Viva Las Vegas 4/2/05

I have been assigned to come up with a great restaurant in Vegas for Saturday, April 2nd. We are three old friends traveling together and we go to LV every spring. No LOS for us this time. We are staying at the Venetian and have done Aureole, Delmonico's, Nobu, etc...I think we are trying Picasso at the Bellagio one night during our trip.

I was thinking about Bradley Ogden, but if we're doing Picasso, maybe that will be a little much. We're not interested in a steak place. I'd appreciate any suggestions, as there's so much new stuff out there. We'd like to stay on the strip, if possible, as we won't have a car. Suggestions on what's new? Anyone been to Bradley Ogden?

Thanks in advance.

Erik M asked me about a week ago about Vegas, and I'll give you the same answer I gave him. The place I'd like to try right now in Las Vegas is Bouchon. I've heard through my foodie sources that Keller's Vegas Bouchon is actually better than the Napa (which Keller claims to have built so he can have a place to eat after work.)

http://www.frenchlaundry.com/bouchonLV/bouchonLV.htm

Rob

purplestar wrote:Anyone been to Bradley Ogden? .

Purple,

I've been to a couple of Bradley Ogden restaurants in Larkspur, California. Lark Creek Inn and Yankee Pier. Yankee Pier is a casual seafood oriented restaurant, Lark Creek Inn upscale.

It's been a few years but I remember enjoying both, with Lark Creek Inn being in the same league as Spring, MK, Kevin etc. Though he may be shooting for a higher price point in Las Vegas.

No input on the Las Vegas Ogden, been 25-years since I've been to Las Vegas and I'm in hurry to go back. Ok, I would like to eat at Lotus of Siam, but that's about all.

Enjoy,
Gary

How about Mesa Grill? I just found out we're doing Aureole and Picasso. Maybe I should go a bit more casual. Thanks again!

purplestar wrote:How about Mesa Grill? I just found out we're doing Aureole and Picasso. Maybe I should go a bit more casual. Thanks again!

It's a few years now, but I had a VERY good meal at Border Grill (Mandalay Bay). I much more enjoyed my steak there than at dinner the night before at Charlie Palmer. I've also had good food at the original Border Grill in Santa Monica, so I'm happy with the place.

And speaking of places in Santa Monica with outlets in Vegas, I have had many, many great meals at Chinios in the Forum Shops Mall.

Rob

Vital Information wrote:

purplestar wrote:How about Mesa Grill? I just found out we're doing Aureole and Picasso. Maybe I should go a bit more casual. Thanks again!

It's a few years now, but I had a VERY good meal at Border Grill (Mandalay Bay). I much more enjoyed my steak there than at dinner the night before at Charlie Palmer. I've also had good food at the original Border Grill in Santa Monica, so I'm happy with the place.

And speaking of places in Santa Monica with outlets in Vegas, I have had many, many great meals at Chinios in the Forum Shops Mall.

Rob

I second the Border Grill recommendation. I really enjoyed my meal there around a year ago. I sat outrside on the "patio", which overlooks the outstanding Mandalay Bay pool. Unfortuantely, I didn't spot either ofo the Two Hot Tamales, but the food was great (in a upscale Mexican kind of way).

Mrs. JiLS and I will be in Vegas the following weekend for the Jimmy Buffett concert on April 9 (well, actually to meet up with my cousin Tom, who is in his 12th year of playing sax in JB's band, but we'll go listen to the show, too. Bonus Quiz: Guess which Buffett song is my aunt's (Tom's mother) least favorite? Hint: It involves alcohol and intimate relations.).

Back on topic. We're heading to Vegas on the 7th, and although dining is not at the top of our list of to-dos, I would like a recommendation for Thursday night and a lunch on Friday. I've already made reservations for Friday dinner at Olive's in the Bellagio (the hotel where we are staying), Saturday brunch at Commander's Palace and Saturday dinner at Nobhill at the MGM. Any regrettable mistakes in these plans?

