffin. This was your typical crab benny, I liked this one a little better then one’s I’ve eaten in the past elsewhere because the crab wasn’t dried out and fresh.
The Low: The pulled pork benny was definitely my least favorite. It had a poached egg on top of pulled pork and a cornbread base. Pulled pork should just stay on a bun instead of as a benedict. This goes to show that not everything can be made into a benny. The service was ok as well, we did sit at our tables for a while before someone acknowledged us. It was our first time dining at this brunch so we had no clue how it worked. The server also forgot to put in our steak benny so we never even got to try that which I was looking forward to.
Would you come back again? Definitely, there’s so much more on the menu I’d like to try.
More Info: www.simonatpalmsplace.com. Expect to pay $38 for the brunch and add the option of unlimited bloody mary bar for an additional $10 or $16 for unlimited champagne. Open from 10am-4pm on Sundays only. Children under 12 pay $12.
– Sniper Tam
Song: Egg On A See – Cotton Jones
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