Nevada Progressive 2.0... And OMG, We're Getting a Spinoff??!!

Yes, my kids. We're shaking things up here at Nevada Progressive.

For one, now that the election is long gone and I have a little more time on my hands, there will be more policy talk here. Aren't you excited??!! Our "10 of '10" series focusing on the other nine big stories of 2010 (you can read the first installment here) will continue, and pretty soon I'll have more thoughts on what to expect next year out of Carson City and DC.

Also, we now have our own official URL: nevadaprogressive.com

Good times, I'm telling you.

Oh, and here's the REALLY big news (!!!) I just have to tell you: I finally mustered the courage to start my own food blog!

Since Nevada Progressive will be more policy wonk oriented (with the occasional political punditry being allowed/snuck in), I figured it will be more appropriate to create another place where we can talk food, and everything from cooking it to eating it to buying it to lusting after it.

So here it is: Bite of Vegas!

Honestly, I'm still nervous about doing this. I don't want to step on the toes of our already awesome local food bloggers, such as John Curtas, Mike Dobranski, Max Jacobson, and Al Mancini. Maybe it will help that I won't try to copy any of them. This will be where I come to share my dining experiences, where you will hopefully feel comfortable to talk with me about your dining experiences, and we can all discuss what we're cooking and what we're buying (at the grocery store).

Hell, maybe we'll even mock those Food Network shows we love to hate (or is it hate to love?) and make bets on who will win "Top Chef"! ;-)

This is a totally new adventure for me, and I hope you'll be joining me on this.

Crazy Fun Video Night... Goes GAY!!!

Actually, tonight I'm feeling more lesbian...

Watch Gay Video & Lesbian Movies

Watch Gay Video & Lesbian Movies

Thanks for the inspiration, Vegas Style Guy! :-p

Crazy Fun Video Night: Look, Mom, I Found Real Food!

Thanks, Epicurious!

Crazy Fun Video Weekend: More FIN-tastic Semi-Horrible Sh*t...

Can I just tell you? This is so FIN-tastic! These suuupppr smmmpple russippeeez are very "Semi-Homemade", and they'll make your life so E-Z & FIN-tastic!

A "Photo Essay" of My Orange County Sojourn

It was good to visit friends & family in OC this month. I needed a little break from the usual Vegas, but just a temporary break. I'm happy to be home in Vegasland now.

But anyway, take a look above and enjoy... And check out my Photobucket and YouTube for more OC goodness. :-)

Crazy Fun Video Night... Comes Back to FABULOUS LAS VEGAS!

I'm coming back, bitchez! Are you ready for moi? ;-)

Foodie Thoughts: Fleur de Lys Closing, "Top Chef Masters" Fallout, & Everything Is California's Fault

Everything is California's fault. Everything, I tell you. F*CK YOU, CALIFORNIA!

If you follow ELV on Facebook, you know that a week ago he reported that Hubert Keller’s Fleur de Lys in Mandalay Bay will close in August, to re-open before the end of the year as a casual, small plates, world tapas bar concept.

The good news is: Hubert Keller (and his chefs and crew) will still be running the new restaurant, and are actively working on said concept and menu as we write this. [...]

The bad news is: This closing is yet another step in the dumbing down of Vegas restaurants — to fit a clientele who doesn’t want to pay for anything more elaborate than burgers, sliders, pizzas, and (god help us) more mediocre sushi. The creeping California casualization of American dining continues, and we fear this relentless trend towards small plates and grazing platters, represents a step away from quality and bodes ill for the future of good restaurants in our humble burg.

OK, let me put aside the Kleenex and bon bons to regain my composure. Deep breath, deep breath...

OK, I can speak again. I can understand Mr. ELV's frustration. Fleur de Lys was one of our more underappreciated fine dining gems. And did I mention Hubert Keller is a culinary god?