Jim,

This is hard to believe, but even with Chicago's unbelievable Thai options, I've never had a better meal than at Lotus of Siam off the beaten path in Vegas. Here's a link to a review contributed to by a friend with whom I ate.

http://hungrymouth.typepad.com/hungry_mouth/2004/12/

I strongly second the recommendation for Lotus of Siam, some of the best Thai food I have ever had. If you go at lunch time stay away from the buffet, which is not very good and designed for the masses. For those going to Vegas soon, please report back, as I have to go there in mid-April. I know I'm going to go to LOS at least twice, but I'm always looking for something new to check out.

Here is my review, which I posted on Chowhound last April.

I hosted a dinner at Lotus of Siam for 10 people. I’m happy to report; the restaurant lived up to its CH hype. The group consisted of people from different parts of the country with a Swede thrown in for good measure. Because of the varying tastes of the participants, I ordered the food with a spice level of 5 because of all the warnings about the authentic nature of the heat at LOS. Here’s a summary of the menu:

- Nam Kao Tod - Minced sour sausage mixed with crispy rice, fresh chili, ginger, peanuts and lime juice. Outstanding and not to be missed at any visit.

- Nua Dad Draw - Beef jerky Issan style.

- Northern Style Tom Ka Kai – (From the Northern menu) An interesting version of this soup made without coconut milk. Very complex flavor.

- Som Tum - Thai green papaya salad.

- Northern Style Larb – Another interesting preparation. This was served hot and was quite juicy (as in with a sauce), rather than the somewhat dry versions I have had in non-northern larb.

- Pla Dook Yang - Charbroiled whole catfish cooked with crispy skin. A showpiece beautifully prepared and presented.

- Drunken Noodles with Minced Chicken - Wide noodles topped with fresh and dry chilies, basil, and other herbs. Somewhat pedestrian, but a big hit nonetheless.

- Northern Thai Pork Stew – This was the most disappointing dish of the lot, mainly because it was not what I expected. In my mind, I imagined this dish more like Par Low, which is a braised pork dish made with star anise. This one turned out to be a pork curry. It wasn’t bad, but I would have liked the pork to be a braised a little longer.

- Koong Garlic – Gralic Shrimp. Not on the menu, but suggested by Bang, the temporary manager while Bill is in Thailand for the New Year. Large shrimp butterflied with the shells still attached. Eat it shells and all. YUMMY.

- Sticky Rice with Coconut "ice cream" and fresh mangos. See description below.

This meal was so inspiringly good, that I went back on my own for lunch a couple of days later and tried 3 of these dishes again with an (much) increased level of heat. The higher spice level pushed this place over the top in terms of enjoyment. I again had the Nam Kao Tod, which I ordered at a spice level of 8. This had a nice kick to it, but I felt I could handle more, so I told the waiter that I would like the Koong Garlic at a level of 10. Now that did the trick. What a glorious Thai food adventure that was. It had a perfect balance of heat, garlic and shrimp goodness. The waiter told me that no one had ever ordered this dish at a 10 before. I found that hard to believe. Maybe he was talking about no American ever ordering it at a 10. This spice level might be too much for some, but it was just right for me. I was sweating by the end of the meal.

To cool down the heat, I ordered Sticky Rice with coconut ice cream for desert (I skipped the mangos this time). The coconut ice cream (actually it’s not ice cream at all, but frozen coconut milk) is imported from Thailand. The combination of the ice cream atop the sticky rice is, IMO, the ultimate desert…and this from a guy who loves his chocolate. It is satisfying in every way. If you go to LOS, don’t miss this dish.

Also, another recommendation for lunch time dim-sum (or dinner if you are so inclined) is Chows.

Chows – This is a very large Chinese restaurant with an impressive menu written in English along with a Chinese language “secret” menu as well (actually, it’s not secret…just ask for it if you can translate or read Chinese). I went for lunch, which is Dim Sum served from carts. The clientele was 99.9% Asian. The only exceptions to this were me and a woman who was there as a guest of a Chinese person. The selection and quality were both impressive and I would definitely go back again next time I’m in town.

