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ogopogo posted:If you see this bottle, get one I'm guessing Garagiste will have that since it's a natural wine. Last night I took my cousin out for a night on the Arts District. We started with cocktails at Jammyland. They have a pina colada variation made with Lagavulin 8-year that is absolutely astounding. I'd say about half of people will love it and the other half will think we're crazy. Seek it out if you're at all into that smoky/iodine/saline flavor Islays get. Second stop was CraftHaus to try their new michelada flavor: tom yum. Yeah, they made a Thai soup flavored michelada, with dried shrimp on the rim. And it's...okay I guess? Very savory, obviously, with a touch of spice and some background coconut/fish sauce/lime flavors. Definitely weird. We did dinner at Main Street Provisions since Esther's was booked until 10:00 that night. The shrimp and grits special is phenomenal - the entire shrimp is crispy and edible, and the grits are super creamy. The usual veggie sides (harissa carrots, Ernie's Birds salad, radishes and green things) were as good as ever. And the Basque cheesecake is happily on the menu permanently. Servehza was way too busy (as usual) so we headed straight to Silver Stamp and spent the next few hours talking with all my friends who happened by. It was a good night. Stamp still has the Basque cider on, along with some great classic German stuff.
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Aug 22, 2021 01:22
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I'm seriously thinking about taking a solo trip to Vegas for Unstripped -- I've heard pretty amazing things about it (mostly here), and this'll be the first vacation I've taken in a few years. What's the atmosphere, etc like at Unstripped? I feel a little weird going alone, but my partner is just starting a new job and wouldn't be able to go. Is it basically a street party with food/bev action stations? I'm pondering on making the trip a mini-blowout and also doing Gaga's Jazz and Piano, the Dropkick/Rancid show that Friday night, and Meow Wolf. Currently my only other food plans are probably trying Raku, Herb and Rye/Cleaver, and Bouchon for brunch. Might see if I can get a res at Lotus, but I've eaten there a few times so it's lower on the list under trying new fantastic places. Would Cleaver be the general rec for a great steak dinner? Any other must-have spots? Budget isn't unlimited (I briefly thought about trying for a res at é, but ouch) but I'd prefer not to empty the bank. Tangentially related, I'm also trying to figure out where I want to stay. I've kind of always wanted to stay at the Luxor (in a pyramid room), and it's definitely the right price, but it's less centrally located. I won't be renting a car, so it'll be walking and Uber. I've stayed both on the Strip (MGM Grand) and a few times downtown, but it feels like it makes more sense for me to stay on-strip? Sorry for the ramble 
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Sep 7, 2021 21:43
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ExplodingChef posted:I'm seriously thinking about taking a solo trip to Vegas for Unstripped -- I've heard pretty amazing things about it (mostly here), and this'll be the first vacation I've taken in a few years. That's pretty much right. In the before times, it got pretty wild (for some of us). Who knows how it will be now. quote:I'm pondering on making the trip a mini-blowout and also doing Gaga's Jazz and Piano, the Dropkick/Rancid show that Friday night, and Meow Wolf. The Dropkick/Rancid show at Virgin will be great. Meow Wolf is super cool, too, but plan a couple of hours for it. quote:Currently my only other food plans are probably trying Raku, Herb and Rye/Cleaver, and Bouchon for brunch. Might see if I can get a res at Lotus, but I've eaten there a few times so it's lower on the list under trying new fantastic places. Cleaver is the best imho, but is currently closed due to a fire. Do Herbs and Rye instead, especially because it's basically the same menu. quote:Tangentially related, I'm also trying to figure out where I want to stay. I've kind of always wanted to stay at the Luxor (in a pyramid room), and it's definitely the right price, but it's less centrally located. I won't be renting a car, so it'll be walking and Uber. I've stayed both on the Strip (MGM Grand) and a few times downtown, but it feels like it makes more sense for me to stay on-strip? I mean, you're not really walking anywhere in Vegas outside of Downtown. One downfall of the Strip, though, is that if you're relying on Uber you're going to have some colossal wait times getting into and out of the property during peak hours. If you're doing the Virgin show, though, it might not be a bad idea to just stay there.