But hey, even culinary gods can only swim against the trend current for so long. While fine dining is far from dead and moiself will never stop stimulating the economy via the occasional outrageous food splurges, the fact of the matter is that many diners these days are foregoing the traditional fine dining experience for gastropubs, tapas houses, burger joints, and sushi dens. And foodie genius that he is, Hubert Keller saw this coming and decided to go with the flow rather than risk losing it all by keeping Fleur de Lys as is. And with the Mandalay Bay complex already served by the uber-chic Mix and lovely French-American Aureole, they pretty much had their "Fussified Frenchie Food" covered.

It's sad to see Fleur de Lys closing, but I intend to keep an open mind and see what becomes of Keller's new tapas concept.

And speaking of Mandalay Bay, everyone is still talking about the "Top Chef Masters" season finale. Was Jay Rayner being a dick? IMHO, yes. Is cooking and eating sustainably tough? Absolutely. But is it worth it? I think so. And is Rick Moonen doing what he can to practice what he preaches? IMHO, yes.

Again, it's all California's fault. Wait, so Jay Rayner is from Britain? Oh, OK. F*CK THEM! ;-)

And WTF is this sh*t? Oh, it's at Las Vegas Club. That explains it all.

The slogan on the front is "You catch 'em, we cook 'em," but good luck. The price of $2 per play isn't bad if you manage to grab one of the poor unsuspecting creatures within thirty seconds of depositing your cash and manipulating the claw, but unfortunately their are no consolation prizes (I was thinking a shrimp would be nice) and based on what an employee says in this local video, not many people win. If we hadn't just eaten and if the lobsters had been larger, I might have played, yet there was still something unsettling about it. If monkfish is referred to as the 'poor man's lobster,' then the crustaceans in The Lobster Zone must be the 'cheap, drunk Vegas tourist's lobster,' because I'm not sure who else would actually attempt catch one. I suppose it gets one closer to catching their own food than they otherwise would be, but when neither the animal nor hunter have much of a chance of winning, it just seems cruel for everyone involved. Anyhow, if you're really on a budget give it a whirl, and let me know how it goes. My bet, however, is that you're better of going to Red Lobster for the money, where you're also rewarded with delicious free cheddar biscuits!

If something is so bad that one praises Red Lobster for f*ck's sake, it's that f*cking bad. FAIL!

But this is NOT fail, kids. Our BFF Mike D from Tasting Las Vegas, along with Jillian from Frugal Foodie, made the big leagues when they were featured on KNPR's "State of Nevada" on Friday, when Mr. ELV and Mr. Max do their occasional delicious Friday (not really) hostile takeover of the show. It's good to see the food bloggers in this town get the recognition they deserve.

And finally, both Mr. ELV and Sage (Shawn McClain's ab fab restaurant at Aria) get the national recognition they deserve. Well, at least some things are still working out nicely in this town.

OK, I felt the need to catch up on all I've been missing since I left town. And did I mention everything is always California's fault? I need to get me out of this gawddamned hellhole. ;-)

Weekend @ The Beach, OC Style

Ah, good times. Here is where I enjoyed the sunny Saturday yesterday. Take a look below and smile along with moi. ;-)

Crazy Fun Video Night Goes to Food Network: Sandra Lee Edition

Because I can't get enough of Sandra Lee and her unique and entertaining brand of (non)cooking. If you thought her recent lasagna recipe was amazing, try some Kwanzaa cake! I can hardly wait for "Semi-Homemade" to return with new (HILARIOUS!) episodes this fall!



Enjoy the weekend, bitchez! :-D

Crazy Fun Video Night Goes to... Surf City USA, Huntington Beach!

So I had another taste of paradise today... This time, in "Surf City USA"! Enjoy! :-D

Just to Make You a Little More Jealous...

Just in case you didn't get enough from earlier today, here's some more Laguna for you!







Enjoy! And happy summer vacation! :-D

Ah, Time to Relax...