Lotus of Siam
953 E. Sahara Ave
(around back in the parking lot)
702-735-3033

Chows
No address available right now, but I'll check my files later and edit this post.

Another fun lunch option is Memphis Championship BBQ. This is an outpost of the 17th St. Bar and Grill in Murphpysboro, IL., discussed here. There are four of them in Vegas now.

Memphis Championship BBQ

Trixie-Pea, BBQ muse,

Have you been to the Championship places in Vegas, have you been to 17th Street, and if so, what do you think and how do they compare?

(Related, franchises, licensees??)

I think Border Grill is terrific but I would do lunch there. My suggestion is NobHill. It's a Michael Mina restaurant(who also is responsible for Aqua) and the food was terrific when MS Rev and I dined there last year. I'd also suggest having a drink in the evening at the Eiffel Tower restaurant on top of the Paris Hotel. It overlooks the fountains at Bellagio and is a great view of the waterworks after dark. By the way, I also recommend staying at Paris as it's centrally located with nice rooms more reasonably priced than the other hot hotels. Even more important, it's a very short walk from the hotel elevator out to the strip-no need to traipse 1/2 mile through the casino. Also, good pastries in the bakery.

JeffB wrote:Trixie-Pea, BBQ muse,

Have you been to the Championship places in Vegas, have you been to 17th Street, and if so, what do you think and how do they compare?

(Related, franchises, licensees??)

JeffB-

I have been lucky enough to have eaten at 17th Street Bar and Grill, the Marion location, 2 of the 4 Vegas locations, and Blue Smoke in NYC (which has Mike Mills' que stained fingerprints all over it). With the exception of Danny Meyer’s Blue Smoke, all are owned by Mike Mills. People wonder how much Mills is involved with the operations after all of his expansion. To his credit, I have seen and talked with Mike in both Marion and Las Vegas—both times he had been working in the kitchen.

Long story short--both of the Vegas locations were great when I was there. I would say best-in-class for commercial baby back ribs. They were so good in fact, that on our drive out of town we picked up an extra slab for the road trip.

It's hard for me to pass judgment on the 2 Southern IL locations due to circumstance. I went to the 17th St Bar and Grill the day after one of the biggest snowstorms in the town's history. I arrived at 9pm (thinking they'd be open until 10pm), only to find (understandably) that the kitchen had been closed for hours. The town was still in shock over the snow. Sensing our supreme disappointment, the person who was working at the time went in back a wrangled us up a slab of ribs. They were just so-so (the meat seemed a little Jello-y), but I assume it was because they had been just sitting in the back somewhere steaming in their own juices. They were not intended to be served.

And the next day was Christmas Eve. We went to the Marion location as they were opening up (11am), and had to navigate our way through all of the folks waiting to pick up their holiday BBQ carry-out. The ribs, again, were off—the meat was crispy all the way down to the bone. I’m all for a little crustiness on my BBQ, but this was a rib chip. The location had just opened the week before—and due to the holiday they may have been overextended.

One thing that is always consistent is their great service and great sides. I am anxious to get back down there to retry the BBQ. I’ve seen what they can do, and when they are on, it’s a beautiful thing. Don't you agree? You have eaten at 17th St Bar and Grill, no?
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Purple Star,

I ate at Picasso last time I was in Las Vegas, and had a really wonderful experience. I would say that the food was very good, but equally as good, if not better were the room and service. The wine service was professional and informative. I would recommend ordering the wine pairings with dinner. They offer some interesting pours that are uncommon, like Hungarian Tokaji. It’s been a little over a year since I was there, and normally I can remember most meals at this level in detail. Sadly, I can’t remember the specifics (except for the truffle encrusted loin of lamb), but what does come to mind is well-executed, unfussy, high quality food.

Sounds like a great trip!

trixie-pea

edited for typo

Trixie, thanks for the reply.

