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: Look, Mom, I Found Real Food!

Thanks, Epicurious!

Crazy Fun Video Night: Bad Date Night Food

What sounds worse? This...

@BoricuaALaMode – If you think Cheesecake Factory is fine dining #yournotmytype

Or this?





Are you cringing in horror yet? ;-)

Food Rant: Thankfully, Some Things Never Change

After crying so hard when learning about the news of Fleur de Lys closing to make room for a "new tapas/small plate concept", I was a little frustrated. WTF is going on here?

Well, I felt much better after reading of Mr. ELV still enjoying nearby Aureole. As y'all know by now, I LOVE me my Aureole! And love affair only strengthened during Vegas Uncork'd last month. Aureole has really earned my respect the hard way, by serving great food in a great atmosphere with great service.

I can hardly wait to return to Aureole this summer to taste more amazing things. In my humble opinion, Aureole is one of the finest "underappreciated hidden gem" fine dining establishments in Vegas. And it's just the perfect place for a perfect dinner on The Strip.

And honestly, this is another reason why I'm so excited to be back in Home Sweet Vegas. Here is one of the most exciting and dynamic fine dining scenes in the world. And hopefully with old "tried & true" favorites like Aureole keeping the magic working, along with new favorites turning up the allure factor, foodies everywhere will keep looking to Las Vegas for more fine dining wonders.

Crazy Fun Video Night: Why I [HEART] Food Network

Come laugh with me... Along with all my new friends at Food Network Humor! Here's a taste of what I like to watch when I'm in the mood for some "couch potato action":











Bon appetit! ;-)

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. ;-)

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

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: My "Vegas Uncork'd Staycation" Vids!

In case you couldn't get enough of my Vegas Uncork'd adventures from last weekend, I saved the best for last...

YOUTUBE! YES, MY YOUTUBE!

My THEhotel suite:



A glimpse of the Vegas Uncork'd Grand Tasting (specifically, Pure's lounge/pool party):



And Mandalay Bay's famed beach (pool complex):



Enjoy! :-)

Vegas Uncork'd: Conclusion

(Also at TWHT/RateVegas)

On Sunday, I suddenly had to resume my "normal life". No more being waited upon hand and foot. No more "beach" pools. No more celebrity chefs cooking for me. Nope, it was back to "normal living" in the very "un-Vegas-y" (that's how my State Senator, Joyce Woodhouse, describes it) town of Henderson.

But as I sit here in "un-Vegas-y" territory, I just want to reflect upon the amazing weekend of delicious activities I just experienced.

(Day 1 of Vegas Uncork'd)

This was really a chance for us to explore a different side of Las Vegas. Not that long ago, "eating out" mostly consisted of generic steakhouses, dull diners/coffee shops, and cheap buffets. The buffets were especially "legendary" (or should I say notorious?) for "food" that may not have been fit for serving in school cafeterias, and the diners and steakhouses weren't all that better.

But about twenty years ago, it all started to change. When Steve Wynn built The Mirage, he was looking for restaurants worthy of a world-class resort. When Caesars Palace built The Forum Shops, they invited Wolfgang Puck to open a Las Vegas branch of the famed LA hotspot Spago... And ignited the first of many "waves" of "celebrity chef invasions" to come. In the late 1990s, new resorts like Bellagio, Paris, Venetian, and Mandalay Bay looked to New York and Chicago to bring even more culinary star power to town. And just in the last five years, "The Great French Invasion" has brought international superstars like Joel Robuchon, Guy Savoy, and Pierre Gagnaire to Las Vegas to give us even more foodie clout and Michelin Stars than ever before.

Meanwhile, Vegas has also seen the rise of "homegrown talent". Rick Moonen left the hubbub of New York to open RM Seafood at Mandalay Bay and stay here to run it. Kerry Simon actually became a "celebrity chef" here in Vegas, and has since opened a branch of Simon in LA. Signs of life have even appeared out here in the suburbs, as real Neapolitan style pizzerias, funky sushi houses, classy French bistros, and cool gastropubs have popped up from Summerlin to Henderson.

So with Vegas Uncork'd here for its fourth year, it really feels like we were celebrating something quite special. Las Vegas truly has arrived as a sophisticated culinary destination.