With a nice trip to the beach! I figured after all the primary insanity, we could all use a breather. So before I sign off for the weekend (unless some really crazy news breaks, which is always possible, I'll enjoy a little down time here in Cali), I just wanted to share some old personal pics with you from one of my favorite places on earth (since OC still has too much "June Gloom" marine layer to really enjoy the beach this week)...

Feeling better now? I know I am! And hopefully next week after I have a chance to visit Laguna again, I'll have some new, fresh pics to share with y'all. Happy Weekend! :-)

Goodbye, Vegas... And Hello, OC!

At least for the next couple weeks. I'll be off in a far away land, a place where the land ends and the seemingly endless Pacific begins...

Finally, a "Best of Las Vegas" Poll Worthy to Be Considered "Best"?

Have our prayers been answered? Really, great goddess of the sky? Some Las Vegas publication has actually published a decent "Best Of" list??!!

Yes, my dears, Las Vegas Weekly knows good food... For the most part. What a relief!

Still, there were a few things I disagreed with. Why bother with The Palm for lunch when there are so many more interesting choices? Why give Paymon's ANY "best" award??!! (Best lousy grub pretending to be "Mediterranean"?) Why declare Capriotti's sandwich "best"? (They're good, but nowhere near Earl of Sandwich IMHO.) And why give Dick's ANY "best" award? (Best lame Light Group attempt at a restaurant?)

But yes, their list has far more hits than misses. Bravo to Sage's Shawn McClain for winning "Best New Chef" and "Best Wine by the Glass"! Bravo to Julian Serrano for "Best Tapas" and "Best New Restaurant"! Bravo to Guy Savoy for "Best Wine List"! Brava to Sunrise Coffee for "Best Coffee Shop"! And brava to all the other worthy "Best Of" winners this year!

Oh, and brava to Las Vegas Weekly for actually caring about eating well here in Las Vegas! Tasting Las Vegas is right. Some of the picks seem odd, but all in all they sound like they know what they're doing (as opposed to that other paper that shall not be named).

It probably helps to have great food writers, and good management that lets the great food writers actually do their job. :-)

Crazy Fun Video Night Goes to... RENO!!!

'Cuz hey, Vegas can't have all the fun all the time here. It's time to give some lovin' to Northern Nevada tonight for Crazy Fun Video Night. ;-)

Las Vegas: Oh, How Times Change

Vegas at Night: Then & Now

"Camp Vegas": Then & Now

Remember these?





Well, that was then... And this is now!







Oh my, how times have changed. :-)

Pool "Day Clubs": To Do Or Not to Do? Here's My Take.

This is the question. Today's Sun has not one, but two stories on "day clubs".



Obviously, the concept of turning a simple casino pool into a club has proven to be quite lucrative... But can it also be dangerous? Last year, Harrah's had to shut down Rio's Sapphire Club pool over alleged prostitution. Eight arrests were also made last summer at Hard Rock's famed (or is it infamous?) Rehab pool over drug and prostitution charges.

So is this going too far? Are these glorified "frat house pool parties" going too far?

NO.

Here's why. This is VEGAS, baby! Come on, folks, this is the place to party. This is the place to get wild and crazy. This is the place to live it up, day and night, 24/7.

If you can't get your freak on at Rehab, where else can you go on a Sunday... When many of my neighbors here in Henderson are in the church and/or at the park?

But about the drugs? And the hookers? As we've talked about before, I'm a civil libertarian by nature. Personally, I wouldn't mind Nevada legalizing prostitution and most drugs. And as long as the drinking, hooking up, getting high, and other assorted debauchery are being kept in an enclosed pool complex separate from the pool where the other hotel guests (including families with kids), what's the problem?

Again, fast times and crazy living are what brings so many millions of tourists to Las Vegas each year. Why ruin this naughty magic by making us some "(not so) glorified San Diego or Phoenix or Salt Lake City"? Let the day clubs open, and let the adults play in the pools!