For a while, I was 17th Street's unofficial PR director and pimp. I wrote a thing about 17th St. here or on CH before, but in a nutshell I lived and worked out of the Drury Inn in Marion for the better part of a year during a major jury trial in the 1999-2000 timeframe. The Marion branch is new, and did not then exist. In a way I am glad, because the almost complete lack of decent late night food in Marion gave the younger members of the trial team ample excuse to drive over to Carbondale and Murphysboro (17th Street to be exact) for late-nite dining and drinking (the Pinch Penny took me back to my wasted youth).

I will try to resist my knack for hyperbole and estimate that I have eaten at the original 17th Street 30 times.

The last time I was there was only a few months back, when I had to be in Mt. Vernon (about 30 min north the way I drive). I ate a rib/pulled pork/brisket sampler with beans and slaw at the bar, then took a slab and a pound of pork home to see if the gravity of S. Illinois had anything to do with it. Turns out, for maybe 1/2 hour, the best commercial BBQ in Chicago was in my home.

Right across the street from 17th Street is where they hold the So. Illinois qualifier for Memphis in May. All the big boys show up with huge BBQ rigs, but because of where it is, the crowd is manageable. That's a BBQ roadtrip to do for sure.

I still think that no one place does more different meats as well as the original. I believe that BBQ is essentially local, but 17th street might be the exception that proves the rule. (Though the TX places you document do a huge range of stuff that looks terrific.)

Sounds as if you have family in Marion. If you have the chance, ask around about the "secret" restaurant run out of the Lick Creek General Store. Extremely good southern food served to larger parties by appointment in a rustic shack (looks a lot like the herring shack VI posted on) on the edge of the white cliffs of the glacial morraine. To me, the most spectacular topography in Illinois. BYOB.

It took me quite a while to set up a party there. In the end, I simply drove to the store, found someone there crashing, and was given a cell phone # on the back of a napkin. Well worth the effort. I understand it still exists, but who knows.

Thanks, all. We are doing Picasso on Thursday night, we're up in the air still for Friday and I've picked Bouchon in the Venetian for my night. I will report back, but thanks for the recs. They were much appreciated.

Also, we always go to the Border Grill in the Mandalay Bay for lunch on our first day. We love it there, but it might have something to do with getting out into the desert heat.

Enjoy!
purplestar

Returned Sunday from Las Vegas and here's a short report. Because I was working for a significant part of the trip and also had to make my schedule match up with my cousin's (who was also working), I couldn't get off the Strip to try LoS or other recommended spots; maybe next time around.

Here's a picture from our hotel window, and it is right below the red awning (visible there to the left of that tower) that we ate our first meal ... Mon Ami Gabi, Las Vegas branch. Not a daring choice, but one that could seat us without a reservation before 10:00 p.m.



Anyway, the steaks frite we enjoyed were wonderful, the service was also top notch (that was one really consistent part of this trip -- excellent waitstaff everywhere we ate). It was pretty much what you would expect, but that's not a bad thing. And it fueled Mrs. JiLS sufficiently to stay out in the casino until 4:30, so it was clearly a nutritious meal, as well.

Friday night found us at Olives in the Bellagio. Or should I say, "Todd English's Olives Las Vegas" (the apparently official name of the place). Anyway, that meal was also excellent. I started with a "Pistachio Crusted Foie Gras with Rhubarb compote, duck ragu, jalapeno caramel, and port wine reduction" that was better than that description lets on. I then had a Delmonico steak with a tomato and spinach composition on top and potatoes beneath that was otherworldly. Mrs. JiLS started with a bibb lettuce salad dressed with blue cheese and walnuts and some vinaigrette...or should I say two bibb salads; the server spilled the first one across the table (O.K., maybe not excellent service per se, but his reaction to it was pure class and it took him about 7.5 seconds to get the replacement salad out). That salad looked pretty good; it was stacked up high on the plate, which explained the waiter's accident with the first one. Mrs. JiLS then had a roast chicken, served with lentils, green beans (or was it haricot vertes?) and other little vegetable decorations. That was a succulent bird and the accompaniments were very savory and appropriate to the meat. Dessert was a creme brulee with dried fruit (cherries, I think). It was not the best or worst I've had; but at that point, I wasn't counting. Our wine was a Turley "Juvenile" Zin, which was marvelous (and got the wine steward's attention; she came by to talk about the wine and honestly seemed like it wasn't idle chat -- she was a fan of these wines, which are often hard to find. I did point out I've often seen Turley's wines at Randolph Wine Cellars, something readers here may want to investigate.)