(Day 2 of Vegas Uncork'd)

Think about it. The world's best and finest chefs were just here in Las Vegas. They were here to feed us. They gave us cooking classes. They served us lunch. They pulled out all the stops for elegant multi-course dinners. They all gathered at Caesars Palace's new pool complex to let us sample their offerings. Hell, they even threw us a big barbeque at Mandalay Bay's beach!

It's incredibly difficult for me to pick a favorite moment from last weekend, since there were so many. There was Charlie Palmer serving me pork hot off the BBQ. There was Cat Cora personally offering me a lamb burger from her booth. There was Joel Robuchon doing a champagne toast with me, silly lil' moi!

And after all these great meals, I'm ready for more. The Grand Tasting gave me a chance to sample some great restaurants that I know I'll need to visit (or try again) soon. Sage tasted very promising. Nobu (as usual) had great sushi offerings. I must admit, even Bobby Flay's seafood at Mesa Grill tasted good. (Last time I was at Mesa, my meal was on the underwhelming side.)

Meanwhile, the full sit-down meals confirmed to me some of my favorite restaurants that I know I will be visiting time and again. Bradley Ogden is a real "hidden treasure" at Caesars Palace. Joel Robuchon is a breathtaking experience never worth missing at MGM Grand. And over ten years later, Aureole is still dazzling us at Mandalay Bay.

(Day 3 of Vegas Uncork'd)

Vegas Uncork'd was the perfect opportunity to explore more of what Las Vegas has to offer, especially the great restaurants serving phenomenal food and drinks here. But even if you couldn't make it here last weekend, fear not. There is always something good cooking here.

Just give me a call, and we'll do dinner. Trust me, you'll have fun eating here. :-)

(OK, just one more thing: I need to thank some very important people who made this all happen. Much thanks to Bon Appetit Magazine for hosting Uncork'd and making it yet another fabulous success! I also need to thank Hunter again for giving me the opportunity to be your eyes and ears at Uncork'd. Thanks to my "table partners" at Bradley Ogden on Thursday, including Bon Appetit Executive Ediotr Victoria Von Biel, for the enlightening conversation and great company. Thanks to my new friends from Seattle, jsmeeker, and David Ross for guiding me through The Grand Tasting. Thanks to THEhotel at Mandalay Bay for such an enjoyable stay last weekend. Oh, and thanks to YOU for bearing with me these last few days. I hope to keep seeing you here!)

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.)

Vegas Uncork'd: The Joel Robuchon Luncheon of a Lifetime

(Also at TWHT/RateVegas)





Hello, again! I'm back with a very special report from a very special place... A place that can boast of "The Chef of the Century"! Yes, my dears, I did lunch at Joel Robuchon's place. He, along with his right-hand men from Vegas AND Paris, did the cooking.

Both of Joel Robuchon's MGM Grand restaurants, Joel Robuchon at The Mansion and L'Atelier, feel distinctly removed from the usual hustle and bustle of the massive MGM Grand complex. L'Atelier feels like an elegant, but still approachable, Euro modern bar with a lovely zinc bar and great views of the kitchen. The Mansion, meanwhile, feels like a luxurious penthouse one would have found in Paris in the 1930s. As always, I have plenty of pics of the digs, the food, and the chefs (including one of moi with Mr. "Chef of the Century" himself!) at my Twitpic @atdleft.





We started off with an actual cooking show at L'Atelier. None other than Joel Robuchon himself was leading the class, teaching us how to do langoustine fritters and seared beef just as he would serve right there at L'Atelier... With his Paris and Vegas crews there to do "sous chef duties" and translate his French instructions into English.

Since we don't have forever, I won't bore you too much with the cooking class details. Let's just say Robuchon doesn't do things the way most of us Americans typically cook. Wait on the salt, don't overdo the garlic, give the meat some time after pulling it out of the refrigerator, and always remember to cook with love. :-D

After the cooking demonstration, we were whisked away to The Mansion for some fine French Champagne with none other than Joel Robuchon himself. And yes, I obviously had a chance to meet him and snap a quick pic. Let me just say he isn't actually as intimidating as person as you'd think Mr. "Chef of the Century" "More Michelin Stars Than Anyone Else Around!" would be. Dare I say he was actually quite the charmer? He even did a toast with us!

OK, so let's get to the food! Here's what you've been waiting for:

- The amuse bouche was a lovely small plate of grapefruit gelee and avocado creme. It may sound odd, but the rich and creamy avocado balances surprisingly well the strong tart of the grapefruit.

