Nomadic Addicts

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Our plan while in Vegas was to take advantage of our being in the west and check out a lot of places we always wanted to visit but didn't want to trek across the country at the same time. I always wanted to go to Palm Springs. I love the architecture..all the retro designs. It's also considerably warmer than Vegas right now and I heard the food scene is pretty good. Where there is food...we will go.

We decided to stay at the Riviera. http://www.psriviera.com/
Back in the 1960s the Riviera was the it spot for icons like Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. I guess the place lost it's pizazz over the years until a hotel group purchases the property and completely upgraded and restored it. The original structure was maintained and modernized. The decor was really cool and the pool was by far the best hotel pool I have ever been to. This place was really beautiful and we had a great time.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Italian in Vegas

I am extremely picky about Italian food. I refuse to eat just anywhere serving what claims to be authentic. So far, in Vegas I've only been to two Mario Batali restaurants (B&B Ristorante in the Venetian and the more casual,Enoteca San Marco which Ilya and I enjoyed more than B&B).
http://www.venetian.com/Pages.aspx?id=812
http://www.enotecasanmarco.com/

Aside from these two restaurants, I have not even tried any other Italian in Vegas. I know there is a Rao's, an Il Mulino and even a Grimaldi's Pizza. I plan on trying more spots but for now I trust in my home cooking, so most of our Italian meals are made at home.

Hyakumi @ Caesar's Palace

http://www.caesarspalace.com/casinos/caesars-palace/restaurants-dining/hyakumi-detail.html

We were really in the mood for some sushi and were toying with the idea of gong to Sushi Roku which is supposed to be one of the top rated sushi spots in Vegas. We decided to hold off and try the "Japanese Indulgence Menu" at Hyakumi in Caesar's Palace. This menu is only offered from 11am-3:30pm on weekdays. $28 for all you can eat sushi and handrolls and $38 if you want to add in sashimi. We were under the impression that we would be able to order basically any sushi (with the exception of uni, toro and a few others) form the regular menu as part of this all you can eat special but we were mistaken. We got a checklist which contained a limited selection of fish options. It was very typical....salmon, eel, tuna, cucumber, octopus, some fish eggs and a few more. You also get three hot options (1 per customer) - udon, egg rolls or potstickers. The hot options were average. The sushi itself was very fresh and each serving is huge. We ordered a scallop roll and they brought us something that didn't appear to be scallop. Oh well. We also noticed that sitting at the sushi bar is the way to go...you get served much faster and it's a lot easier to take advantage of the all you can eat while at the bar. The ambiance at Hyakumi is that of a typical sushi bar...no giant buddha or huge bamboo. Plus, the restaurant is in the middle of two sides of the Caesar's casinos so there is a lot of activity going on while you eat. It makes things a bit interesting but if you hate smoke..you can still smell the casino and passerby smoke while you eat. Anyway, if you want some no frills, fresh sushi - this is a good spot.

Society Cafe @ Encore

I'm not a huge fan of the strip and all of the craziness but I have to admit there are some good eats on the other side of town. We have been looking forward to checking out Encore (Steve Wynn's latest hotel which is connected to Wynn). The restaurant selection looks great. We decided to start with lunch at Society Cafe. Our server brought out homemade kettle potato chips with french onion dip, soft, warm pretzel sticks and a whipped mustard butter. Not a bad way to start things off. We decided to skip apps but it wasn't easy. I really wanted the "Quiche Trio" but I knew I would be stuffed after my "Charred Rare Yellowfin Tuna Sliders". The tuna sliders were very tasty..not the best tuna burgers I've ever had but I would order them again. The actual tuna was a bit sparse. The burger also came with some shrimp chips which was a nice accompaniment. Actually, I have to give props to Harry's in NYC http://www.harrysnyc.com/. By far the best tuna burger I have ever had..giant portion with plenty of delicious condiments to compliment the fish...excellent! Ilya ordered the "Grilled Ham and Cheese" which was made with Kurobuta Ham and Gruyere Cheese. It tasted very similar to a croque monsieur without the bechamel sauce.

The ambiance in Society is very hip and elegant. I love the design..everything from the wall paper to the drapery. It's a cool place with a fun menu and I look forward to going back and sampling some more tasty bits.
http://www.encorelasvegas.com/pdf/SocietyCafe_menu.pdf