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Sep 7, 2021 21:57
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By the way, everyone in town this weekend - the Greek Food Fest is going on at St. John the Baptist orthodox church. If you've never been, it's really really good. Lots of music, lots of dancing, lots of ouzo, lots of chowing down. I usually work the gyro booth, but this year I'm just going to have a good time. About sunset is when things really start to get going.
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Sep 10, 2021 13:57
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I really enjoyed my trip to Vegas. I did manage to mostly stick to my plan so here are my thoughts. I stayed at the Venetian. Sunday Night 1: Lavo I liked the ambiance and the music was kind of clubby which was a bit of a surprise. I had the spaghetti and meatballs and the garlic bread. The meatballs were delicious and melt in mouth type, the sauce was good and the garlic bread was decent. The garlic bread came with 3 dips, one was a marinara, one was a pesto, and one was a bleu cheese cream. I also had a glass of wine which was really quite nice. I would say a solid 7/10.  Monday Day 2: Grand Lux Cafe and Cornish Pasty Co. Breakfast at the Grand Lux Cafe at the Venetian. Surprisingly the Breakfast Quesadilla was delicious, the guac felt very fresh and it added to the flavor though the hash browns weren't something stand out. I really liked it. I would say 7.5/10. The service was very friendly.  Vegas was very, very hot. Like 110 degrees and it was painful to stay out for too long so didn't really want to walk around too much and even the pool wasn't as much fun due to the heat. As a result didn't stay around too much outside of the strip or basically took an Uber everywhere. Stopped by Esther's Kitchen to have a drink but ended up ordering the bread and a spread. Being off the strip, it was well priced and the quality was excellent. The bread was incredibly fresh with a nice crust and so utterly soft and wonderful inside and the bleu cheese spread was good as was the butter spread. The drink was delicious and I liked it. I would say 8/10.  I really liked the Cornish Pasty Co. I had the Peppered steak pasty which comes in a peppercorn cream sauce, portabello, leeks and bleu cheese and it was very good and different. Make no mistake, it's a heavy meal but the pastry portion was excellent as was the meat inside which was tender and flavorful. Very fresh feeling and I loved it. I also had the Pasty Co's lager which frankly was a bit flat and merely ok. I would give this 8.5/10 .  Tuesday Day 3: Halal Guys, La Cave and Tacos el Gordo Had original plans for Wazuzu at the Wynn but had to improvise today. Halal Guys is fun junk food, the hot sauce and white sauce are what make the meal but I liked it, not that the meat quality or appearance is anything to write about. I had the combo platter. I'd give it 6/10 and this would be better as late night food after Omnia. La Cave was, honestly, disappointing. It's pricy and while the wine selection is great and the service excellent, the meat and cheese board left things to be desired. I've had better quality at a Cleveland bar called LBM and also Swirl Wine Bar and made better at home. The crostini was soft and not that much different than white bread that's been in the toaster but the prosciutto was solid and the cheese good. I had the Backpacker's Wine Flight which included 1 white wine and 3 red, and a mix of US and French and Italian for $30 bucks and I would say maybe 2-3 oz each. The ambiance is decent. I'd rate it a 6.5/10 but I don't feel this is something to go out of the way for.   What was good, however, was Tacos El Gordo. You stand in a line for the type of meat you want and I stood for Carne Asada and Chorizo on a corn tortilla. Very flavorful and tasty and surprisingly the pepper and onion they gave was amazing and just as good as the tacos. The meat/tacos and the fries were both hot, fresh, and a perfect 1am late night food coming back from Spearmint Rhino. I'd give it a 9/10 and it was quite affordable.  Wednesday Day 4: In and Out and Jose Andreas' Bazaar Meats and Herbs and Rye In and Out is a fantastic fast food burger. Great double meat double cheese, animal style. I should have also done the fries animal style but a 8.5/10.  I didn't 100% jive with the ambiance at the Bazaar while I like the concept and feeling like you're at a butcher shop, but that's because the Sahara doesn't compare to the good strip hotels. Bazaar is one of 10 places in the US licensed to sell authentic Kobe beef from Japan, the real deal. My main point was to try the Kobe Beef at $65/oz and the Cinto Johas Iberico Ham from Spain at $45/oz. I also had a cocktail. I got to say as expensive as it is, I was very satisfied. The presentation and service were top notch. I had a cocktail prepared tableside as well as the Kobe Beef on a hot stone. The cocktail was great. You don't even have to bite into the kobe beef, you can just press it against the roof of your mouth with your tongue and it melts like butter. The Ham was delicious. I'd give this a 9/10 but honestly more for the service and presentation of the food. The ambiance and setting could use some work.       