- The langoustine fritters were amazing! The langoustine itself still tasted fresh and direct-from-the-sea, while the batter was light and didn't overwhelm the langoustine.

- The beef ribeye was seasoned simply with mainly just salt, pepper, onion, and garlic... And that's all it needed, as the natural beef flavors were singing a beautiful melody with my taste buds! The wasabi spinach that accompanied packed a nice punch, alongside the hearty mushrooms, asparagus, and green & red bell peppers.

- The strawberry panacotta was simply divine, with a simple panacotta that was surprisingly made from heavy cream and yogurt, along with real vanilla beans (which we had a chance to smell and feel during the cooking show!). The strawberry basil couli lovingly highlighted the natural sweetness of the fruit and the basil without any type of "sugar overload".

- And finally, we were served a fantastic 2008 Sancerre Loire Valley white wine with lunch. It had a nice fruity taste, with some floral highlights. This especially matched the langoustine fritters well.









So I hope I answered all your questions on today's fabulous Joel Robuchon luncheon at L'Atelier and The Mansion. And in case you didn't get enough here, check out my tweets @atdleft for more of my thoughts on today's luncheon, as well as my game plan for The Grand Tasting at Caesars Palace's newly renovated Garden of the Gods pool oasis tonight. Bon appetit!

Vegas Uncork'd: The Bradley Ogden Dinner

(Also at TWHT/RateVegas)

Last night, I was in for the time of my life! I enjoyed a fabulous dinner at one of my new favorite Vegas restaurants with some very accomplished fine dining luminaries and professionals.

I was in heaven. Yes, indeed, heaven is a place on earth... And it is called Bradley Ogden!


Bradley Ogden really is an interesting spot at Caesars Palace. It opens right to the madness of the Forum Casino, with the soon-to-be-former Pussycat Dolls Casino and just opened Munchbar (which is, by the way, run by Bradley's son, Bryan Ogden) just a short saunter away. However once one steps through the doors, it's like an island of cozy, wood-paneled, earth-toned, San Francisco inspired tranquility in the midst of one of Las Vegas' biggest Strip casinos. If all the over-the-top Caesars glitz ever gets to be too much for you, you may appreciate the calmer vibe at Bradley Ogden.

So anyway, I arrived for the Vegas Uncork'd dinner ready for anything... Even eating some meat for the first time in six years, just for you at RateVegas/TWHT! So pardon me if my meat judging skills are a little rusty, but I'll try to give you the most accurate as possible take on my various courses. And fortunately I had some highly esteemed fine dining authorities sitting at my table, including Bon Appetit executive editor Victoria Von Biel and San Francisco's Best-O-Burger burger boss Randy Lewis.

We started dinner with a lovely amuse bouche consisting of a petite potato cake, good Osetra Caviar, and citrus creme fraiche. The salty caviar played well with the creamy creme fraiche and soft potato cake. I enjoyed this with the 2004 Iron Horse Bradley Ogden Sonoma Cuvee, which may now be my new favorite "California Champagne".

From there, it was on to our next course: charred yellow tail with scallion puree, caramelized hearts of palm, and a "rice cracker". The scallions added a nice, fresh, herby vibe to the dish, while the caramelized hearts of palm added a bit of a sweet touch to the dish. And the 2008 Illumination Sauvignon Blanc was perfectly crisp and a solid pairing here.

Now I don't often cook with butter lettuce at home, but I occasionally eat it when I'm dining out. And I must admit, the butter lettuce salad here was quite delectable. In fact, it may have been one of the "breakout stars" in my humble opinion, with the goat cheese, shaved fennel, and herb vinaigrette all coming together in the perfect balance of tender, soft, crisp, sweet, and tangy. Yum! Oh, and the slightly buttery and sweet 2007 Flowers Chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast paired beautifully here.

And then, it was time for roasted zucchini soup with sundried tomato, zucchini pearl salad, and fresh zucchini bread. I'm usually a sucker for good zucchini bread, and this one was no exception with its pleasant sweetness. This worked well in balancing the earthier flavors of the zucchini soup, cut with a bit of tart and tang from the sundried tomato. We then tried another Flowers Chardonnay, this one being a 2006 Andreen Gale. This one paired pretty well, but it wasn't quite the perfect match the other chardonnay was with the salad.

