rjwong

Marlene, just to let you know, I would go back to Delmonico's. If the truth be known, the raw garlic taste in the creamed spinach really turned me off. I was really impressed how large the restaurant is. I was sitted waaay over in the last room next to the kitchen, I think. I hope to return to Las Vegas in Dec. We'll see what happens ...

Saturday night, Dinner #2: B&B Ristorante This is B&B Ristorante, as in Batali and Bastianich. I finally made it, fifteen minutes late. But that’s okay. I need some time to digest Dinner #1. Here are some photos of the restaurant. I wanted to eat light. So, it’s another three-course dinner. Amuse bouche Spaghetti alla chittara with heirloom tomato and mizuna The flavors blended well together. The pasta felt different, thicker than regular spaghetti. Wild striped bass with summer vegetable brodetto The fish was good. Slightly overcooked to me. Vanilla bean semifreddo with strawberry rhubarb marmellata The dessert stasted wonderful. Migardnises It’s around midnight and the rock music is cranked up big time. The service felt casual, while the decor looked more formal. The place seemed similiar to Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza over in Los Angeles. Mind you, B&B doesn’t have either the pizzeria bar or the mozzarella bar. You can find that upstairs at the Enoteca in the Venetian. I didn’t try that place on this trip. Because the decor looked quite formal, I was expecting a little more formal service. Mind you, the service was quite good and casual, just like I would find over at the two Mozzas in LA. B&B Ristorante

Saturday Saturday morning started off with a shave and a haircut at Truefitt & Hill, Caesar’s. As I try and find my way back to the parking garage, I noticed a boarded-up space where a new patisserie and bistro will be coming: François Payard. I’ll have to try out that place when it opens. On my way to Henderson (yes, again), I pick-up some lunch over at Memphis Championship Barbecue. Then it’s off to Valley Cheese and Wine for some “working” and “interning.” I drive back to my hotel for a little nap. By the time I wake up and get ready for the evening, it’s the beginning of ... Dinner #1: Bradley Ogden at Caesar’s. It took a while to get into Caesar’s parking garage on a Saturday night, mind you ... I arrived at the restaurant at about 7 p.m. My friends called the restaurant to keep an eye out on me because they know one of the managers there. I decided on a simple three-course dinner. I definitely wanted to try the Kobe beef. Yes, Kobe, not Wagyu. Japanese Kobe beef presentation I’ll have a couple of more photos later. Heirloom tomato salad Rolls Black Angus Kansas City strip This steak was very good. Japanese Kobe beef Four ounces of Kobe beef, marinated in a soy mirin, then grilled. Perhaps a little too much marinade, but it was definitely great. Black Angus Kansas City strip (top) and Japanese Kobe beef (bottom) Here’s a little side-by-side for comparison. The two steaks I had at Bradley Ogden tasted better than at Delmonico’s. I would also say that even if I didn’t have the Kobe. Raspberry soup with sparkling wine, topped with sorbets I tasted a little bitterness in the soup, maybe because of the sparkling wine ... The sorbets were wonderful. Butterscotch pudding After my dinner, my server gave me a quick tour of the kitchen. I got to meet chef Ogden, the son. I suggested that they make available the certificate of the Kobe beef. It would make a nice touch of authenticity. Bradley Ogden It’s after nine o’clock on a Saturday, and I have to leave Caesar’s parking garage, drive to the Venetian’s parking garage, park my car, and make my 9:30 p.m. appointment for Dinner #2. Don’t do what I did, unless you’re very comfortable driving in and around the Strip on a busy weekend night. Do not exit on Las Vegas Blvd. (The Strip). You’ll be stuck on the Strip for a long time ... Now, on to Dinner #2 ...

Last Sat. night, I drove up La Cienega Blvd. I saw the perimeter of Le Meridien Hotel with chain-linked fences and wooden boards all around. saulbass, would you give us an update, when you can ... please?? I mentioned Jose Andres' name to one of my friends in the biz. He was impressed ...