Herbs and Rye was wonderful. A great cocktail bar, great ambiance, hopping, and a great drink selection. It's off the strip, the drink selections include cocktails 250+ years old and the food options are as if it is a steakhouse. I had something called Ward 9 I think which was whiskey based and it was seriously good. I do recommend including it in your Vegas trip if you go. It is open late, till like 3am, so I had a late night pizza flatbread which was good after watching O at the Bellagio. More for drinks, imo, but it's not like I had their steak or food they're probably known for. Mainly, go for the drinks. The bar area was hopping, the bartenders cool, and it was great. I give it a 9.5/10.   Thursday Day 5: Sushi Samba and Mott 32 with stops at the Dorsey and Rosina I liked Sushi Samba aesthetic and the server was wonderful, so friendly and informative. Thinking back, I should have splurged and tried the sake in addition to the whiskey I had though I didn't want to be drunk at lunch. They have a fantastic selection of sake and Japanese whiskey that being in Cleveland I don't have access to. So if you go, I do suggest drinking even if it is very pricy and downright expensive. You will get to try stuff that I think unless you live in a big city like New York or LA and can go to a good place, you may not get a chance to try though granted being on the strip it is probably priced higher. This is a combination of Japanese, Brazil and Peruvian so it has options and a fusion of all those influences. I had the El Topo Sushi "roll" which was salmon with melted mozzarella and other things and a Whiskey from Mars distillery in Japan that I really liked. I didn't splurge here despite my original intent. I instead moved this to lunch instead of dinner because I wanted to go to Mott 32 which I saw advertised everywhere. Excellent sushil, excellent whiskey, excellent service. I'd give it 9/10.      I visited 2 bars at Venetian, the Dorsey and Rosina. The Dorsey feels more modern while the Rosina was more tradition with classic cocktail options. Of the 2, I prefer the Dorsey which had better drinks imo but if you have a love for Art Deco, go to the Rosina and try a classic cocktail. The Dorsey was a great place to watch the Bucs vs Cowboys and enjoy a couple drinks. I didn't manage to visit the Electra because it was full, but both Dorsey and Electra turn clubby at night with the music. All 3 are good places for drinks and each has it's own atmosphere. The Dorsey gets a 9/10 and the Rosina gets a 7.5/10.   The best restaurant I went to was Mott 32. From the atmosphere, the service, the food, everything was impeccable. One of the best Chinese restaurants I've been to. The food was clean, delicious, the drink and presentation was great, the server was fantastic, and I loved the the place. It was my favorite place I ate and would go back for it. They can do a great many things including a whole Peking Duck but honestly I really felt like a regular old General Tso's Chicken and Fried Rice and Soup Dumplings. I recommend you go, 10/10.   Day 6: Bouchon I really liked the design of the bar area. It reminded me of when I visited Paris. The Chicken and Waffles was really good, the chicken is roasted and it comes with a gravy and syrup. The bread and bakery tho, let me tell you, is phenomenal. Perfect crusty bread with butter and delicious jam. Good espresso. Great almond croissant too. When I go back, I'll try it at night. I'd give it a 8.5/10.   So what are my take aways. Go off the strip, I agree, seriously. Some of the best and interesting places to eat and drink are off strip. The Venetian is a great base of operations if you can stay there. Not only does it have an excellent selection of bars and restaurants it is, imo, the best hotel on the strip. Next time I go, I'll include something like Lotus of Siam too. Ubers were not that expensive, literally anywhere I wanted to go was $9 - $12. I feel I benefited not going on weekends, but Sunday to Friday which means things were not as crowded. I feel very satisfied food and drink wise. The pasta at Lavo and the chicken at Bouchon made me think of one of the best meals I had in Milan, Italy and compared in my head. Milan's brick oven chicken and pasta was leaps above and beyond both these places, in flavor, in texture, etc. So while these may be high end fancy places, there's better out there and possibly even cheaper or equal in price.