And from there, we then dove into the Seared Atlantic Diver Scallops with basil puree, pepper relish, and lemon foam. And yes, one can really make lemon foam with the juice... It just involves some really interesting molecular gastronomy. Oh, and the lemon foam was quite tart and tasty, too. Since all the other components had some sort of sweetness, including the rather mild yellow peppers, the tart from the foam was much appreciated. This was paired with yet another Flowers Chardonnay, this one being the 2006 "Camp Meeting Ridge". Now this pairing was a better match than the last course, but I'd still have to say my favorite chardonnay pairing was with the salad.

OK, so after all that fishy goodness, it was time for some red meat! In this case, we did a cut of South Dakota Bison Tenderloin. And yes, bison meat can be eaten! It's actually leaner than beef, and I could taste the difference... Though it was still hearty. And cooked well, with a nice crust on the outside and very tender and red and almost raw inside. Chef Lewis and Ms. Von Biel both noted that the bison meat was most likely done sous vide first, then finished off with some pan searing to get that good crust. The veggies also didn't disappoint, as I was gobbling up the delectable fava beans and sweet spring onions. This all went nicely with the fruity and slightly spicy 2006 Napa Valley Meritage paired with this course.

And finally, dessert! I had survived all the meat as a vegetarian who had not eaten meat in six years, so I was ready to reward myself with some lovely strawberry shortcake. Actually, the shortcake was more of a "mini waffle" finished with strawberries, rhubarb sauce, a mascarpone cream, and real vanilla (as in real vanilla beans were used here!) ice cream. Now the strawberries and shortcake went superbly with the vanilla ice cream. It was a glorious sweet medley, but not too sweet, as the rhubarb sauce helped strike just the right balance for me. However, the wine pairing here was likely the most controversial of the night. A 2007 Flowers Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast came just before dessert, and was meant to go with dessert. Now when I first tried the wine, it had a nice but not too strong fruity edge... But when tasted with the dessert, I suddenly got a bitter taste in my mouth that wasn't all that pleasant. This was not too horrifying for me, but for a moment it did seem like I fell out of heaven and crashed back down on Planet Vegas. This was not a total nightmare, but the wine pairing probably was the low point of the dinner for me.

So what do I think overall? Well, even with the dessert wine pairing debacle in the end, I'd still give the Bradley Ogden Uncork'd Dinner a solid A, or at least a good A-. I'm still on the fence. All the food was fantastic, though the caviar amuse bouche, butter lettuce salad, and shortcake dessert (sans wine!) were the real shining stars for me. No one dish was bad at all, but again a couple of the wine pairings did throw me off.

So is Bradley Ogden worth the splurge next time you're in Vegas? Absolutely! I've also eaten here on "regular nights", and the food is consistently solid. Just be careful when pairing a Pinot Noir with a certain dish. ;-)

Oh, and finally, I need to make one more shout out to my new friends... Especially Bon Appetit Executive Editor Victoria Von Biel and Chef Randy Lewis from San Francisco! We, along with the other great folks at our table, gave me quite the "education" on fine food. We also had some fun discussing our favorite LA and Bay Area restaurants. All in all, this was the dinner of my dreams. And I'm about to run over to MGM to see "Chef of the Century" Joel Robuchon. And for dinner, it's The Grand Tasting for moi. Am I awake yet?

(And don't forget to follow me @atdleft on Twitter for today's Uncork'd news, and see my Twitpic for some fun photos from last night!)

Vegas Uncork'd: From Mandalay Pool to Chef Photo Op... WHAT??!!

No really, you wouldn't believe what just happened. After I submitted my first entry to Hunter, I decided to do some real(ly fun!) "investigative journalism" and head over to Mandalay Bay's famed beach. Now remember that this is my first time staying at the Mandalay complex, so I hadn't seen the pools before.

OH. MY. GAWD!

Now there may be hipper pool scenes here in Vegas and there may be sleeker and sexier pool areas... But I don't think I've ever seen a pool area as fun and enjoyable overall as Mandalay's. The wave pool is quite BIG, and quite nice. The lazy river is also something else, and I'm determined to take some time tomorrow to rent an intertube so I can really ride it the way it was meant to be experienced.

