So sad to report that Planet Pizza is no more, RIP Planet Pizza! However, in Los Osos just a few doors down is Noi's Little Thai Takeout. Not much eating space, but delicious Thai food, especially the Basil Chicken. Yummy!

I would be devastated if these places closed:

-Le Parisien (where would I get my raspberry beignet?)
-Taco Grande (the chicken torta is amazing, I've never had another one quite as good)
-Limon (we may personally be keeping them in business)
-Dutch Brothers (their mocha is amazing and I hate Starbuck's mocha!)

Of course I second many others, especially Don Pepe's, Zamora's, Cracked Pepper, Sam's Deli, etc.

Just a quick note, hubby and I were there for dinner last night and our server Claudia said the rotisserie was supposed to be delivered this weekend and that they should be serving the rotisseries chicken next week. Yum!

P.S. Our dinner was delicious, report to follow...

Imperial Garden is a must-do for dim sum here in Fresno. They do cart service on the weekends, but have dim sum available for order any day of the week and at night. Ordering from the carts is a lot of fun, but you can get the dim sum if you really need it, any day of the week.

Hubby and I also enjoy dim sum from a place called China Chop Suey on the corner of Clinton and Blackstone. Don't be weirded out by the name, they do more than the Americanized stuff. They do cart service on the weekends and while we both agreed we enjoyed IG more, China Chop Suey does have some different stuff, including taro preparations and their chive and shrimp dumpling gives IG a run for its money! So if you get to IG too late and don't have time for the line, China Chop Suey would be a good backup. Or maybe you are just in the mood for something different. They also have a Chinese menu and an American menu for ordering other dishes, make sure you ask for the Chinese one!

So, as a penance for my absence on the boards as of late, I "forced" hubby to go to Limon tonight for dinner and am dutifully reporting back to the hounds. If you don't want to read the whole report, let me just say that you should go there as soon as you can! It is wonderful to be able to have such a unique choice here in the Valley. We were there on opening night and I always steel myself for the inevitable problems that arise from visiting a restaurant before the kinks are worked out. However, our dinner was pleasant with only one small kink of the wrong dessert placed on our bill. Everything else from the check-in with the hostess, to the paying of the bill, went flawlessly.

We arrived at Limon a little after 8pm and the place was pretty full, but without reservations we were able to squeeze into a two-top against the wall. Not the best seat, but not horrible, either. I would probably recommend reservations for the future.

The space seems a little sparse, but with clean and modern lines and a nice use of color. All of the staff were very happy to see us and made us feel very welcome. Our server took the time to explain several of the dishes to us and answered our questions with no problem. We ordered home made lemonade as they don't have their liquor license, yet. They expect to be able to serve alcohol sometime between the 5th and 10th of the new year. The lemonade was good and complemented the dishes quite well.

All the dishes sounded great on the menu and the hardest part was picking what we wanted to try. Our server said that they encourage sharing plates and so we decided to order the appetizer of tartara de atun (diced yellowfin ahi tuna, asian pears, red bell peppers, and rocoto sesame oil, served with ahi amarillo aioli), the ceviche limon (fresh halibut with mixed seafood marinated in rocoto and lime juice, served with yam and Peruvian corn), and the saltado de pollo (sliced chicken breast sauteed with onions, tomatoes, and fries, served with a side of rice).

The ceviche and the tartara came out together and they were both excellent. The fish for both of these dishes was extremely fresh and very tasty. I am very picky about seafood and I was blown away by how fresh everything tasted. The ceviche was stacked in the middle of the plate with the halibut and calamari on the bottom and then the shrimp and octopus on top. The plate was finished with slices of raw onion and a scoop of yam and then two kinds of Peruvian corn, which our server said was imported. One type of corn is called choclo, and they are pale yellow kernels that are huge! They tasted kind of like a cross between corn and hominy. The other type of corn was cancha, and it was the same kind of corn as the choclo, but had been fried. It ended up tasting nutty and with the consistency of pumpkin seeds. Both balanced out the acid of the ceviche quite well. The yam also helped offset the acidity. The seafood on this dish was amazing with a slight pepper taste from the rocoto, but mostly you tasted the lime and the briny-ness of the seafood. Very delicious and totally worth ordering again!

The tartara de atun consisted of the diced tuna and the accompanying veggies/fruit were also diced as well and served alongside toast points and with a garnish of shaved green onion. I love tuna and this tuna had the perfect balance of flavors with the meatiness of the tuna complemented by the sweet crispness of the asian pears and the slight bite of the red bell peppers. The sesame oil that had been flavored with the rocoto brought a slight heat, but nothing very hot. A well balanced dish that allowed the flavor of the tuna to really shine. It is worth ordering, especially if you like tuna.