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Sep 11, 2021 07:46
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Just finished an early supper at Lotus of Siam for the first time in a while and can confirm that it still kicks complete rear end. Wine list is slimmer than last time, but the food is still absolutely superb.
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Sep 16, 2021 03:22
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Mr. Wiggles posted:Just finished an early supper at Lotus of Siam for the first time in a while and can confirm that it still kicks complete rear end. Wine list is slimmer than last time, but the food is still absolutely superb. If you don't mind me living vicariously through you, what'd you get?
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Sep 16, 2021 17:32
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Carillon posted:If you don't mind me living vicariously through you, what'd you get? I don't remember what the Riesling was, but it was very dry and very herbal. We had some tom ka ga to start, and also the nam prik noom. Soup was crazy fragrant (I never learned, but I'm convinced they make their own coconut milk), and the chili dip was green and earthy and ... unctuous? Hard to describe the savoriness of it in any other way. After that the ka nom jean mam ngyow with extra pork blood cubes and the nam kao tod, which is still just about my favorite dish there. The ka nom was really perfectly sour and savory, and they threw a garnish of crispy pork bits stir fried with extra cherry tomatoes on top, which was new (usually it's ground pork and just the tomatoes in the broth). The crispy rice with sausage is really simple, but holy smokes they're so good at that one. It wasn't a feast or anything - we just wanted to grab a quick meal after work, and they are just right down the street from the house. But we hadn't been since they reopened and our normal "I don't feel like cooking tonight" place, Cleaver, is still closed due to the fire.
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Sep 17, 2021 02:37
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Anyone going to Life is Beautiful?
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Sep 17, 2021 05:14
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Gotta save my party for next weekend at Punk Rock Bowling.
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Sep 17, 2021 13:51
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Mr. Wiggles posted:Gotta save my party for next weekend at Punk Rock Bowling. The PRB lineup slaps this year, wishing I had time to go but works gotta get done and pizzas gotta get sold. We’re catering the VIP cabanas for LIB this weekend and it’s looking to be a good time.
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Sep 17, 2021 16:03
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Mr. Wiggles posted:Gotta save my party for next weekend at Punk Rock Bowling. Next weekend is also CraftHaus's 7th anniversary party, which is where I'll be. Agreeing with Wiggles on the nam kao tod - it's one of the best things on Lotus's menu, and nobody else in town does it as well. Lamaii had it on the menu briefly right after they opened, but it was a sad shadow of what Lotus makes and was off the menu the next time I went. Right choice IMO. In other news, Motley Brews made the official announcement today that Downtown Brew Fest will require proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID test for admission. That's a good step, I think. Unfortunately that fest is the same day as Vegas Unstripped, which is absolutely the better value even though their tickets are up to full price now. And Unstripped is requiring vax proof, no quarter for negative tests. For those wondering what to expect at Unstripped or on the fence about buying a ticket despite my incessant urging, the list of participating chefs is on LV Weekly. Highlighted chefs I'm familiar with: Brian Howard from Sparrow + Wolf (known for whole hog butchery, familiar dishes with inspired variations, and excellent vegan options) Justin Kingsley Hall from Main St. Provisions (known for mastery of game meat and perhaps the best salad on the planet) (I'm eating there tonight with friends and it's gonna be great) James Trees of Esther's Kitchen (homemade pasta, the best porchetta in town, some of the best bread in town, etc.) Kai Vu from District One (famous for whole-lobster pho but also the source of outstanding green papaya salad and a lot of great small plates) Jamie Tran of The Black Sheep, probably the best restaurant in SW Vegas And what I'm provisionally calling Team Pizza: John Arena (Metro Pizza, local family place and a pillar of the Vegas pizza community) Gio Mauro (Pizzeria Monzu, best crust in town) Michael Vakneen (Pop Up Pizza) and Floriana Pastore (Signora Pizza), both of whom I'm unfamiliar with Bruce Kalman of Soulbelly BBQ will be there; he's also catering the VIP area for CraftHaus's anniversary party. I've heard good things, will make a trip report if I think of it. And there are about ten more chefs whose restaurants I haven't visited but have heard good things about. As usual, the fest is a rogue's gallery of the best off-Strip dining in town. I'm sad to not see Saipin Chutima (Lotus of Siam) on the list this year as last Unstripped I ate about 3000 calories of beef tartare from her, but that's about the only disappointment I see.