Friday I left Los Angeles at about 6 a.m. I made a few stops along the way, including one over at Primm. There were many outlet stores, including a William-Sonoma. I bought a couple of things. Mind you, I did show great restraint ... I drove over to Henderson and had a pizza over at Settebello. Molto bene!! Afterwards, I dropped in at Valley Cheese and Wine and visited the owners. They’ll be having dinner with me later at Wing Lei on Sun. night. Once I finally chiecked into my inexpensive hotel for Fri. & Sat. nights, I was ready for dinner. I walked down the Strip to the Venetian and saw a couple of new restaurants: David Burke, B&B Ristorante. Both were close by to one another, as well as Delmonico Steakhouse, one of Emerile Lagasse’s restaurants. Ever since Marlene raved about this place, I wanted to try this steakhouse, and nows my opportunity. This restaurant was huge: about 250 covers. The hostess was leading me from one room to another. Wow! What a production number! Truffle Parmesan potato chips Pretty good chips to nibble on. King crab corn chowder The soup was quite flavorful. There was a crab shell in my soup and I brought it to my server’s attention. No, I didn’t choke on it or anything like that. Time for the steak ... Bone-in New York strip The steak tasted very good. I asked the server if the seasoning was Emeril’s essence. It was ... New Orleans creamed spinach The spinach was okay. It had a lot of garlic in it. I was wondering whether I tasted raw garlic ... Emeril’s Banana Cream Pie Whipped Cream, Chocolate Shavings and Caramel Sauce I thought the pie was going to be overly sweet. It was not. Despite the chocolate and the caramel, the banana brought a balanced flavor to this pie which I enjoyed. As I said, the steak was very good. I wouldn’t compare it with the steak at Prime. Mind you, I’ll have to eat at Prime again to give a more definitive verdict. I think the soup and the spinach might have taken away from enjoying my steak more. Delmonico Steakhouse

It’s been said that whatever happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas. Just to let you know, there’s another quote you should know about: With all due respect ot BryanZ, his Vegas trip actually began towards mid-August. My drive to Las Vegas began in early August. Unfortunately, we missed each other by about a week. BryanZ, we need to make some plans, dude ... Yes, it was hot out there in Las Vegas. That was why I got a very good room rate over at the Wynn. I was going to stay at the Bellagio, but Wynn had the better deal at that time. And once I checked in at the Wynn, I pretty much stayed there. I hardly went out onto the Strip during my vacation. My meals outside the Strip included a couple of places in Henderson called Settebello and Crazy Pita. There’s a gourmet wine and cheese store in that same shopping area called Valley Cheese and Wine and everyone should check out that place. And then there’s Memphis Championship Barbecue on Warm Springs, west of Eastern. Meals on Fri. and Sat. nights were at the Venetian and Caesar’s. From Sun through Wed., I ate at the Wynn Resort. You can say that this was a Wynn, non-Wynn situation ... I’ll be copying the posts of my meals at Wynn on the Wynn thread, here at this link, as well as other individual restaurants where appropriate.

Kathleen, when I saw you were doing a foodblog, I had to post!! I'm glad all is well with you in Espana, mi amiga ... Since you're from Arizona, I would like to hear you compare Spanish cuisine from Mexican cuisine and/or Southwestern cuisine. So, when's your debut in Los Angeles, por favor??

Phish Food, I third that suggestion of going to L'Atelier for dinner and Bouchon for breakfast. If you need directions in getting to Bouchon at the Venetian, do a search and find my post (with photos) under the Bouchon discussion thread. Half the fun was trying to find the place. Try the quiche. It was so creamy ... L'Atelier is probably the best food value in Las Vegas. That place is all about the food at an "affordable" price. The nine-course tasting menu, I think it's $139 per person, ehh?? As for other suggestions, how much do you want to spend? And where? On the Strip? Off-Strip? I just got back from my Vegas vacation yesterday. I was staying at the Wynn this time and tried some of their restaurants.