The saltado de pollo was next and our server had described it like Peruvian flavors done in an Asian style since the dish was cooked in a wok over high heat. It was kind of like a stir fry, but the flavors were different than an ordinary stir fry. The french fries had been cooked prior to the stir fry, but the time in the wok had really crisped the outside of the potato. The chicken was also a little crispy on the edges and the veggies had a slight char to them. That made it quite delicious! There was a sauce which tasted like soy and citrus with perhaps some wine. A very homey dish that you could imagine took its inspiration from something your grandma might make, but then taken to the next level. The rice served alongside was done perfectly. So many places make rice that is either too sticky and wet or so dry it is begging for some water.

To finish, hubby and a split an ice cream made with lucuma, a Peruvian fruit. The ice creams are made in house and we wanted to try this flavor. Our server said it had the consistency of green tea ice cream, which has a granular texture. At first, I wasn't sure about the texture, but it grew on me the more I ate and by the end hubby and I were scraping the dish clean. The best way I can describe the flavor is a perfumed caramel taste that is subtle and sweet. It was a very nice ending to the meal.

The bill was $45 for the appetizer, ceviche, and entrée plus two lemonades. Very reasonable for the quality of the seafood and portion size. The appetizers range from $5.25 for the soup of the day, up to $9.25 for the picante de mariscos (braised shrimp, calamari, mussels, and clams with diced potatoes in a Peruvian adresso cream sauce). The ceviches range from $8.25 for the tartara criolla (Peruvian style tartara seafood, topped with chopped onion, tomato, lime juice and Peruvian corn) to $12.75 for the ceviche de pescado (fresh halibut marinated in rocoto and lime juice, served with yam and Peruvian corn). The entrees range from $9.75 for the plato vegetariano (risotto served with seasonal veggies, English peas and aji Amarillo tomato nage) to $17.75 for the churrasco a la parrilla (12 oz. ribeye steak, grilled, served with cabernet sauce, roasted potatoes and chimichurri).

Hubby and I look forward to returning soon and sampling several other dishes. We have our eyes on the empanada don walter ( pastry filled with sautéed beef, olives, onions, eggs, raisins and served with rocoto cream sauce), chicharron de pollo (marinated crispy chicken pieces, served with salsa crioll and lime vinaigrette), any of the ceviches, the chuleton carlitos (pan-roasted 12 oz pork chop over bacon-cabbage hash and mushroom ragu), and the sole en salsa de mariscos (pan-seared fresh petrole sole served over a bed of seafood and tomato panca sauce).

Limon
7735 N Blackstone Ave
Fresno, CA 93720
559.435.1015

Note: when they obtain their liquor license the corkage will be $15 per bottle, maximum of 2 bottles

An update to note that Le Roi Bakery has an outpost downtown at Tulare and "N" Street that is still open. Additionally, they have a little stand in the Fashion Fair Mall towards the Macy's side. Although I wish them well, I have not been overly impressed with anything I have had there.

I would agree that some of the best tamales are bought from co-workers. Hubby and I bought a dozen from Fresno City College Music Department and they were very good. The masa was thin and the filling was spicy and flavorful.

However, I have seen tamales sold at Fiesta Foods on Tulare St. Given the quality of their other prepared food, I wouldn't hesitate to try them. I know they have a selection of various kinds and a choice of sauces, so might not be a bad place to give them a try! You could also pick up some tortillas, crema, guacamole and other Latino goodies while you are there.

The one we enjoyed most recently was the 2006 Lake Chalice Marlborough Riesling from New Zealand. D'Arcy at Sam's recommended it to us as a drier Riesling that paired well with Asian meals.

I am pretty sure the corkage fee at TRO is set at $5, but most of the time they don't end up charging us at all. So, no guarantee that it is free, but even if you are charged, it won't break the bank.

PB, have enjoyed the Marlborough Riesling from New Zealand that is selling at Sam's for less than $20, iirc. It has a nice mineral taste balanced with a citrus-y finish.

Thanks for the report and checking out the House of Food, we all appreciate it! As far as Hmong egg rolls go, my understanding is that Hmong egg rolls (kab yob) use mung bean noodles and the main ingredient is usually pork. Some times they steam them, but nowadays they are almost all fried.

It can be crowded, especially on a weekend. I was surprised how full it was when I was there last and we went on a thursday, iirc. I was glad to have a reservation as several other people were waiting in the small foyer. I would make a reservation and you can always call and change it if necessary.

I didn't get a chance to try it, but the Palm in the Forum Shops at Caesar's is doing a special now where they will serve a four pound lobster split for two with two salads and a side dish for $95. You can also upgrade to the five pound lobster for $110, which would still be in your price range.
http://www.thepalm.com/promodetail.cf...

So I love chicken and waffles and I especially love Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles in L.A., which is the standard for chicken and waffles as far as I am concerned. Until now there has been no chicken and waffles here in Fresno, but that all changed this month when Chameleon opened. They are only open on Sundays as of now, from 10am until 10pm. They are located in the Karsh's Grill building at 609 Olive Ave in the Tower.

They only serve chicken and waffles with some sides, such as coleslaw and fries. You can have your chicken fried, grilled, or as a hot wing. In my book, fried is really the only option. So for $7 you get your choice of two pieces of chicken and a waffle. Or a grilled chicken breast and a waffle, or hot wings and a waffle. Hubby and I only had the two piece option (fried) with a waffle along with lemonade. They also serve sweet tea as well as soda.