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Sep 17, 2021 20:21
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Mr. Wiggles posted:I don't remember what the Riesling was, but it was very dry and very herbal. Aw poo poo, Cleaver had a fire? I hope they recover. Lotus and Cleaver were absolutely highlights last time I was out there.
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Sep 18, 2021 02:33
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Looking at Unstripped absolutely cemented a Vegas trip for my birthday. Already planning the obscene amount we're gonna spend on food and drinks outside of Unstripped.
tsc fucked around with this message at 02:23 on Sep 22, 2021 |
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Sep 22, 2021 02:12
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How necessary are reservations for a solo diner? I'm still trying to narrow down my list of places I haven't been to. I get in Wed night and will probably just grab a bite at the Luxor. Was thinking NoMad at the Park before Gaga Thursday, and Saturday night is spoken for with Unstripped, but Fri/Sun/Mon are completely open. Thinking Raku for omakase and Herbs and Rye for happy hour are two absolute musts. Otherwise leaning towards Lamaii (I've had Lotus a few times). What's the recommendations for a more sushi-forward omakase?
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Sep 23, 2021 16:41
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Your best bet for lone dining is anywhere with a bar. At herbs, for instance, there's no reservations at the bar - just show up and get in line. You'll get better service at the bar as a solo diner as well. Just call ahead to places and see what the bar reservation policy is. For a sushi omakase, I would suggest Sushi Kame on spring mountain. Bart has some other good places he knows about too.
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Sep 23, 2021 19:04
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Mr. Wiggles posted:Your best bet for lone dining is anywhere with a bar. At herbs, for instance, there's no reservations at the bar - just show up and get in line. You'll get better service at the bar as a solo diner as well. Just call ahead to places and see what the bar reservation policy is. Sushi Kame makes me sorely tempted to test my partner's "go nuts" reply to my question about how much I should budget for this trip. It looks absolutely amazing.
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Sep 23, 2021 21:29
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ExplodingChef posted:Sushi Kame makes me sorely tempted to test my partner's "go nuts" reply to my question about how much I should budget for this trip. It looks absolutely amazing. é or Robuchon would like a word with you in that case
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Sep 24, 2021 03:20
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I mean, same with Bazaar Meats or Partage or lots of places. But like, Kame is reaaaaaaalllllly good sushi.
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Sep 24, 2021 05:48
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Mr. Wiggles posted:For a sushi omakase, I would suggest Sushi Kame on spring mountain. Bart has some other good places he knows about too. I liked Sen of Japan when I did their omakase, very reasonably priced and sushi-centric. Probably not quite the quality level of Kame, but the Sen chef is the guy who opened Nobu Las Vegas so he knows a thing or three. Trip report on Soul Belly BBQ from the CraftHaus anniversary party: excellent brisket. Pretty good pulled pork. Great jalapeno-infused coleslaw. Whatever they bring to Unstripped, it'll be outstanding. Trip report on CraftHaus 7th anniversary party: what I remember of it was very fun, though attendance seemed a lot lower than two years ago. Hopefully they managed a profit and will continue doing the events. They had a bunch of barrel aged beers that were okay-to-great, plus several new brews - including an Imperial Czech Pilsner (which isn't really a thing over there but hey) that I liked a whole lot. Fun time, thanks Uber receipts for letting me know how I got home.
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Sep 30, 2021 00:29
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Posted in the pizza thread but it's pertinent to the local Vegas goons - just signed a lease on a commercial restaurant space in the Huntridge Plaza, going for my own brick and mortar spot featuring wood fired sourdough pizza and a small menu curated by our chef. Eyeballing spring 2022 for opening but things change and take forever. We've got a complete buildout to get through so the journey will be...fun. 
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Sep 30, 2021 00:42
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Congrats! Gonna be hard to turn down your pizza when I drive past you twice a day, and drink next door all the time.