Vegas Uncork'd: "Better by the Bay" with Charlie Palmer & Alain Ducasse

(Also at TWHT/RateVegas)







Ah, dinner on the beach! When I left Orange County, I wondered how long I'd have to wait to enjoy another romantic meal so close to the ocean. Well, I did not have to wait any longer!

OK, so Mandalay Bay's "beach" is far from the real deal, but it's still the best pool complex on The Strip and the ideal spot in Vegas for a beachside barbeque dinner with superstar chefs Charlie Palmer (of Aureole & Charlie Palmer Steak) and Alain Ducasse (of Mix in Las Vegas). There were whole pigs being roasted, lobsters being grilled... And even cookies and ice cream! Damn, who needs some stinky litter infested California beach picnic when one can have this??!!

So today, I'll be giving two reviews in one: Charlie Palmer's classed-up all-American dishes and Alain Ducasse's South of France inspired dishes. Let's start with the good ol' US of A.





The pork was amazingly succulent and easy on the mouth. The heirloom tomato salad done almost caprese style with mozzarella hit all the right tangy, creamy, and even sweet (just a little) flavor notes. Oh, and how could I forget the grilled chicken flat bread! The sweet BBQ sauce worked surprisingly well with what tasted like jack cheese on a slightly crispy flat bread crust.

So what about the lobster? Well, I enjoyed its sweetness paired with the potato-garlic stuffing... But for others, not so much. A couple sitting at my table were "lobster purists" from The Northeast, and they did not appreciate anything taking away from the naturally sweet lobster flavor. So you may or may not like Palmer's twist on half grilled Maine Lobster, depending on how strongly you believe in New England lobster preparation tradition.

I also tried the steamed Carolina Clams with "spicy broth" served in a sourdough bread bowl. And while it wasn't terrible, I'd have to say it was the weakest Palmer dish in my book. The bread was great (disclaimer: I LOVE good, artisan breads!), but the clams did nothing for me.

Whatever. Other than the clams, this was a solid dinner that I thoroughly enjoyed. Oh, and Chef Palmer himself was such a gracious host! There was plenty of food for everyone last night, served with plenty of smiles.





But wait, there's more! Remember that we didn't just have one celebrity chef doing BBQ for us, but two... Famed one-man international culinary powerhouse Alain Ducasse also joined us, and he had plenty of his own tasty offerings for us to try.

The herb stuffed ravioli brought a variety of garden flavors to explode in my mouth. The stuffed baby eggplant was simply irresistible, along with the stuffed cherry tomatoes. And that onion tart, oh that onion tart! I am still savoring those sweet caramelized onions.

And how about the bouillabaisse? The traditional Provencal fish stew got kicked up more than just a notch by Chef Ducasse with lovely herbal flavors all over and delectable little garlic croutons.



But wait, there's still more! Let's talk about dessert. Charlie Palmer kept it simple, yet oh so sweet, with an assortment of hand churned ice creams, chocolate chip cookies, root beer floats, and strawberry short cake. Now the short cake didn't do much for me, as the "cake" was actually done biscuit style and didn't have too much flavor. However, that was quickly forgiven and forgotten when I tried the cookies with some banana brownie ice cream! My goodness, why can't I have this more often!

I then looked for Alain Ducasse's dessert options, but I had looked too early. Apparently, he waited to clear the dinner options before bringing out the sweets.



Oh, and before I forget, there were a number of great wines and Patron tequila cocktails served last night. I was really digging the deconstructed mai tai on the cocktails end, and the California Muscat blooming with orange flavors when it was time for some dessert wine.

So who won? Who lost? Come on, we had two amazing chefs cooking for us... We all emerged winners out of this one! Chef Palmer was so charming throughout the night, and it was amazing to see Chef Ducasse in person working his magic. For me, this was the perfect ending to my absolutely fabulous Vegas Uncork'd weekend. :-)

(And don't forget, I have plenty more Uncork'd goodies for you at my Twitpic@atdleft and my Twitter@atdleft.)