First let me say they are nowhere near ready to be serving the number of people they are serving. The space is set up for about 30-40 people and it is pretty full. For all these people there is one "server" and one person helping and then I think there is just one person in the kitchen. Naturally they are overwhelmed. Chicken takes a while, you can't fake it. You can't fry it up halfway, let it sit, and then fire it up when someone orders. Therefore, there is always a wait when ordering fried chicken. However, hubby and I waited about an hour and they still didn't get our order right. We were so hungry, we ate what they brought us, but they don't have their ordering system down. What is supposed to happen is that you enter, seat yourself, and pick up these ordering cards from the table just inside the door. You circle your order, fill out your name, give them to the server and they call out your name. What ends up happening is you fill out the card and then you desperately try to find someone to take your order, but that poor person is in high demand, what with clearing tables, taking other orders, giving people their meal, and refilling drinks, etc. So you end up waiting in line to put in your order. Then you head back to a table and wait, and wait, and wait some more. They might get your order right as happened to one person at our table, but then they might lose two other orders, as happened to others at our table. Or they might bring you food, but it isn't the food you ordered, as happened to hubby and I. I ordered a breast and a leg with waffle. I received a thigh and a wing. Hubby ordered a breast and a thigh and got two thighs. Ok, whatever, I'll eat it.

The food, when you get it, is very good. The fried chicken is better than the chicken at Mama Lo's, a nice crunchy exterior giving way to moist meat. I ate every bit of my two pieces, and licked my fingers. It's that kind of homestyle, comforting fried chicken that you just know is cooked in a ton of lard or something equally bad for you. But you don't care because it is so good! The waffle was a good waffle in its own way, thick and fluffy with hot melted butter. However, it is not a Roscoe's waffle. A Roscoe's waffle is thinner, but more crunchy and light as a feather. It is the perfect foil to the chicken and syrup. This waffle is a little too pillowy and thick for my tastes. However, there is nothing wrong with it, it just isn't the perfection of a Roscoe's waffle. The lemonade was very tasty, tangy and tart with just the right amount of sweetness. The only problem was that you couldn't get more of it because of the service issue.

Overall, the food will have me coming back for more. Even though the waffle isn't all that, it is good enough to pair with that flavorful chicken. Maybe I'll try some sides. Someone at our table had the coleslaw and it looked homemade.

Hubby and I were there for two hours after it had all been said and done, so don't go for a quick bite. We were there from about noon until almost 2pm and it was busy pretty much the whole time. So maybe go earlier in the morning or in the mid-afternoon. The time seemed to go by pretty quickly because the family-style tables have you sitting next to strangers who are no longer strangers by the end of two hours! Our hope is that they hire some more help, nail down that ordering system, and cut the wait time down a bit. I know fried chicken requires a wait time, but an hour seems a bit ridiculous. And you should be able to flag down a server and get your drinks within that hour.

So hopefully after some work this place will be on our regular rotation for that singular pleasure that is chicken and waffles!

Chameleon Chicken and Waffles
609 Olive Ave
(559) 458-6062
Open Sundays only from 10am-10pm
CASH ONLY
The sign out front still says Karsh's Grill, but there is a small sign on the door that says Chameleon's.

Hubby and I enjoy going to Max's. The food is very good, I especially enjoy the seafood preparations there. They have a nice wine list and an inventive cocktail list with nice vodka infusions. I am not quite sure if it is a "happening" place with lots of singles, etc. They do have a bar, but it is pretty small, maybe 4 stools. So, great for dinner, but I don't know about mingling. I do think they might have a happy hour, though, that could be worth checking out.

Thanks cq77 for the report...I wonder if it would be possible to request softer bread? They are so accomodating, I think they might do it. Is there a way to be nice about it?

I'm glad everything worked out with the baby and that the flavors were spot on. Thanks for the tip about needing a reservation, hubby and I will remember for next time.

P.S. Did you notice the music? Was it annoying?

tavmark, interested to hear what you had for lunch and what your experience was like...

I absolutely agree with tavmark, it would not be an issue at all. It is very casual at lunch. The only real problem is space for a stroller if you should need one, but I'm sure they could work something out especially if you called them in advance. And congrats on being an aunt!

Would you mind telling us what you ate? I am interested in the other menu options I didn't try.

I didn't even notice the music, was it too loud?

Day three of our trip found us rising early (by Vegas standards), to catch breakfast at Tableau at the Wynn. We arrived and were seated promptly in the back overlooking the pool area. The room is very beautiful and feels light and airy, especially in the morning with the sun streaming in. No one was sitting outside on the patio, still too hot even though we were there at about 9am. We noticed the place began to fill up after 10am. They won points immediately with me because they had purse stools (yeah!) and they were really cute.

We perused the menu and there were many tempting items. I knew I had to try the pancakes which were peach pancakes made with fresh peaches and ricotta and finished with lime butter and honey sauce. Wow! Probably the best pancakes I have ever had, light and fluffy with a pronounced peach flavor. The citrus contrast from the lime butter was perfect for the dish. IHOP should be ashamed of itself!