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Sep 30, 2021 01:40
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Mr. Wiggles posted:Congrats! The HT crowd is definitely part of our business model, hahaha!
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Sep 30, 2021 01:49
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Mr. Wiggles posted:I mean, same with Bazaar Meats or Partage or lots of places. But like, Kame is reaaaaaaalllllly good sushi. Just snagged a reservation for Sunday the 17th. Now I need to grab Raku for sure.
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Oct 2, 2021 22:40
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Red plate or mott 32? I'd like to get a peking duck. Never had one.
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Oct 5, 2021 03:38
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Mott 32 is really good. Never been to red plate, but you won't go wrong at mott.
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Oct 5, 2021 06:10
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I’ve had a really good experience at Mott 32, I’ve got pics and review in this thread. I did see someone getting the duck and it looked really good. The ambiance and service is nice too.
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Oct 5, 2021 23:47
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Any goons at Unstripped? Just got in and it's awesome
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Oct 17, 2021 04:18
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I'm here, it's pretty drat good!
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Oct 17, 2021 05:06
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I'm here, and have made one full round. Now I sit because oh god so full and a little drunk. Standout so far: foie ravioli glazed in foie fat with a struesel topping. Steamed beef tongue dumpling with Hokkaido uni Lamb tartar. This is so gonna be a yearly trip for me.
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Oct 17, 2021 05:28
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My husband and I are posted up at one of the standing tables by he bars for similar reasons. I'm stuffed already.
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Oct 17, 2021 05:41
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Sorry we didn't stick around! We got full so fast and I got nice and toasty from Silver the Stamp's beer selection. It felt really good to be outside with people and being able to see their faces again.
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Oct 17, 2021 06:19
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Yeah tsc and I got stuffed so we left and after a couple of false start Ubers that couldn't figure out the road closures, we got a lyft to herbs and rye where we finished up our night before heading in. That place owned
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Oct 17, 2021 08:54
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We should've planned a goon meeting spot or something. I never even saw Mr. Wiggles, despite the small venue. Best dish of the night for me was that beef cheek with bone marrow arancini. Justin Kingsley Hall's kingfish with smoked shellfish topping and Gina Marinelli's seafood cassoulet were tied for second. Biggest surprise was Gio Mauro's spleen sandwich, absolutely delicious and the kind of thing he could never sell in his restaurant even though it was amazing. Everything was really good, though. After the fest I hit Silver Stamp and got to hang out with Rose and Andrew at the bar for a while, which is a rare treat. Had some amaro to help the digestion. Still, I may not eat until Tuesday. While the food for Unstripped was great and the drinks crew knocked it out of the park as always, there were some problems with the event. Hopefully the newly-formed Feast of Friends group will learn some lessons from this and improve the experience for next time.
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Oct 17, 2021 22:04
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Didn't want to miss it this year, but I had previous commitments at the Renaissance faire. Glad to hear it went so well!
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Oct 18, 2021 19:48
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So, with the biggest culinary event of the season done, is there anything else to drink or eat worth a drat in this stupid town? Well yes. A short list of things to be excited about : Chef Brian Howard of Sparrow & Wolf was at Unstripped not only for S&W's excellent stuff, but also to promote his new restaurant: Half Bird Chicken & Beer. They had a drat good (and loving massively-portioned) Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich at the event, and they've teased rotisserie chicken and a banh mi on social media. Full menu has not been posted but I'd expect a surprise or two to come - including a secret menu item for their first 500 Instagram followers. They're up to 385 at the moment if any of you are interested in that sort of thing. Half Bird's location is two blocks east of Sparrow & Wolf, in the same impossible-to-find-a-spot parking lot as Golden Tiki. I look forward to having to walk from Sparrow's parking lot just to eat the chicken. Russell Gardner, currently a bartender for Astronomy and long-time centerpiece of the Vegas beer scene (he