Pacific Rim Grille, I'll being starting my Las Vegas vacation in about 21 hours ... and counting ... Full report and some photos, if my camera and I don't melt in the heat ... First, some questions: What kind of cuisine? French? Italian? New American? How much do you want to pay per person? Low-end? Fine dining? By yourself and/or with a group/family? At MGM, there are two Robuchon restaurants (L'Atelier & Robuchon at the Mansion). Shibuya has pretty good sushi. Check out some of the other Las Vegas threads as an introduction. Enjoy!!

bump ... I'm rather partial to Providence. It's definitely one of my favorite restaurants in LA. Michael Cimarusti knows how to cook fish. The dishes keep changing on a regular basis. Desserts by Adrian Vasquez are excellent. I'll have to check whether he's using any liquid nitrogen yet.

Go ahead and post on the Providence thread, even if it's been a while since anybody has posted. It's called "bumping" the thread. My original intention for this thread is more for current restaurant news, as in what restaurants has just opened, like Craft or Osteria Mozza, for example.

Thanks for the input, Elushbo!! B&B is definitely on my short list. And let me PM you about my "to do" list. Five more days and counting until Las Vegas, mon ...

Last Friday (20 July), a Ralph's supermarket opened in downtown Los Angeles. It may not sound like big news. Mind you, it's the first major supermarket chain to open in downtown LA in fifty years. Yes, there's the Grand Central Market on Broadway and Mitsuwa over in Little Tokyo. People are thinking that with the new Ralph's opening, downtown LA is turning a corner in becoming a vibrant area of the city. Hopefully, some good restaurants (not chains please) will start opening up soon. Jose Andres?? NO WAY??!! saulbass, are you talking about Le Meridien Hotel that's located south of the Beverly Center, south of San Vicente and north of Matsuhisa & Fogo da Chao??

Los Angeles Times food critic S. Irene Virbila reviewed B & B Ristorante at the Venetian in Las Vegas: With his B & B Ristorante, Mario Batali shows Vegas how it's done Suddenly, the Venetian actually feels like Italy. B & B is grand but not fussy, with Italian whites to dream over. Bottom line, she gave the restaurant a three-star rating. That's impressive. Well, she was impressed with the sommeliers there. They know their stuff. With so many other restaurants in Las Vegas that I haven't tried yet, I'm wondering whether I should "bump" B & B to the top of the list??

LA Times food critic reviewed a Greek restaurant called Petros Greek Cuisine and Lounge 451 Manhattan Beach Blvd Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 310.545.4100 Petros received a ** 1/2 star rating, which is really good. Apparently, there is a dress code. The restaurant is located south of LAX and El Segundo over in Manhattan Beach along the coast. Go ahead and check-out the website.

Tuesday night, I walked in to Osteria Mozza and was seated at the Mozzarella Bar, where the action is at. Near the entrance door Osteria Mozza does have a full bar. Mozzarella Bar. Yes, that's Nancy Silverton to the right. Mozzarella Bar, view from where I was sitting Mozzarella roll, with fresh herbs, sun-dried tomatoes Burracotti, marinated artichokes, mint pesto on toasted bread Gnocchi with pomodoro sauce Roasted pork Arista Bombolini with lemon sorbetto and rasberry gelato The meal was very good. I was very impressed with Roasted pork Arista. No, it was not undercooked. It was quite flavorful. A man to my left at the Mozzarella Bar and I had a conversation, as he was eating his roasted octopus appetizer. He offered me a bite. The octopus tasted so tender, not rubbery at all. I'll have to order that the next time. millions, you are not off the hook. I still want to see your photos you'll be taking at Osteria Mozza, okay??!!

Carolyn, thanks for the heads up on this dinner. Unfortunately, I'll be at a benefit dinner that evening. I hope you can fly down and enjoy the evening at Bin 8945!

LoveToEatATL, welcome to sunny Southern California! Border Grill is not bad, but I personally like Ciudad in downtown LA, the Two Hot Tamales' other place.

Congratulations on getting a reservation at Osteria Mozza. How much did it cost you, millions?? (double-meaning implied) Have you already tried Pizzeria Mozza? Please give a full report, perhaps a few photos, after your dinner.