Unfortunately, the pancakes were the highlight and the rest of the dishes seemed to go downhill from there. Hubby had the Kobe short ribs served on potato croquettes with a tarragon béarnaise sauce. These he pronounced okay but not fabulous and he would not order it again. Although the meat was tender, it had been cooked in a sauce which was too sweet and syrupy. The potatoes were fine, but nothing special and had no real seasoning to speak of. The béarnaise sauce had such a strong tarragon flavor it completely overwhelmed the sauce and the dish. The dish was only its parts, not a cohesive whole.

My mother in law ordered the Eggs Benedict which were made with regular ham, poached eggs, potato croquettes, and the same over-herbed tarragon sauce now dubbed “hollandaise”. The ham was way too thick and still had the rind on, which made the dish seem much more rustic than I think they probably intended. The eggs were poached perfectly and had just the right amount of runny-ness to them. Unfortunately the potatoes and tarragon sauce suffered from the same problems as mentioned above, which rendered the dish unpalatable.

My father in law ordered the omelet which featured tomatoes and asparagus. The dish arrived and was completely devoid of any presentation. I mean it was the omelet with nothing else on the plate, no garnish on the omelet or on the plate. It didn’t look very pretty. The omelet itself tasted okay, but they were very skimpy on the asparagus and the rest of the fillings and so the omelet ended up just being rather blah.

They did feature several unique juices, including watermelon juice and the coffee was quite good, strong and flavorful. However, when you are paying over $20 a plate for food for breakfast, you expect something more than sugar packets plopped down on the table to use with your coffee. Interestingly, though, they did offer an amuse bouche of the smoothie of the day which was a pineapple strawberry blend. It was very refreshing and a nice touch. So it seems that they just don’t have the whole picture together.

I would go back in a heartbeat for those pancakes, I think I’ve had dreams about those pancakes, but would hesitate to really recommend any other dishes. I did see that they had a strawberry-rhubarb French toast offering which sounded very intriguing.

It was around $100 for four people before the tip, I don’t know the exact amount since we didn’t pay. So not the cheapest breakfast in town, but if you get the pancakes you will enjoy the surroundings and the food.

Tableau
at the Wynn Tower Suites
702-248-DINE
Breakfast (Weekdays) 8am to 10:30am
Breakfast/Brunch (Weekends) 8am to 2:30pm

After a well deserved nap, hubby and I (sans the in-laws) arrived for our reservation at Craftsteak later that evening. Let me just say up front that I don’t eat beef, so I was excited to try the $60 per person summer tasting menu because it seemed so beef-free. We were seated promptly by the hostess and should have asked for a more private table as we were seated at a two-top that was squished right between another two-top and a four-top. Next time I would definitely request one of the booths. The person sitting next to my hubby at the four-top was extremely loud and talking about politics and in my head I was thinking “oh great, an annoying diner!”. But he soon left the table after leaving the people he was eating with $20 and a glass of wine completely full. Whatever.

We were immediately greeted by a server and hubby ordered a sidecar martini and I stuck with water (medication issues). Some fresh rolls were brought to the table, slathered in butter and finished with sea salt. They were soft, fluffy and delicious! We ordered the summer tasting menu and we were soon served the amuse, a grilled cipollini onion with tomato served on a crostini. Then our appetizers soon arrived.

Everything was served family style, so we received a dish of roasted red peppers, a Persian cucumber and watercress salad, and grilled quail. I had never had quail before and they were very good, more flavorful and fatty than chicken. At first I felt bad about eating something so cute, but they were so delicious, it was hard to feel bad after a while! The flavors of each dish were very good on their own, but when you combined them, they were even better. The sweetness from the roasted peppers mixed well with the bitterness of the watercress, the brightness of the cucumber and the fatty taste of the quail. Already I was getting full!

The main course soon followed along with the side dishes. The diver sea scallops were served with a citrus butter, the roasted chicken arrived in chicken jus, and the kobe sirloin arrived sliced and cooked perfectly medium rare. The side dishes were a caramelized sweet corn, a potato puree, and shitake mushrooms. I enjoyed the sea scallops very much, they were cooked perfectly and the citrus butter really set off the natural sweetness of the scallop. The roasted chicken which is usually just a “blah” dish was moist, full of herb flavor, and delicious. It could have used a touch more of the chicken jus, but that is really just a minor complaint and more because I just like the taste of the chicken jus. Hubby enjoyed the steak very much, commenting on its rich beef flavor. The caramelized sweet corn was outstanding. I don’t even like corn that much, having grown up on the microwaved stuff. This was sweet and salty, almost like eating kettle corn from the fair, but with fresh corn. I ate probably three servings of this stuff on my own. The potato puree was rich and buttery, very well done potatoes. The mushrooms were really the only dish that was off, they were dry and rather flavorless. Kinda of strange because anyone can do good mushrooms, sauté them in butter and wine and you’re done. I wonder if they had been sitting around or something. It was really no matter as there was more than enough food. Again, all the dishes worked well together and seemed to be well thought out. The pacing of the meal was just about perfect as well.