Another interesting thing I was noticing was the vibe and the design of Mandalay's beach. When it first opened, Mandalay was supposedly meant to evoke some exotic South Seas locale. But other than a few Southeast Asian style reliefs sprinkled here and there, the design of the beach area (or should I say 2007 redesign?) gave me more of the feeling that I was back home in "The OC". No really, the beach today looks much more "California Modern" than "Ancient Burmese Treasure", and the crowds and the overall size of the complex also gave much more of a "summer day in Surf City" vibe than "hideaway in Fiji".

And honestly, I have no problem with it. Perhaps some might decry the infestation of "Modern Generic Moderne" into just about every MGM Mirage casino these days, but I can actually see how the "Californication" of Mandalay Bay works. It markets itself these days as "Untamed Luxury", and its lineup of hotel offerings, restaurants, clubs, and other entertainment options pretty much does this trick.

So once I was done at the pool, I headed back up to my THEhotel suite to prepare for the big night tonight and...

OH. MY. GAWD!

Much to my surprise, I didn't even have to go to the Vegas Uncork'd opening press event... It actually came to me!

No really, I was walking into THEhotel's lobby and immediately came upon Guy Savoy. And Cat Cora. And Joel Robuchon. And Carlos Guia. My goodness, what did I walk into?!

Sadly, I couldn't take too many good photos due to the poor lighting and massive crowds. However, I did snap a good shot at Guy Savoy and a couple other salvageable pics that you can find at my Twitpic.

So after about 150 seconds of just being "starstruck", I figured out that the chefs were all here for a special media event at Mix. So what did I do? Oh, I just looked like a fool in my still-somewhat-wet "pool couture" and snapped some pics. Just for you. Since Hunter and I love you so much. :-p

As always, stay tuned @atdleft on Twitter for the latest Uncork'd news. I'll soon be on my way to the Bradley Ogden dinner, and I'll spill all the beans to you when I check in tomorrow morning. So until then, eat well and enjoy!

Vegas Uncork'd: THEexperience at THEhotel

(Also at Rate Vegas' Two Way Hard Three)

So I have arrived at THEhotel at Mandalay Bay. In fact, I am now writing from "THE wifi" at "THE desk" at "THE Living Room" at "THE Suite"... And I'm listening to "THE Beyonce" as I write from "THE Macbook" on "THE desk". Am I sounding annoying yet?

I digress.

Anyway, I'm now here and I'm getting ready for my first Vegas Uncork'd event of the weekend: dinner at Bradley Ogden, WITH Bradley Ogden! Yes, I know, this is exciting and I'm so excited that Hunter was gracious enough to let me be a guest contributor this weekend so I care share this and other adventures with you at Las Vegas' biggest and most fabulous culinary action-packed weekend, with celebrity chefs from all around the world descending upon our humble 'burg to give us a taste of what they're all about.

However since I know you're also interested in hotel and casino design, I'll also be providing some of my observations of the Strip casinos I go in and out of. So let's start with my home base for this weekend: Mandalay Bay.

Honestly, "THE Suite" is quite sweet. Sure, there aren't the types of fun electronic gadgets you'll now find at any room at Aria, Encore, or Palazzo. But as a "boutique hotel", it works nicely with three flat panel TVs, a fully loaded wet bar, floor-to-ceiling windows, plush carpeting, chic furniture, and plenty of room to roam. And for a hotel that opened in 2003, my suite at THEhotel has minimal damage.

The decor is very hip. The color palette is mainly earth tones. The furniture really looks like the kinds of items I'll find at my yuppie friends' pads in Manhattan and West Hollywood. If you want to take a look at where I'm staying, check out my homemade "sweet suite tour" video (which I'll also upload to YouTube later), as well as my Twitpic.

And the actual Mandalay casino? It's still looking good for someone in Vegas going on eleven. I only found minimal chips in the marble. The water features were all working properly. And THEhotel lobby still looks as stunning in its uber-chic minimalist postmodern way (although that could just be the dim lighting!). For some reason, it seems like MGM Mirage is taking better care of Mandalay Bay than Bellagio. Weird, right?

I'll write more today as I explore, and expect a full review tomorrow morning of all the action at Bradley Ogden's Vegas Uncork'd event. I'll also be listening to other "eyes and ears on the ground" to let you know about the other events tonight. And as always, please feel free to follow me @atdleft on Twitter all weekend as I explore more at Mandalay Bay, take a glimpse at the other Strip casinos, review more restaurants, and follow all the Vegas Uncork'd madness for you.