Now is the time to start a discussion thread like this. What probably pushed me to do this is the Los Angeles Times new food blog titled Daily Dish. Here's the blog entry that got my attention: Recently, new restaurants are opening up throughout Southern California: Stonehill Tavern, Hatfield's, Cut, Leatherby's Cafe Rouge, Blue Velvet, Marche Moderne, Abode, Fraiche, Foundry, Canele, Opus, BIN 8945, Larkin's, just to name a few. Don't worry, there'll be more when downtown Los Angeles starts picking up. Downtown LA is showing signs of a nightlife. I figure there needs to be a thread so people can find out what's going on in Southern California, culinarily speaking. And I'll start. I found out, after the fact, that Daniel Boulud was in Los Angeles about two weeks ago, going to and filming in various restaurants like Providence, Hatfield's and Grace for his TV series "After Hours." I miss all the fun ... I drove by Century City to find Tom Collichio's new restaurant Craft. I found the place. And as for parking, it looks like valet is the only way. No street parking, unless you know some secret spot. Then I drove by Osteria Mozza, which is right next door to Pizzeria Mozza. There is valet parking, as well as street parking. Mind you, read the signs first or you can get a ticket. If you think getting into Pizzeria Mozza was difficult, just try getting into Osteria Mozza ... hehehe ... So, what have you heard on the LA food scene?? Let everyone know and post!! Thank you.

John, I bring up this question from a certain cultural context. In my multi-course dining experiences in Chinese restaurants, the dishes are usually served communally, either "family-style" or "banquet-style." When I was looking through Wing Lei's menu, I did notice the tasting menu, as in each course is individually plated and served to the individual diner. That is not usually offered in a Chinese restaurant. The only time a course is served like that to a certain extent is the soup course, where the soup is brought out to the table, and then tableside, ladled into individual soup bowls already arranged, and finally served to each diner. And then there's the order of mu shu pork. But that's it! I'm used to having tasting menus at "Western" restaurants by myself. Mind you, having a tasting menu dinner at a Chinese restaurant is having me do a double-take, just a bit. It would be a different dining experience for me, because of my previous dining experiences of eating a multi-course Chinese meal more communally. Mind you, I do eat Chinese food as a solo diner, mainly one-item meals like chow mein or a large bowl of noodle soup. I hope this helps you (and others) understand where I'm coming from.

Swicks, Century City is not in the Westside. CC is next to Beverly Hills. And at that point, maher might as well go to all the top places around the La Cienega/Beverly Blvd. area (Sona, AOC, Lucques, La Terza, Grace, Hatfield's, Angelini Osteria, Table 8, Matsuhisa, Spago, Cut, etc.)

Pardon me for interrupting your "private conversation." I just came in from Los Angeles. On the fourth of July, I walked around South Coast Plaza and saw Marche Moderne. It looks a little small. Did you feel cramped? Did you feel like you were in a mall? As for me, I'll wait until SCP finish its renovations and add the new elevator.

Mr. Ross, are you sure you're not Chinese? I'll be staying at the Wynn in early August. I'm definitely going to eat at Alex and Wing Lei. Unless something changes, I'll be eating by myself. In your opinion, do you find that Wing Lei should be experienced more as a group than as a solo diner? Mind you, I've read the excellent accommodations Wing Lei made for solo diners.

maher, There are many places to eat over in Santa Monica and surrounding areas, like Venice, Culver City, Brentwood, etc., also known as the Westside. Melisse is a wonderful French restaurant. I'll be eating there for Bastille Day. Other restaurants I've eaten include Il Grano, Il Moro, Valentino, Michael's. One new restaurant in Santa Monica is Abode, on Ocean Ave. & Colorado, across from the SM Pier. I've been there three times, last time with a couple of friends in the biz. They really liked the place. I definitely do. Joe's in Venice is worth going to. The food is great, and parking on your own is an adventure. Santa Monica Farmers' Market is on Wed. morning. Great place. Mind you, I haven't been there yet. If you don't mind traveling a bit, try some of the restaurants in Culver City, one of the new hot spots. Beacon near the old Helms Bakery, Fraiche (Get reservations. I haven't been there for dinner yet.). I hope that's enough to tie you over for a while. I'm sure others will chime in.