The dessert selection was up next and I thought that meant one dessert, but they brought out four trays of dessert. There was a liquid chocolate cake, a brioche bread pudding with vanilla bean sauce, two gelatos (milk chocolate and butter pecan), two sorbets (blackberry and coconut), and a tray of fresh raspberries and pluots. I always appreciate some chocolate for dessert so I ate up the chocolate cake with the blackberry sorbet. Very rich and delicious. Hubby appreciated the moistness of the bread pudding, it was almost custard-like in the middle. The fruits were also a nice touch as a breath of fresh air amidst all the richness. After the dessert came a selection of petit fours, which I could barely even eat because I was so stuffed.

Overall, we had an absolutely great time at Craftsteak and the summer tasting menu is a great value there. For two tasting menus and a cocktail plus tax and tip the bill was less than $200. Now that’s a good deal! I was expecting them to be rather chintzy on the portion sizes, but they weren’t at all. We had more than enough of everything we wanted. The service was attentive and gracious, the servers were more personable than at Nob Hill, taking time to find out information regarding various ingredients and joking around with us. Our food was brought to the table by different runners, it seems as though they are just standing by to make sure the food arrives to your table hot. Additionally, you are given heated plates so your food doesn’t begin to cool down when you put it on your plate. One minor complaint would be that we were not asked if we wanted coffee until we were almost done with dessert. I probably would have ordered some, but by the time I was asked we were almost ready to leave.

The décor reminded me of old school Vegas steakhouse nostalgia meets modern design. There was a lot of wood and stone and it was very dimly lit. I did find it interesting that there were no tablecloths on the tables, just the wood was showing and you had metallic looking placemats. All the wood showing made the restaurant look more natural and unpretentious. I think they made good use of the space considering they are one of the few restaurants that don’t have any seating looking out to the exterior.

Hubby and I are contemplating visiting Craft in Los Angeles because of our good experience at Craftsteak in Vegas.

Craftsteak
at the MGM Studiowalk
702 891-7318

Maybe the champagne they selected at the beginning of the meal? I don't think that was included in the wine pairings.

Hello Fresno Hounds!

A quick note and mini-review regarding Cracked Pepper Bistro, which is now open for lunch Tuesday-Saturday from 11am-2pm. It is a more casual menu with panini, a burger, salads, soup, and lunch specials. Everything is $10 or under! Hubby and I stopped by for an early lunch. We were the first ones in the place, but by the time we had left there were three other tables, so it looks as though word is out. There were several different types of panini including a chicken, turkey, prosciutto, ham, and one featuring the famed eggplant appetizer. There was also a burger, pastrami sandwich, green salad, and smoked salmon salad. The lunch specials were two different kinds of pizzas, one a ratatouille based pizza and the other a pesto and prosciutto.

We started with two iced teas, an apricot and green tea concoction. It was refreshing and fruity and a great start to the meal. Hubby ordered the pastrami panini and I ordered the lunch special featuring a ratatouille pizza. Hubby thought the pastrami itself was moist and delicious with no discernable fat/gristle and it had just the right amount of meat on the sandwich. It was finished with jalapeno mustard which had a nice kick, as well as sauerkraut and swiss cheese. Hubby's only real complaint about the sandwich was that the bread had too hard of a crust from being over-toasted. It seemed as though the sandwich had been grilled and put in the oven and the outside of the bread was rock hard. Maybe just a slight adjustment here would help. The panini came with your choice of green bean salad or Armenian potato salad. Hubby chose the potato salad and while it wasn't bad, it lacked true flavor. Maybe try the green bean salad next time.

I ordered the ratatouille pizza and I enjoyed it very much. It was a flatbread style pizza with the ratatouille piled on top of olive oil and aged balsamic. It was finished with goat cheese and micro-greens. The ratatouille had been cooked in wine it seemed and it had a great roasted, wine-y flavor that melded very well with the goat cheese. I would definitely order one of the pizzas again. The only problem was that the chef had burned the first one, so we had to wait a bit for them to make another. I wonder if maybe that's why hubby's bread got over-toasted because they were holding it in the oven while they re-fired my pizza.

Anyway, it was a very nice lunch for a reasonable price, $24 before tip for two entrees and two iced teas. We even got a little petit four of choclate, coconut, and graham cracker, which was delicious and a nice way to end the meal. Hubby and I will be back!

Day two of our Las Vegas stay found us up early and heading over to the Atomic Testing Museum for some education. A quick stop at the Bueno Gusto panaderia (don’t have the exact, full name in my notes) on Flamingo right past the Atomic Testing Museum yielded two conchas, one pina empanada, and one cajeta empanada for breakfast. All were quite moist and delicious if a bit messy to eat in the car.