was Nevada's first cicerone), is opening a new pub: Red Dwarf. Features include Detroit-style pizza from a custom-made oven, tiki style cocktails, and a divey-but-crafty beer list with an emphasis on budget friendliness. They have a stage with plans for frequent live music performances. The bar itself will be non-smoking, with a nice open patio for the smokers. Russell says he's in the Actually Close to Opening phase - before Thanksgiving or just after if the inspections don't sync up. Red Dwarf is at the corner of Maryland Parkway and Desert Inn - close-ish to Downtown and the Arts District but far enough away to keep the rent down and drinks affordable. Please be sure to mention to Russell how much his logo looks like the ASU Sun Devil, he loving loves that. If you're a stunt beer fan, CraftHaus has you covered. Last Friday they released Killer Bunny, a "carrot cake beer" that is a huge desserty mess of sweetness and baking spice. And tomorrow they're re-releasing Sugoi, their strawberry lactose IPA that made a huge splash last year and sold out the day it was released. Astronomy has been getting in on the adjunct action too, releasing a pumpkin spice coffee blond with cacao nibs called Cheers To Being Happy AF, as well as a non-adjunct 9.1% stout called Imperial Stout Destroyer. Both are pretty tasty for their styles. I've heard from multiple sources that Velveteen Rabbit has returned to form and is producing some drat amazing cocktails with their latest menu. Haven't gotten a chance to drop in yet (drat you, Silver Stamp, why must you be so perfect?) but highlights include the Exquisite Corpse (coffee-infused tequila, ube agave syrup, lemon juice, chocolate bitters, and tonic) and the Roast Beast (ribeye fat-washed scotch, cognac, and charred rosemary syrup). The menu will change in a week or three, so be sure to check them out soon. Silver Stamp's draft list is even better than usual these days, including a Stamp semi-exclusive collab brew featuring wandering brewer Juxta Nomad (formerly Kyle, head brewer of Joseph James) and Bad Beat called Kveikrowave. As you might guess from the name, it's made using kveik - Norwegian farmhouse yeast that has existed in relative isolation in remote farm communities for 300 years. It's neat stuff on the technical end; for casual drinkers, it's a softer, slightly less-attenuated flavor profile. Kveikrowave is spiced with chamomile, and the result is a soothing herbaceous drink that is entirely crushable at under 5% abv. Rose and Andrew are also tapping some kegs of aged classics - Scheider Aventinus vintage 2017 was on last weekend - and have plans to bring in more interesting/niche beers soon. And finally, my multi-talented buddy Manny Franco (bartender at CraftHaus, itinerant musician, cook, and all around mensch) is starting a food truck called Somethin' to Taco 'Bout. It is, as you might imagine, a taco truck. F&F soft open is this weekend; I'll try to remember to post photos of the finished product. He's been catering friends' events and developing his menu for a while and I've been very much looking forward to buying his food. bartolimu fucked around with this message at 22:15 on Oct 21, 2021 |
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Oct 21, 2021 19:48
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Oh hell gonna be spending a lot of time at red dwarf it looks like. That location is very convenient for me.
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Oct 21, 2021 20:07
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Keep your eye on the Huntridge District area, a few things should be coming to light in the coming months about some new stuff going in the area. I've already mentioned I signed my lease to open up my pizzeria there, but that won't be until next spring. Fall time always meant retreating to my favorite dives, hanging at the end of the bar with some friends and staying warm. Posting up at Starboard Tack or Atomic is just as easy for me as anything, and during the winter that familiarity is nice. I miss when I lived literally around the corner from The Stakeout and Crown and Anchor - i've spent tens of thousands of dollars in both joints in the last 15 years, I love them so. I know I'll be hitting Main St. Provision's happy hour more when I can, Chef Justin is finally back there after opening Peyote, and I can tell he's happy to be back there. We just got adopted a rescue beagle and she's so sweet and lovely when going out. Andrew and Rose at Silver Stamp have demanded we bring her in so we'll be by there Sunday night.
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Oct 21, 2021 21:29
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Uh so stakeout and starboard are our regulars. It's gonna be cool when we realize that we know each other in real life. How does stakeout have the best wings in Vegas? 
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Oct 22, 2021 06:44
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Mr. Wiggles posted:Uh so stakeout and starboard are our regulars. It's gonna be cool when we realize that we know each other in real life. Oh I'm sure we've been drunk together in the same place many times. Miss those wings, gonna have to scoot down there to watch a Bills game with my Buffalo friends soon..
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Oct 25, 2021 16:23
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