Saturday brunch was at Commander's Palace. I've not been to the original in New Orleans (just walked past it a couple of times), but this was definitely a fantastic experience, and I'd also point out that unlike everywhere else we ate or walked, it was not at all crowded. In fact, at 10:30, we were one of two tables in the whole place. It was about 1/3 full when we left just before noon. Excellent beignets (heavier than the Cafe du Monde standard, and also 5 times as expensive). The C'sP Turtle soup has a reputation that seems well deserved based on Mrs. JilS's bowl. We both had egg dishes that included pork that was really amazing meat. Mrs. JiLS had the Eggs Cochon De Lait, which included a massive mound of pulled pork (enough for three or four people, actually) that was smokey, toothsome and tender. The same or similar pork was included in my dish, a special of the day that was basically a pork eggs benedict served in a fried potato bowl. We finished this extravagance with a dessert of bread pudding souffle, which of course is one of C'sP's signature dishes. It didn't dissapoint; in fact, similar to the fancy desserts we like to get at Sabatino's, it got a neighboring table to ask us what we were having and change their own order. This was a great meal.


In the background of this picture is the MGM Grand, where we enjoyed our Saturday dinner at Nob Hill:



My feelings about Nob Hill are somewhat mixed because while the food, decor and service were all truly sterling and first class, the prices were ungodly high. I'm not a piker, but I really think it was all about 30% higher than warranted. And this is not least because of the very high priced wine list. I guess it was a good thing my cousin, who joined us, couldn't partake of the wine because he was going on stage right after. Anyway, it was Vegas and this was my present back to my cousin for getting us comps to Buffett (something that is also a lot more expensive in Vegas than in Chicago). The breads at this San Francisco themed restaurant were a trio of sourdoughs, and they were excellent, crusty, tough little birds. Appetizers were a combination of Asian fried things and sauces; not nearly worth the $21/diner price (Nob Hill does appetizers for the table and charges by the diner). The tempura lobster was pretty good; the other items were forgettable. The rest of our meals, however, were fantastic. I can't recall what everyone had, so I'll limit my comments to my own meal. Following my yen for sweetbreads that sprouted last fall in Ontario, I ordered that for my first course. Three top quality veal sweatbreads (thymus?) simply presented with some morels and beets. Delicious to the extreme. I then enjoyed a big helping of short ribs (thus having,, along with my first course, what the waiter proclaimed the "short and sweet special"). This was a great piece of meat, extremely tender and oozing gelatin and fat in every bite; and if that wasn't enough, a big couple of pieces of fried marrow were plopped on top. Accompanied by a Napa Meritage (can't recall the label, but it was elegant with soft tannins, pleny of black fruit flavor and just a bit oaky). No dessert was required after this meal. Tab for three, with tip, was about $700. So now you've been warned, but it was a good splurge, a beautiful restaurant that really does feel like it is in San Francisco, and it made a good sendoff for our last meal in Vegas (unless you count the Burger King Croissanwiches consumed at the airport at 6:00 the next morning).

Regards,

JiLS

Jim, thanks for the report. I've heard great things about Commander's in Vegas, but I've also heard the mothership's slipped a bit of late. The jazz brunch at the original is one of my all time favorite eating things.

Rob

JiLS,

Thanks for the report. I'm headed to Vegas this Sunday for a week. I'll be reporting in, although I doubt I'll be doing much hotel eating if I can help it. My goal over the past couple of years is to try to explore non-hotel/strip options.