After the museum, we were of course starving. We headed over to Viva Zapata for lunch after hearing some favorable reviews on the board. I ordered the two shrimp taco lunch special which was served with rice and beans and came in at $10.95. The shrimp was breaded which is not really my preference, but my fault, I should have asked about the preparation. It was served with lettuce, which I found kind of strange since usually the seafood tacos are served with cabbage. I found the flavor of the shrimp to be nice, but the taco was nothing special. The beans and rice were both very good and above average in taste and quality. The homemade flour tortillas served with the meal were excellent and a nice touch.

Hubby ordered the huevos rancheros with eggs over medium. The plate was supposed to come with both chile verde and rancheros sauce, but came only with the rancheros sauce. The dish was a good rendition of huevos rancheros, but nothing special. My mother in law ordered the chile rellano and beef taco a la carte. The chile rellano was stuffed with cheese and had a nice, light batter that wasn’t greasy at all. My father in law ordered the pork machaca and it arrived cubed, not shredded as we are used to, but it had good flavor.

Overall, the food quality was good, but we weren’t really blown away by anything. We are interested in going back during dinner when we can give the extensive menu a real chance. Because we were there for lunch and trying not to fill up too much, we didn’t order many of the dishes recommended here. So a return visit is probably in order. The service was quick and helpful and all our glasses were filled and refilled very promptly. The total bill was $45 for lunch for four before tip, which is a great value in Vegas.

Viva Zapata
3826 E. Craig Rd (Near N. Pecos)
702-643-8888
10am-10pm M-F
9am-10pm Sa-Sun

Since it was recently my mother in law’s birthday, I arranged for afternoon tea at Verandah at the Four Seasons, as she is very fond of tea. The Verandah does tea from 3pm until 4pm, Monday through Friday only and only by reservation. When we were shown to our table, I could see why the reservation was required. The table was elaborately set with all the condiments and trappings required for tea. It was very beautiful. So if you are hoping for a particular table in the restaurant, make sure you request it before you arrive. We were towards the back of the restaurant a little ways from the window, but still had a nice view. Our two waiters made the whole experience very pleasant as they were friendly and helpful, but also quick and efficient. Tea is a prix fix arrangement where you order your pot of tea and then they bring out scones, tea sandwiches, and desserts for the entire party. The regular tea is $30 per person, or you can upgrade to $38 to add a glass of champagne or a green tea martini. My mother in law had the green tea martini which tasted as though the vodka had been infused with green tea. It was very refreshing and unique. My father in law had the champagne, which was a Roederer.

There were about 8 different kinds of teas, and I am not very educated about tea, so I will just tell you that I had the mountain berry tisane, my hubby had the silver leaf, and both of my in-laws had the black currant tea. We all enjoyed our tea very much and our pots were constantly being refilled with hot water, a nice touch as some places won’t refill the pot.

A tea tray soon arrived with three layers of goodies. The top layer was the scones, both original and currant scones served with devon cream, lemon curd, and strawberry preserves. Very light and buttery scones, delicious with even more devon cream! The next layer were the sandwiches: a chicken salad sandwich with mango chutney on a sweet walnut bread, a smoked salmon sandwich with lemon-caper cream cheese on pumpernickel bread, a pinwheel of smoked turkey breast, roasted tomato, and crepe, and finally a cucumber and mint sandwich with a cute little garnish of grape tomato. The only real dud was the salmon sandwich because of the dryness of the bread. All the others were not only beautifully presented, but delicious. The bottom layer were the desserts, an English fruitcake, milk chocolate panna cotta, a tropical fruit tartlet with passion fruit cream, and an apricot linzer tart. The fruitcake reinforced my decision that I don’t like fruitcake at all. All the others were tasty, especially the tropical fruit tartlet, which was a favorite of the table.

Because it was my mother in law’s birthday, they brought out a tray of candies in a fluted chocolate bowl with a candle and “Happy Birthday” written in chocolate. It was a very nice and thoughtful touch, although we were so stuffed we could barely do it justice. Overall, it was a beautiful meal in very elegant surroundings. The service was impeccable, they thought of everything before we could think we wanted it. Yet they never seemed to be too overbearing. And even though this was supposed to be tea, it ended up being dinner because we were so stuffed.

Verandah
at the Four Seasons
702.632.5000

Hubby and I arrived in Las Vegas on the 6th of July and met up with the in-laws at the mall. Soon it was time for a light lunch so as not to spoil our dinner at Nob Hill later in the evening. We stopped in at ‘wichcraft for a quick bite. Hubby and I split the roasted turkey, avocado, bacon, and balsamic onions on a French roll and made it a combo for $15 which included chips, beverage, and fruit. The sandwich was good, especially with the flavor of the onions, but nothing special. My in-laws had the chicken breast, roasted, red pepper, mozzarella, and pesto panini combo, which they also split. Both of them agreed it was a competent sandwich, but nothing special. The pesto had good flavor, but there was so little of it on the sandwich, you could barely taste it. After a few jokes about how we could critique Tom Colicchio for a few of his missteps here (we are all Top Chef fans), we departed to check-in at the Signature.

‘wichcraft
at the Studio Walk in the MGM
Open daily 10am-5pm
702-891-3166

Later that night we arrived at Nob Hill to indulge in the $60 summer tasting menu currently being offered at several of the MGM restaurants. There was your choice of one of three apps and entrees and your choice of two desserts. The three appetizer choices were: cheese fondue served with sourdough bread, farmer’s market salad with fresh hearts of palm and yuzu dressing, or a sampler platter of beef skewers, summer roll with duck confit, and Dungeness crab truffles. The three entrée choices were: cioppino with a spicy tomato broth, duo of pork, or chicken “tetrazzini” with truffled mac and cheese. The two desserts options were either a cable car crème brulee or a strawberry salad with candied fennel and pistachios. We brought a bottle of 2000 Oakville Plumpjack Cabernet Sauvignon for a corkage of $35 since we were anxious to see how it was doing.

The table was brought an amuse of poached lobster in a saffron, white wine reduction and it was perfectly cooked and very delicious. Bread was also brought to the table, three loaves, a sourdough, walnut, and Italian olive. All three were quite good and it was fun mixing and matching with the three different butters: regular, celery, and honey walnut.

I ordered the cheese fondue, cioppino, and cable car crème brulee. Hubby ordered the farmer’s market salad, duo of pork, and cable car crème brulee. My mother in law ordered the cheese fondue, chicken tetrazzini, and the strawberry salad. My father in law ordered the appetizer platter, duo of pork, and crème brulee. So between the four of us I think we covered all the available options on the tasting menu. My mother in law and I both enjoyed eating the fondue, which was rich and bubbly and heavily dosed with white wine. The only real problem was that the fondue got way too hot and started boiling heavily. We had to blow out the sterno heater below it and we almost burned our mouths on the hot cheese. Hubby enjoyed the greens and yuzu dressing, but the hearts of palm and cucumber just seemed extraneous. The salad wasn’t really a complete picture. My father in law thought the appetizer platter was okay, but again, not really a composed picture, just different pieces arranged (beautifully) on a large plate.

The entrees soon arrived and a huge bowl was placed before me filled with all kinds of seafood, and then the waiter poured the hot, spicy tomato broth over it. A nice tableside presentation. There were mussels, scallops, Dungeness crab, shrimp, a white fish, and lobster claw meat. All of the seafood was of excellent quality, fresh and bursting with a slight sea flavor that paired excellently with the tomato broth. Probably one of the best cioppinos that I have ever had and I live not too far from San Francisco. Hubby and father in law had the pork duo which consisted of a pork belly in a honey glaze and pork loin medallions wrapped in bacon with a pepper au jus and a turnip gratin. Hubby thought the pork belly was enjoyable, rich and uncutuous with a fatty flavor. The honey glaze was sweet and reminiscent of a barbeque flavor. Good, but you wouldn’t want to eat a lot of it. The pork loin was good, with the essence of bacon. Neither flavor overwhelmed the other, but they worked together very well. The turnip gratin was forgettable. Each individual part of the dish was good, but it didn’t seem to really work together well. The chicken “tetrazzini” with the truffled mac and cheese arrived topped with fried onions and there seemed to be an entire chicken on the plate. The chicken itself was tender and juicy, herby and delicious. The real star, though, was the truffled mac and cheese. The mac and cheese on its own was creamy and cheesy and the pasta cooked al dente with just a slight hint of chewiness. The truffles really set off the cheesiness of the dish very well, their earthiness really broke through the creaminess of the dish. An excellently composed dish.

With the entrees came a sampler of mashed potatoes: the original flavor which must have consisted of mostly butter and cream with a slight dash of potato, the horseradish, which was a big winner at the table, a rosemary which seemed almost too herby, the chive which was fine, and the salsa which everyone seemed to enjoy.

The desserts were up next. The cable car crème brulee was rich and delicious although not really that different from any other crème brulee. It was a huge portion, and though I really like crème brulee I was unable to finish it. The strawberry salad was very unique and delicious and I think I would be inclined to order it next time. The strawberries were small and sweet and finished with a sweet glaze. The candided fennel gave the dish a slight taste of licorice which blended well with the sweetness of the strawberries. A very nicely composed and well planned dessert.

All together the meal was $337 before tip for the four tasting meals, the corkage, a cocktail, a tea, and three coffees (French pressed). An enjoyable meal and surely an excellent value, especially for Vegas. It is also nice that there are no real restrictions on the summer tasting menu as you can use it any day and any time until the end of August. The restaurant is a very modern, urban setting and the service was excellent and unobtrusive if a bit impersonal. Hubby and I went to Craftsteak at a later meal for the same $60 tasting menu and enjoyed a bit more, but you certainly wouldn’t go wrong at this restaurant. It just felt that the chef at Craftsteak had put more thought into the tasting menu there and made sure all the flavors blended together well. At Nob Hill you kind of got the feeling that they put the menu together by just picking out existing dishes at random and then asking you to choose from them.

Nob Hill
at the MGM
Dinner only
Sun-Thur 5:30-10pm
Fri-Sat 5:30-10:30pm
702-891-7337

The summer menu at MGM is good until 8/31. I know Rosemary's is doing their prix fix lunch menu at $23 with the certificate as well as a $25 gift certificate good for weekday dinners on tickets of $100 or more. You have to print those off, though. I am not aware of the other hotel/casinos offering an establishment-wide summer menu a la MGM.

Just got back from Vegas and stayed at the Signature at MGM and took advantage of the summer menus at both Nobhill and Craftsteak. At $60 per person at both restaurants, it is a great deal. The service at both restaurants was excellent, although the Craftsteak servers seemed a bit more personable. Hubby enjoyed Craftsteak a lot more than Nobhill, but that was because he didn't think the pork entree at Nobhill was very good and the farmer's market salad wasn't anything special, either. I really enjoyed Nobhill, but I had the fondue (very rich and cheesy with a nice hint of white wine) and the cioppino (probably the best I've had with a spicy tomato broth poured over extremely fresh and delicious seafood). So I would have no problems recommending those dishes. Another diner at our table had the chicken "tetrazzini" with truffled mac and cheese and that dish was also outstanding.
The portions at both restaurants were huge and more than enough food, although it seemed that at Craftsteak the portions were even more out of control.
I think both hubby and I felt that the summer tasting menu at Craftsteak was more interesting and well thought out and more fun than the Nobhill menu. Since the summer tasting menu at Craftsteak is family style, they just bring you one of everything and all the flavors blend well together and you can have as much as you like of everything. We loved almost every single dish on the summer tasting menu, the highlights would be the roasted quail (succulent and juicy), the white sweet corn (carmelized, but still bursting with fresh corn flavor), the scallops (perfectly cooked in a buttery wine sauce), and the appetizers especially worked especially well together.

The only dish I really didn't like was the mushroom dish served with the entrees. The mushrooms were dry and tasteless. Every other dish had something to appreciate. I don't even eat steak, and there was more than enough other things to eat that I was completely stuffed. Hubby does enjoy steak and the steak served was quite good, but if you really want a big steak and nothing else, I wouldn't do the summer tasting menu since it seems to focus on a variety of tastes, not just steak.

The desserts were out of control at Craftsteak as they brought out a liquid chocolate cake, a brioche bread pudding with vanilla bean sauce (hubby's fave), two scoops of ice cream (milk chocolate and butter pecan), two scoops of sorbets (blackberry and coconut), and some fresh raspberries and pluots. They also finished with petit fours. I love petit fours and could barely even eat one as I was so stuffed!

One thing I would do differently at Craftsteak would be to request one of the booths, they seemed much more intimate and comfortable than the table we were seated at. Hubby and I like to sit side by side instead of across each other and we felt like we were far away from each other at our table.

Hopefully this gives you a better idea of what to expect from the summer tasting menus...

Melanie, thanks for the follow-up on the Hmong food scene here, great report! I look forward to further research in the Hmong food area, I am finding out more and more that many of the Vietnamese/Thai places we have been eating at are actually run by Hmong. I have asked why they don't cook Hmong dishes and the answer is usually a variation of "no one wants/likes/knows what Hmong food is". Hopefully it is just a matter of educating people (including myself) on Hmong food. I grew up around the First and McKinley area in Fresno and my parents were urban missionaries to the Hmong living mainly in the old Funston Place and Summerset housing. I went to countless Hmong banquets as a child and I unfortunately retained almost no information from that period beyond recognizing a few of the dishes by sight (although not by name). I remember eating many of the dishes, and loving the boba drinks, egg rolls, and sticky rice. As I got older, my Hmong friends and I would go get pho, but almost never go out and eat Hmong food. Interestingly, my Hmong friends would always want to eat some other food like pho or Thai food rather than eat what they could get at home.

I have seen the House of Food sign at Cedar and Clinton and am hoping to convince the hubby to stop in soon. We have also driven by a couple of restaurants that say they have Hmong food available. Will report back when we have more concrete information. It looks as though a stop at Asian One Grocery might be a good place to gather more leads.

Thanks for the info...hubby and I are headed to Vegas shortly and love to take advantage of the deals. Do you have to print out coupons from the emails sent by MGM? Or just ask about any specials while at the restaurant? Thanks!

Yeah, I was talking about wok hay upthread. It is that taste you get from food from the wok when it has that slightly charred flavor. It comes from the high heat that restaurant kitchens can produce with their high-powered burners. I think it is almost an umami flavor, rich and deep. It is hard to obtain at home because your stove for sure can't reach a high enough temperature. That's why I have an outdoor burner that can get up to 60,000 btus!!

I think that cows produce methane, a greenhouse gas, while people and other animals do not...but not 100% sure on that

When the show first aired and we saw Richard, I was kinda like, who is this guy?! But the more I watch, the more I really like him! He seems to really enjoy what he is doing and approaches each challenge wanting to win, but doesn't sell anyone else out at judge's table. I only hope that this nice guy doesn't finish last. He is a total contrast to Spike, who seems to up the ante on evilness next week.